400$ for a used S&W model 65?

G

Gulfcowboy

New member
I was looking at a website that had police trade-in s&w model 65 with the hammer bobbed for 400. Is this a good price? Would I be able to install a new hammer down the line if I wanted? Thanks for any input given.
 
$400 is a good deal for a steel framed .357 from S&W. It’d be more popular with the stock hammer. Also the fixed sight .357’s have a more limited appeal. But it is a decent deal deal. That’s cheaper than most used Ruger GP100’s I’ve seen in the last 5 years.

The model 64’s are $50 cheaper at Aimsurplus and still have the regular hammer. I’d have a hard time choosing between the two.
 
I've seen those for sale up here in Michigan at the lgs, they have bobbed and hammer version. They are asking $400+, a bit steep for police trade-ins plus they had the "Hillary Lock" feature on them. I'll pass.
 
"I was looking at a website that had police trade-in s&w model 65 with the hammer bobbed for 400. Is this a good price?"

Some of those are in VGC, some are pretty beat up, some have had the front sight filed.
The SNAFU with websites selling police trade-ins is you often see a pic that isn't the gun you're buying. Depends on the seller, and how many they have.

I traded for a 4" M64 police trade-in from about 1996, and couldn't get $300 for it on Armslist . Finally traded it for something else.

Steel .38s with long barrels are hard to sell these days, so I'd suggest staying with the M65.
 
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My pre-MIMS, 3" bull barrel Model 65 is one of my most prized revolvers (and I own a few). If I had to go out in troubled times and took a revolver, that would be the one.

I didn't pay $400 for mine, but I bought it, in the words of Harry Chapin, "a long, long time ago.". I would pay that today.
 
That would be a pretty fair price to me. I bought my Model 67 about five years ago for $450.00 and to this day I consider it one of the best deals I've ever made. It's by far my favorite K frame. I carry it every day on my way to work in my car every day, and into work in my lunch kit. I have no problems at 7-10 yds putting all rounds into a 5-6" circle as fast as I can pull the trigger. Pretty much my best revolver and only second to my CZ75B SA as my favorite shooter. And I have some really sweet shooting handguns in my collection, but these two just really click with me. I also recently picked up an RIA 1911 in 9mm and a Ruger 4" GP100 that's slicked up nice, and these two are starting to give the other two a run for the money.
 
I'm loving the RIA. Very nice trigger, almost as nice as my Smiths once I removed most of the over travel on the adjustable trigger. With my handloads the factory supplied .38 Super mags don't work. My handloads are loaded pretty short in order to function in my CZ's and my M&P. But with a couple of 9mm mags it functions flawlessly. Accuracy is as good as any handgun I have ever owned. And the bonus 22TCM setup is a hoot. In 22TCM I can only load 8 rounds in a ten round mag and still function reliably. No biggie though, it's just a range toy. Armscor did have to replace the 22TCM barrel though and other than a lack of communication informing me my gun had been shipped back to me, their service was very good. So far after I've received it, function has been 100%.
 
Would I be able to install a new hammer down the line if I wanted?
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I have bobbed the hammer spur on several S&W revolvers. Sometimes I order a new hammer and bob the new one, keeping the original as manufactured in reserve. Sometimes I just bob the original hammer. So yes, you could replace your bobbed hammer with another one...but it may need to be adjusted/fitted. I have been pretty lucky swapping out hammers...most just "dropped in", with no adjustment required.
 
$400 seems a bit steep for a trade-in, and I wouldnt do it unless I could see the gun I was buying.

I realize too, the days of the "cheap" trade-ins are a thing of the past too, and most S&W's are going up petty quick in price.

I picked this 3" 65 up earlier this year, and I think it was $5-550 (its not a trade-in), cant remember which. Its in great shape and shoots well too. Typical S&W DA trigger.

enhance


I picked up a "decent" trade-in 64 from J&G Sales back just before the prices started shooting up. At $250, it was a deal, and sounds like the 65 youre looking at.

It was scuffed up pretty good on the outside but was the cleanest gun Ive ever seen, new or used, on the inside when I got it. It too came with a bobbed hammer and a buttery smooth DAO trigger. A little Mothers Chrome Polish and some work, and it cleaned up pretty good.

enhance


While I am a DAO revolver shooter, and not having a hammer isnt a detriment, I do prefer the looks of the guns with a hammer. They just look more balanced and proper. Either way though, I still shoot them all, DAO.
 
I was looking at a website that had police trade-in s&w model 65 with the hammer bobbed for 400.
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Can you post a link? As others have mentioned, condition is going to be a huge factor. I'd want to inspect it for timing, rust under the stocks, and any tinkering with the front sight.

If the gun's in decent shooting condition, that's a good price.

Remember, this is fixed sights, service grade. IOW, a "poor man's" revolver.
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I'd call it the working man's revolver. I carried a 3" model for years. It's pretty much everything I need in a fighting gun, and the 65 is a classic.
 
A little over 10 years ago my wife "took" my 2.5 inch S&W 66 for her home defense gun. A very good choice as I carried it as a Private Investigator and it did its job very well. I had the opportunity to find a new short barrel revolver. I came across a 3 inch S&W 65 for $375 and jumped at it. It was the only one I had ever seen. Since then I have seen several and they seem to command a higher price than the 4 inch 65s. I would snap it up at that price in a heartbeat provided it did not have the lock and is in decent shape. Most police guns are carried more than shot so it should have a decent barrel.
 
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