Any S&W 66 owners?

[In The Ten Ring]

Thanks guys, and especially thank you Dfariswheel, for all of that.

During the silly ammo craziness of 2014, all I could find in any quantity was 158 grain +P all lead hollow points from Remington. Ugh! 5 shots in my j-frame was all I could handle of that at a time. I heard that was called "The FMI Load" but I think it's the same Dfariswheel's reply called the "Detroit Load," etc. I still have almost two full boxes of it and I'll try it in the 66.

My 66 has a great double action pull, I think I'll use it with semi wad cutters in an IDPA match this summer. I'll need some speed loaders, carriers, and a holster though.

 

[MrBorland]

I'll use it with semi wad cutters in an IDPA match this summer. I'll need some speed loaders, carriers, and a holster though

SWCs wouldn't be the best choice (only slightly better than full wadcutters), as that sharp shoulder become a real PITA during your reloads. You'll ideally need some ammo with a round nose profile. Preferably plated and not lead. Lead round nose are soft shooting, but very dirty, and they'll gunk up your chambers quickly, also wreaking havoc with your reloads. Here's some ammo that'd be perfect for IDPA (not a bad price, either):

https://www.luckygunner.com/38-spec...nfp-military-ballistics-industries-100-rounds

I'll need some speed loaders, carriers, and a holster though

I'm not trying to push anything on you, but revisit my offer in your other thread. I've got everything you need (except the gun and ammo) and you're welcomed to borrow it to check out a match or two before committing to buying gear.

 

[luger fan]

The 66 is my ALL TIME favorite 'wheelie.'

 

[Dfariswheel]

I modified the red ramp front sights on my Model 66's by removing the red insert and installing a black insert.
I used a Dremel carbide cutter in my Foredom flex shaft to cut a shallow, oval shaped hole in the insert, which I filled with Gloss White paint.

When looking through the sights the oval shaped hole looks like a round dot.

For the rear sight I painted on a narrow bar of Gloss White below the sight notch.
This gives a "Von Stavenhagen" type bar-dot sight.

 

[223 shooter]

Dfariswheel - I like what you did with the sights - I do not see the standard Smith orange worth a hoot these days. I have even contemplated getting rid of the 66-1 as the sights have become hard to see. A dot sight arrangement would be an improvement.

 

[Model12Win]

It's a good pistol for the thumpsman, the packsman, the outdoorsman, the huntsman, the securityman, the everyman, the man man, the man... etc. etc. etc. etc.

I just love the 66. A K-mag stoked with hollow tips will solve most ills.

 

[JC57]

It's a good pistol for the thumpsman, the packsman, the outdoorsman, the huntsman, the securityman, the everyman, the man man, the man... etc. etc. etc. etc.

I just love the 66. A K-mag stoked with hollow tips will solve most ills.

It's also a good handgun for the woman. My wife loves her 66-1 2 1/2". I've never seen a more accurate shooter than her with that revolver.

 

[bassJAM1]

A few years ago I got an idea that I wanted a .357 mag, mostly to pair with a .357 lever action I was also buying. Anyway, my wife must have casually mentioned this to her dad because a few weeks later he showed up at our house and said "I hear you're looking for one of these" and showed me a 66-1 and that it was mine on “permanent loan”. I’m not sure where he got it, probably from one of his buddies that he used to do a lot of trading and shooting with. He still had the original box though which is pretty cool.

I love it (my wife does too with .38’s) and it’s become our living room gun. It actually prompted me to get something with a 6” barrel so I could hunt deer so I recently got this 19-7. The 19's trigger isn't nearly as nice, not sure if it's not "broken in" yet or if it has more to do with modern S&W quality. Either way, I’ll probably try to pick up a snubby 66 now with a 2.5” barrel as well, I love the size of these things.

 

[langenc]

That is it--#3. Got mine from a retired officer. Dont know if he used it on duty or what.

He has left the range now and I truely enjoy the use of it. One of my boys or S-I-L's will get it bye and bye as Gramps used to say.

It is a 66 no dash-4" barrel.

 

[In The Ten Ring]

I'm not trying to push anything on you, but revisit my offer in your other thread. I've got everything you need (except the gun and ammo) and you're welcomed to borrow it to check out a match or two before committing to buying gear.

Mr Borland, what did you offer? I cannot remember.

 

[MrBorland]

Mr Borland, what did you offer? I cannot remember

You didn't have to remember - the search function works, too

At any rate, I offered you a kydex IDPA-legal holster to try...

...but in this thread, I offered you everything else you'd need...speedloaders ("Bubberized" Jetloaders; see pic below), speedloader holders, loading blocks, and even a 5.11 vest (if a medium fits). I might even be able to find a few dummy rounds so you can work on your reloads at home, or at least figure out how to load the speedloaders so you don't have to figure it out at the match.

I'll have to dig around to find this stuff, but if you want to hold off on buying gear until you figure out if you like shoot IDPA with a revolver, you can borrow any or all of it in the meantime.

I've got everything you need (except the gun and ammo)

 

[John D]

Carry my 2-1/2" 66-2 every day on my ranch. Three rounds for snakes (and to scare off coyotes) and three for other critters. Don't usually carry in the dead of winter - but, feel a little "off balance" without it!

 

[Tom Servo]

I have a couple.

A 4" model from 1988, same year the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan and somebody thought it would be a good idea to make a sequel to Crocodile Dundee.

A 3" model from 1994, the year Tip O'Neil died. All the musicians wore flannel shirts and growled a lot.

 

[In The Ten Ring]

Mr. Borland,

Thanks! I really hadn't seen that reply!

I sent you a reply message but it lost all bearing when I found your reply here. I won't be able to do any competition before mid May.

That's a great offer though, very considerate!

 

[texagun]

The S&W 66 is one of my all-time favorites, 2nd only from the S&W Model 19. This Model 66 was made in 1984 and the previous owner installed a Millett Target Sight on the rear to complement the S&W front sight with the traditional red ramp. It's a bit unusual but it makes the sight picture really stand out

 

[joed]

I only have 1, a 66-5 that I picked up when I lived in FL. I traded a Beretta 92 for the 66-5 and felt I got the better of that deal. I had always had a 19-4 but sold it as it was the worst S&W I'd ever owned. The 66 offers what the 19 had with a stainless finish.

 

[357 Python]

I carried a 2 1/2" 66-2 for a while when I was a private security supervisor and Private Investigator. My wife later decided that was her gun when I became a police officer and had to carry a Beretta 92FS. It served me very well and has served her equally well.

 

[joed]

The 66-5 is probably a gun I will still have when I die. To me it is the perfect size for carry. I agree with Dfariswheel, the model 66 seems to hold up better then the 19 which I had for a long time.

 

[Viper225]

I have a 66-2 Custom Shop DAO 3".
It came with a Trigger Job, Ball Loc, and Chamfered Chambers.
The front sight was a pinned on Tall Partridge Target Sight with a Tall Solid Black rear sight. No White Outline.
I have the same Pachmayr Compac grips on mine as the 3" shown by Dfariswheel several posts back. I did change the front sight to a Fiber Optic that I can see.
I suspect that the original owner passed away. It probably will not change hands again till I pass away either.

Bob

 

[walnut1704]

I have a 6" 66-2 and it's my favorite. I found it all beat up at a gun show. It was missing it's rear sight and had end-shake issues. I sent it off and had a Weigand interchangeable front sight base installed, which uses S&W DX style sight blades. Also a Weigand rear blade (which is bigger than the stock blade) and had a steel .500" target trigger installed. A trigger job, barrel set-back, bead blast...pretty much a total rebuild. I should have just put a target hammer in it too.