Nframe_is_no1
Member
A couple of weeks ago I found this 66-8 at my LGS. I have a model 69 in 4.2" and I like it so much I have wanted to get one of the new 66s to go with it. This 4.2" 66-8 came in used. It had the original blue plastic case. Serial number is DPT42xx. The end label on the box dated the gun to 2/01/2022, so the original owner didn't keep it very long. The revolver was nice and tight and its only flaw was that it was filthy inside and needed a good cleaning. I could not resist and decided to take it home when it was offered to me for $599 +tax.
Despite some of the reports I've read online about some people having problems with the 66-8, I've had no issues with the gun and it digests all of the magnums I care to put in it. I never use 357 in any of my vintage combat magnums. I treat them gently and feed them only +P .38s. I have older 66s which include a 4" 66-2. In comparing the 66-2 with the 66-8, I can see how they took out the flat spot at the bottom of the forcing cone and really thickened the barrel and beefed it up. I have no qualms about shooting .357 in the 66-8! The recoil is surprisingly controllable with full power 357 too!
I noticed that although the barrel shroud on my 66-8 still has the lengthwise serrations on the top, the factory has eliminated them on the top of the revolver's frame. This is no big deal to me and I bet it was done to conceal it better if the barrel shroud is slightly out of alignment.
My only complaint with it was that it had the round butt stocks on it that are usually fitted to the 2 3/4" 66 and 69. At first, I thought that the previous owner swapped the grips, but quickly found out they were probably original because the shop just happened to have a brand new 4 1/4" 69 in the case that was wearing the same round butt stocks. It appears that for some reason the factory is phasing out the round to square butt conversion stocks and is putting the round butt stocks on everything now. The round butt stocks didn't feel horrible, but they just don't look correct to me with the longer barrel. I have a 2 3/4" 69 and the round butts look and feel just fine to me on that because of the short barrel. Besides looking and feeling better, I wanted the square butt stocks to match my 69 and 617. I called S&W and they did not have the round to square butt conversion stocks which is really strange because you'd think they'd have parts for such recent production. All they had were the round butts. I found what I wanted for sale online and ordered two pairs so I'd have a spare just in case. When they came, I installed a set on the 66-8. Here are some pics:
Here are the round butts it came with that I took off:
Here's the family photo. I decided to include the 617 with the combat magnums because even though it's not a combat magnum the grips are identical as well as the hammer and trigger, making it a great trainer. I think of it as a .22 conversion unit for the combat magnums!
From top:
model 617-6 (10 shot)
model 66-8
model 69
Despite some of the reports I've read online about some people having problems with the 66-8, I've had no issues with the gun and it digests all of the magnums I care to put in it. I never use 357 in any of my vintage combat magnums. I treat them gently and feed them only +P .38s. I have older 66s which include a 4" 66-2. In comparing the 66-2 with the 66-8, I can see how they took out the flat spot at the bottom of the forcing cone and really thickened the barrel and beefed it up. I have no qualms about shooting .357 in the 66-8! The recoil is surprisingly controllable with full power 357 too!
I noticed that although the barrel shroud on my 66-8 still has the lengthwise serrations on the top, the factory has eliminated them on the top of the revolver's frame. This is no big deal to me and I bet it was done to conceal it better if the barrel shroud is slightly out of alignment.
My only complaint with it was that it had the round butt stocks on it that are usually fitted to the 2 3/4" 66 and 69. At first, I thought that the previous owner swapped the grips, but quickly found out they were probably original because the shop just happened to have a brand new 4 1/4" 69 in the case that was wearing the same round butt stocks. It appears that for some reason the factory is phasing out the round to square butt conversion stocks and is putting the round butt stocks on everything now. The round butt stocks didn't feel horrible, but they just don't look correct to me with the longer barrel. I have a 2 3/4" 69 and the round butts look and feel just fine to me on that because of the short barrel. Besides looking and feeling better, I wanted the square butt stocks to match my 69 and 617. I called S&W and they did not have the round to square butt conversion stocks which is really strange because you'd think they'd have parts for such recent production. All they had were the round butts. I found what I wanted for sale online and ordered two pairs so I'd have a spare just in case. When they came, I installed a set on the 66-8. Here are some pics:
Here are the round butts it came with that I took off:
Here's the family photo. I decided to include the 617 with the combat magnums because even though it's not a combat magnum the grips are identical as well as the hammer and trigger, making it a great trainer. I think of it as a .22 conversion unit for the combat magnums!
From top:
model 617-6 (10 shot)
model 66-8
model 69
Last edited:
