Smith &a Wesson 65-2 357 Magnum question

S

snowman748

New member
I recently picked up a Smith & Wesson 65-2 revolver in 357 Magnum with a 4" barrel. I ended up paying $424.99 plus tax. At first I thought I might have over paid a bit BUT I've been wanting a S&W revolver for a while especially in 357 mag. It's a police trade in, is milled to accept moon clips (not necessarily however) and has a Pacmyer grip on it (which I plan to switch to a Houge). Seems these are selling for around $500 on Gunbroker and revolver hold a premium in my area so I'm pretty happy with it.

My question is does anyone have any extra info about these models that would be useful? Years of production, what to look out for, where to buy moon clips, will it fit in any K-frame holster, etc.

I'm pretty new to Revolvers, I'm owned a Taurus (garbage), a Nagant, a few 22LRs, and a Ruger Security Six, but I've been a long time fan of S&W (I own a S&W SW22 Victory, a S&W M&P9 Performance Center, & a S&W M&P9C)...
 
I had a 4" model 65 that I enjoyed shooting. It fit all the holsters designed for K frames that I tried. My father has the revolver now. He enjoys shooting it with the grand kids and he keeps it loaded with .38 +Ps for a home defense gun.
 
Howdy

The Model 65 (357 Military & Police, Heavy Barrel Stainless) is a Stainless version of the Model 13. K frame, fixed sights, and three screws. Like the Model 13 it lacks the under barrel shroud often found on S&W 357 Magnum revolvers. The round butt version came with a 3" barrel and the square butt version came with a 4" barrel.

Introduced in 1974 it was produced up until 2004. 65-2 production started in 1977 and continued until the 65-3 was introduced in 1982. If you post the Serial Number, substituting Xs for the last two digits I might be able to zero in a little bit better on the year yours was produced.

I picked up this 65-3 used quite a few years ago. Only the 2nd 357 Mag revolver I bought, have quite a few more now. This one was a police trade in, I bought it at a local gunshow from a private seller. He was asking $200 for it, we agreed on $190. Those rubber grips are what came on it, the original grips would have been checkered walnut grips. When I got it home I was unhappy to find there was a major gouge in the rifling about halfway down the barrel, but that apparently did not affect its accuracy.


model%2065-3%2002_zpsksd3wrt0.jpg


model%2065-3%2001_zpsyyoetw70.jpg





Here is a photo of a Model 13-2. You can see how the Model 65 is a stainless version of this gun.

model%2013-2%2001_zpsslse63t5.jpg
 
The Serial Number is 1D850XX...the revolver is missing the Grip screw for the PAC grips (which is why I'd like to get Houge) but the timing and lock up seem to be very good. It has LPD 2222 on the side. LPD stands for "Lubbock Police Department" since I picked it up in Lubbock, TX. 2222 I believe is probably a department serial number (a way for the department to keep track of the gun). I've heard of several police departments doing this instead of tracking the guns via the serial number, however the guy at the gun shop told me it was the "badge number of the police officer that carried it" but I've never heard of a department doing this before. Am I wrong in thinking it's not the officers badge number?



 
Howdy Again

Serial Numbers 1D45001 through 1D99999 for Models 64 and 65 were produced 1979-1980.

It is most likely the number stamped on the frame of your revolver under the cylinder was a department armorer's inventory number. Unlikely a particular officer's badge number was stamped onto the gun. Not really a Serial Number, just an inventory number to keep track of who the revolver had been issued to. That way, if the gun was issued to another officer, all that was needed was a notation in a log book.
 
I have the same gun--well it's a -1 and from Cobb County GA. I really like a K frame Smith, but tend feed them only puff loads. They were designed to shoot full house magnums only occasionally. I have a Ruger GP100 when it's time to raise the roof. BTW, your K frame is pinned (barrel) and recessed (cylinder)--not really for moon clips. Happy shooting.


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