NIB 66-2 from 1983 follows me home PICS

[Master Blaster]

just closed a deal on a NIB 1983 model 66-2. The gun was part of a collection that belonged to the security department of a fortune 100 chemical company. apparently it was sitting in the safe there along with some other firearms, and was cleaned out with the sale of the division to another company. My local gunshop took it on consignment. Its a 66-2 with a 2.5" barrel with rear white outline adjustible sights and front ramp with red insert. The hammer and trigger are flash chromed, and the gun has factory original goncalo alves finger grooved combat grips. Its a round butt frame. It has zero finish wear or scratches, and no sign of any flame cutting at all on the top strap, no drag line on the cylinder either.

I really like the grips thay soak up the recoil, the CS rep at s&w told me that they were made in house and came with the gun as a special order item.

I bought it and took it out and fired it at lunch today, and it shoots very well indeed. I will take and post pics tomorrow if there is any interest. Does anyone else own one of these, if so what load do you like to shoot in it?

I'm thinking of carrying it can anyone recommend a good belt holster?

Thanks

 

[PI Rob]

MB,
Nice find! I have a 66-2 also and LOVE it! For defensive purposes mine likes the Win. 145gr. silver-tips. Nice middle of the road round, moderate recoil, moderate muzzle flash, plenty of power from a 2.5" bbl, and consistently accurate. For plinking, it's whatever is on sale in .38 spl. When I'm carrying, depending on what my days looks like, I use one of the two holsters in the pic. One's a Safariland Klipspringer paddle and the other is a Galco FL112 pancake. You can find them at reasonable prices on Ebay and the forums sometimes. I like the Pachmayr Compacs for carrying and shooting. I have a set of Rosewood boot grips for it, but I not crazy about the way they fit my hand so they just sit around and look pretty. You're really gonna enjoy your K frame. Here's the pic:

 

[DHart]

Yep... the 2.5" 66 is one of the "great" revolvers of the world... sure love mine...

As a defense load, I prefer Winchester 145 gr. Silvertip (1241 fps from the 2.5" tube - plenty of poop!) or Speer 158 gr. Gold Dot (1180 fps from a 2.5" tube). For practice, I load Rainier's 140 gr. copper plated bullets over 8.5 gr. of PowerPistol to fly at about 1050 fps. This practice load is warm enough to get the "feel" of a punchy load, but very comfortable to shoot a lot of... easy on the gun and the shooter.

Speer has a new line of "Short Barrel - SB" loads, made for short barrels.... The bullets are designed to expand reliably at the velocities one typically gets from short barrels. The .357 SB load is a 135 gr. Gold Dot moving at 990 fps from a 2" tube... probably get a little over 1000 fps from the 2.5" tube and should be very easy on the gun and the shooter. It's sort of like a "tactical lite" load. Very nice compromise between power and controllability if you don't want the punishment of a full-house .357 defense load in a small revolver.

 

[Smith66]

Congrats on a great find! I love my 66 2.5" it's an awesome carry gun. I carry it with Houge Bantams in a Galco high ride belt slide holster. My carry round is usually 145gr. Silvertips, but some 158's and Corbon 180's have been used as well. Never did care for the 158 JHP's, personally.
Happy shooting

 

[BusGunner007]

Nice score.
One of the best looking guns ever made.

 

[eka]

Now you made me want to go buy one and I already have one. Whats with that.

I load mine with Federal .38 Special +P Hydroshocks and carry mine in an El Paso Saddlery Street Combat open top holster with the fish scale hand stamping. I have several different grips I put on it from time to time. Makes for an awesome looking, awesome shooting , and very comfortable rig. I love mine and wouldn't part with it. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine. I originally bought it for my wife, but notice I said mine.

Take care,