Which 66 (No Dash) is the better gun?

[Cirrus]

Hey everyone, a close family member recently passed away and I was asked if I wanted to buy some of his guns. He had two 4" 66 (no dash) guns and since I already have a 2.5" (no dash), I thought a 4" would make a nice addition to my collection. Unfortunately, neither of the 4" guns appear to be all original and there appears to be some issues or discrepancies with each one, so I'm not entirely sure which would be the better choice. Neither gun appears to have been fired much at all. There's zero flame cutting on the underside of the top strap and forcing cones both look great. I'll be getting a "family discount" so price really isn't a factor. And I certainly would not be reselling once I decide which one to purchase, I'm just confused about which one I should buy.

The first one is an early all-stainless rear sight version, SN 4K564XX. I has some wear marks in front of the cylinder on both sides and then on the right side has some scratches on the side plate. It has also been ported on top of the barrel at some point, but no idea where it was done or how long ago.







The second one is also an early all-stainless rear sight, SN 4K562XX. The blade of the rear sight appears to have been swapped with a black one with a white outlined notch and also looks like it was dropped and hit a corner, so I don't believe that's original. And the front sight has a red ramp insert that also does not appear to be original. The insert is more pink that red and translucent like a piece of fiber optic. It's not a solid color like red or orange that's normally seen on revolvers. This gun is in better cosmetic condition, but the trigger also appears slightly different than other gun. It's not as flat on the sides and appears to be contoured and polished more.

 

[old bear]

Buy both and shoot the them. That is what they were made for.

 

[Jim Watson]

First gun looks like real Magnaporting which is a reputable outfit.
Looks like its trigger has been rounded off a bit, Magnaport also does action work. See below.

Second gun has had the trigger rounded off for double action comfort.
I would wonder about what might have been done to the action inside. Check for push-off of an overly lightened SA, check for misfires from an overly reduced mainspring, check for sluggish trigger return from an overly reduced rebound spring.
The front sight insert looks ok, obviously needs a replacement rear sight blade.

 

[Cirrus]

Buy both and shoot the them. That is what they were made for.

I wish I could, but there's another family member that wants to buy the other one. They know I'm the "gun guy" so they're letting me have first pick between the two and they're going to buy the other one.

 

[Cirrus]

First gun looks like real Magnaporting which is a reputable outfit.
Looks like its trigger has been rounded off a bit, Magnaport also does action work. See below.

Second gun has had the trigger rounded off for double action comfort.
I would wonder about what might have been done to the action inside. Check for push-off of an overly lightened SA, check for misfires from an overly reduced mainspring, check for sluggish trigger return from an overly reduced rebound spring.
The front sight insert looks ok, obviously needs a replacement rear sight blade.

First one trigger breaks at 3.5lbs SA every time.
Second one trigger breaks at 2lbs SA exactly every time.

The second one is actually a earlier serial number. Was it common for this model to have different front sights (solid front sight and ramp notch cut front sight).

 

[Engine49guy]

Id swap rear site units and take the one without the porting.
Id be surprised (shocked) if that red ramp shipped from the factory,
Many complained about the early 66 ss on ss sites.
Btw neither of those stocks sets are factory, some sorta Thailand knock offs.
Any other SW revolvers besides those two that are on the table that you can choose or thats it ?

 

[Rock185]

Aftermarket, Thai?, stocks on both. Polished triggers. FWIW, I sent my "2K" model 66 in for overhaul in '80; most everything except frame and side plate, to include the barrel, was replaced. It came back from S&W with a red ramp front sight, so perhaps on a 4K gun the RR is factory? Not being able to examine breech face, possible forcing cone erosion, B/C gap, end play, etc., don't know which I'd pick...

 

[Cirrus]

Id swap rear site units and take the one without the porting.
Id be surprised (shocked) if that red ramp shipped from the factory,
Many complained about the early 66 ss on ss sites.
Btw neither of those stocks sets are factory, some sorta Thailand knock offs.
Any other SW revolvers besides those two that are on the table that you can choose or thats it ?

No, those are the only ones. Everything else was just average polymer guns and rifles.

 

[xfarfuldog]

I'd vote door # 2. I do not like the porting. As far as the red ramp, it may have fallen out. I purchase a 66 once and the RR fell out at the gun show. I had it replaced and the smith used an old plastic toothbrush for material. I couldn't tell much difference in my (at the time) 6 model 66s.

 

[flundertaker]

Porting ruins it for me. Go with #2

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Easy for me, not a fan of Magna Porting.
And I have grips, sights and triggers.

 

[Eddietruett]

I would try and swap the rear sights. Unless somebody knows somewhere I haven't found, it's impossible to get a stainless replacement blade and screw. I've got 2 stainless rear sights and both have been gutted. Looks wrong with a blue blade but a blue blade seems to be the only alternative

 

[snw19_357]

Looks to me like the barrel was replaced on #2. There's no pin holding the front sight blade on and you post clear pictures of both sides of the front sight.
I can see the pin in both the left and right sides you posted for #1

 

[Hair Trigger]

First gun's stocks don't look like factory S&W targets. The checkering is too far back, the escutcheon screw should center in the checkering. 2nd gun has stocks from the early '80s, the full speed loader cut didn't appear until around 1980. I don't like ported guns, and I don't like sights that have been dropped on. Unless you just want a shooter I'd pass on both of them. If you want a shooter, take the ported one. Both have had the trigger grooves removed and the triggers polished smooth.

 

[Engine49guy]

Looks to me like the barrel was replaced on #2. There's no pin holding the front sight blade on and you post clear pictures of both sides of the front sight.
I can see the pin in both the left and right sides you posted for #1

Sometimes the fs blade pin is easy to spot, sometimes near impossible.
I think the one on gun #2 is just hard to detect or am I imagining I see a hint of it?
But that blade insert is definitely not original IMO.

 

[2500]

I'd take #2 as well, not a fan of the ports.

 

[Mr500cm]

Either gun will clean up nicely. If I had to pick one it would be number 2 and I source a new rear sight. If the price is right grab both. I bought a no dash a few months ago and other than a good cleaning (it was swimming in oil) it was fairly clean. I love them.

 

[Rocketmedic40]

Rifles are interesting too

 

[ultra45]

Sometimes the fs blade pin is easy to spot, sometimes near impossible.
I think the one on gun #2 is just hard to detect or am I imagining I see a hint of it?
But that blade insert is definitely not original IMO.

Hmmm…looks just like my 66-1, which is all original. The front sights weren't pinned back then, like they are on today's guns. Also early 66's had stainless rear sights with a plain black or black with a white outlined blade.

All 66 number two needs, is a new hammer to restore it cosmetically and maybe a new rear blade. A few minutes with a 3m scotch pad will have it looking like new. Good Luck!

 

[Engine49guy]

Hmmm…looks just like my 66-1, which is all original. The front sights weren't pinned back then, like they are on today's guns. Also early 66's had stainless rear sights with a plain black or black with a white outlined blade.

All 66 number two needs, is a new hammer to restore it cosmetically and maybe a new rear blade. A few minutes with a 3m scotch pad will have it looking like new. Good Luck!

The 4" Model 66 was introduced with a fs ramp integral with the barrel but the fs blade was pinned to the ramp with a single pin and polished flush to hide it.
If you zoom in on the OP's gun #1 the fs pin is alot easier to see (zoomed in below)
The Model 66/67 were introduced with a stainless rear sight leaf with a stainless rear slide, while SW would do anything on special order the standard was a stainless Baughman front sight blade with no insert.
These were in high demand for LEO when introduced and reportedly took years for supply to catch up. While I do not know the exact year Im estimating around 1974-75 there were enough complaints that the factory began offering blackened stainless replacement rear sight units to dept armorers to swap out, (my guess is many unhappy owners simply replaced the SS slide with a black one as well)
the raw stainless rear sight units are gone by the introduction of the 66-1 ,
My observation has been that the majority of 4" Mod 66 no dash do not have an original red ramp fs insert where the majority of 4" Mod 66-1's I see pop up do appear to have a red ramp insert.