Professional Pistolero Help Needed

[ContinentalOp]

Additionally if you mess with the return spring you can get light primer strikes which makes for no bang when you pull the trigger.

No, but it can affect trigger return, increasing the likelihood of short-stroking the trigger when firing DA quickly.

 

[SixGunSancho]

Well, you have advice from how to fix a gun you haven't even received yet... really? Which springs to install, stoning the inside action parts (?), how bad and ugly rubber grips are and which holster you need. Some advice was realistic in suggesting you shoot the gun and make decisions based on your preferences. Go slow, think through it and proceed after your decisions are clear.

I do have a whole lot of experience with revolvers.

I do not have sufficient knowledge of modern iterations of revolvers.

 

[SixGunSancho]

Welcome to the forum?

Thanks.

Lots of knowledgeable pistoleros here.

 

[SixGunSancho]

Politely, suggesting to someone who may or may not know their way around the innards of a S&W revolver to take a stone to all the action parts is seriously ill-advised -- it isn't even how one performs a proper revolver action job.

You may know exactly what you're doing and only wrote it shorthand, but I wouldn't assume the OP has what might be your knowledge or skill.

I have disassemble S&W revolvers, but not recent iterations of them.

All mechanical devices operate in logical progression.

 

[SixGunSancho]

Don't listen to anything anyone says to you about, "This is what you need..." or "This is what you need to change...." etc.

Get the weapon in hand and decide for yourself if the trigger has some type of deficiency for YOU.

That supposed heavy lawyer trigger may actually work perfectly for your shooting grip and trigger stroke.

Speaking of grips, again, only you can decide what works best for you and the weapon's mission. Same for holsters.

For both, material and style will be dependant on your requirements be it strictly functional high speed low drag or compromise for, "Pretty".

An example... I read often, "here" that I am committing some type of mortal sin because my M27 has rubber grips on it.

They are, I admit, very ugly compared to the weapon they are mounted on but they work for me on it's primary mission.

All that said, if you further define your requirements, I'm sure we can offer up all kinds of suggestions. Just judiciously weigh all the information.

We have to do what's right for us. We know conditions in which we'll carry handguns.

In So Cal, concealment is a huge issue. While it might appear counter-intuitive, there are many remote hiking trails in So Cal. So Cal has a healthy population of mountain lions. It's thick with the extremely deadly Mojave Green rattlesnake. Black bears live throughout Angeles National Forest. Lastly, due to proximity to LA, bipedal predators are always a concern.

California is the most beautiful state in the country. It's also the most totalitarian state in the country. Most people in CA hold irrational paranoia of guns. If we were walking along phenomenally beautiful trails along CA's coastline with spectacular ocean views and we were to encounter members of CA's dominant population (irrational paranoia of guns) and were my handgun to become visible to them, rest assured a deputy would respond, which would be a huge waste of his time. I'd show him my retirement credential, we'd talk shop for a few minutes, and we'd all be on our way.

If I were carrying a handgun for bipedal self-defense, it would be a semi. The .357 Mag is extremely versatile. I can quickly load shot capsules for rattlers. With the FBI load, it's a good bipedal self-defense handgun. With 180 grain .357 Mag rounds, it will kill the largest black bears.

I needed a lightweight, versatile handgun that's easy to conceal. Hence, I bought a Model 66-8 2.75". I will carry it in a Galco Combat Master.

 

[SixGunSancho]

Profits drive business decisions. The Model 66-8 is the product of profitability. A handgun produced with a lot of human involvement might cost more to produce than it could command in the marketplace.

I'm not a huge fan of rubber grips. Checkered wooden grips are more expensive than easily mass produced and far less expensive rubber grips. I get it why S&W fits its revolvers with rubber grips.

The Model 66-8's two-piece barrel reduced production cost. I have no direct knowledge of whether it will affect the gun's performance. My reasoned guess is it wont. It's probably more aesthetic.

Were S&W to produce copies of vintage revolves with recessed cylinders and hand fitting, it probably couldn't recover cost due to low demand. The price would cause most shooters to buy less expensive alternatives. However, it might be hasty to conclude that new iterations of S&W revolvers are inferior to vintage models. Personally, I'd prefer a vintage model. Reality caused me to go with a copy of the new version.

 

[mrchuck]

I worked on the Angeles NF. Marijuana plantation eradication.
I had a dedicated satellite so I could "look down and identify" the owners and workers, and send in Armed Rangers to arrest and bring out the MJ.
A very successful way!!!

 

[ScottN]

Congrats on the 66-8! I love mine. I made a few changes to make it even sweeter. I'm not not a gunsmith or expert pistolero but I know how I like my S&W revolvers.

I thought the rear sight was too low and the notch was a bit shallow. I went with the S&W taller .146" blade. For the front sight I went with the Dawson Precision .110" wide by .270" tall red fiber optic sight. The factory front sight is .125" wide. I had my gunsmith do the install because I didn't feel like doing it this time. I have done it before but revolver sight installs can be a pain in my opinion but YouTube is your friend if you want to do it yourself. This combo was suggested to me by a poster on this site and is a great option.

I also changed the grips to the Hogue bantam grips and installed a Wolff 14-lb trigger return spring. It is about as perfect as a modern revolver can get...imho. It is a woods and range revolver for me. The HSM 357 180 grain bear round shoots great for me. The bantam grips fit my hand like a glove and soak up felt recoil well.

For wood/laminate grips check out Altamont Grips. They have lots of styles and don't break the bank. You might even be able to buy two sets from them for the price of one premium set from the popular custom makers...the Altamonts won't be as nice but they have worked well for me.

More on the trigger, I don't ever touch the main spring...ever. I buy Wolff trigger return springs in weights from 14 - 16 lbs. I install the 14 lb spring while doing my initial clean and lube. Once reassembled I do at least 1000 dry fires with snap caps. As long as the trigger return is forceful enough then I'm done. If the trigger return feels sluggish at all then I go to the 15 lb spring. Then onto the 16 lb spring if necessary. FYI, I've never had to use more than the 15 lb'er. With this approach I end up with a 9.0 - 10.5 lb DA trigger pull in J, K and L frames. SA pull is usually in the 3-3.5 range.

And last, holsters were a challenge for me to find but I ended up with a couple of good options. I have a iwb kydex holster from JM Custom Kydex that works well for my 66-8 if I want to carry iwb, which I don't do often because I feel it's a bit too bulky for extended iwb carry. I also have the following Desantis owb holster. It was on sale for $45 and had good reviews. It works well and didn't break the bank.

DeSantis Thumb Break Scabbard Belt Holster Right Hand - MPN: 001BA13Z0

 

[SixGunSancho]

Hi ScottN.

Razorbacks know college football and handguns ;-)

I do appreciate your helpful advice.

I agree with you about altering handguns absent specific need. I do intend to keep my Model 66-8 stock except for its grips. I have bough a pair of Altamont grips. All reviews of Altamont grips have been positive.

I did buy a Wilson Combat mainspring kit. I've had excellent luck with Wilson Combat and Springfield Armory parts. I do like to keep spare handgun parts on hand. However, because I bought a spring kit doesn't mean I'll install it. I even bought an internal lock plug, but I have no intention of messing with its internal lock. I bought it just in case of the very improbable event of an internal lock failure. The plug is a part that's good to have in my handgun parts drawer with the prayer I'll never have to install it.

I might buy fiber optic sights. For bipedal self-defense handguns, I'm more than good with factory sights. But my Model 66-8 2.75" handgun might become my primary wilderness survival handgun. In my opinion, the .357 Mag is our most versatile handgun cartridge. A person lost in deep wilderness areas could easily survive with only a .357 Mag. Put a 158 grain bonded bullet in the oxygenated blood pumping mechanism of our largest deer, and a lost deep wilderness sojourner would have life-sustaining food. Such a shot would require precise shot placement. Precise shot placement requires quality sights. Hence, should I use my Model 66-8 as a wilderness survival handgun, I'll probably install fiber optic sights.

180 grain .357 Mag bullets have astonishing sectional density, which translates to a reliable penetration index. A cylinder full of 180 grain .357 Mag rounds would tend to enhance a restful night's sleep in deep wilderness areas where very mean critters maraud with vampires ;-)

BTW, before I'd shoot a large animal for food, my primary quarry would be hare or grouse. Hence, a 38 Special wadcutter would be more practical, so would #4 shot capsules. The point, however, is the amazing versatility of the .357 Magnum cartridge.

Thanks again.

 

[SixGunSancho]

I'm heading to my FFL this am to complete paperwork on my Model 66-8.
I'll have her in my gun safe in 10 days.

 

[UncleEd]

Careful out there, Sancho, as you might
get lost in the woods on your way to the
FFL.