Smith and Wesson 66-2

Wendyj

New member
Found one of these with original wood grips. Four inch barrel ss. No lock. They are asking $675.00 tax and all out the door. No box no documents. 100% condition. Good and tight. Can't get them to budge another dollar. Is it worth that much. Was going to buy a 686 six shot for 625.00 without tax but I hate that lock. Is it worth the money. Smiths down my way pre lock are climbing in prices everyday. Been trying to buy some older guns to use but also hand down to grand kids one of these days. Buds is showing around $800.00 but I've never bought anything from them.
 
I say it's do-able but I have a few hesitations that I have to share...

Maybe I'm just a stickler for terms and the venue is everything maybe, but if you REALLY want to use a term as bold as 100%, I'm gonna raise my eyebrow high. I see it this way... gun makers (S&W for sure) has over decades (and HELLA for sure now) ship brand new guns that don't qualify to be deemed "100%" and without original box, wax paper and documents, "100%" is really hard to believe.

The 66-2 was heavily produced and not what I would consider scarce. That price is not horrible but I wouldn't call it a eye-popper in my circles.

I will also add (since you brought it up!) that a 4" Model 66 (K-frame) just, in my admittedly strong opinion, does NOT match up well against a 686. I've got many years and many thousands of rounds through K and L-frames and in my opinion, a 4" Model 66 is a great platform for a boatload of .38 Special and will totally carry nicer than any 4"-6" L-frame... but boy, when it comes to lighting off .357 Magnum, the L-frame is like driving around in a plush, new Cadillac compared to a zippy little Toyota Corolla.

Okay, that's not fair, but my point is that the L-frame 586/686 is a dream for .357 Magnum and the K-frame just isn't. The K-frame 13/19/65/66 is, in my opinion, a great .38 Special that can safely fire .357 in a pinch. But not so enjoyable.

$675 is not too much to pay if you LOVE that 4" Model 66-2, but if you end up deciding that it isn't the best platform for throwing fireballs, I don't see it being easy for you to get every $675 back out of it.
 
Addendum: the original wood stocks are always in demand by collectors and absolutely affect the "value" of the revolver, this is for dead sure certain and not really debatable, so they matter.

However (hahaha) ...many or even most of us may agree that YUCK, they are awful. Lousy in most hands. Also transmit every possible bit of recoil energy.

If you buy the 66-2, take the pristine wood off immediately if they don't feel amazing, and keep them in fine shape since you may well rather actually shoot with something better.
 
I was going to put pachmyerhers on and store wood in the safe. Sweaty hands don't hold wood so good. You are definetely correct. My husband has a 686 plus in a 4 inch but we both took a good liking to this one. Smith forum says $500.00 at most but it appears to be an Obama admin post from about 4 years ago. Just don't want to take a beating and can't really go by Buds for pricing.
 
As Sevens said, 100% is usually reserved for as new in box. I was going to say the price is high (even for Connecticut), but then I saw the prices on Gunbroker.

If you like it, and it's a keeper, then in the long run the price isn't such a big factor.

And Amen--indeed, God is not dead.
 
It appears everyone has talked me out of this one. Going to pick up a fn 9 mm since we have 3-4 357 guns already.
 
Awww, party foul. I know like nothing about any FN guns. I have no solid ground to even attempt to talk you out of one. :p
 
No way I would pay that much for a 66-2 even if it had all the original paperwork and box like Sevens stated.

I have a 66-1 no box/paperwork and the few times I have taken it into a shop in this area they acted as if I brought in a dead raccoon. I realize they have to mark it up but even selling on my own no way it would bring anywhere even remotely close to $675 in this area.

As to firing magnum loads I still like the 686 platform.
 
Yes the price was stuck and they wouldn't budge. Hubby has a few fns in 45 Ana 40. I just went with fns 9. The other store I deal with had them $425 out the door. I put a few mags through it when I got back. I normally carry a glock 26 and a j frame revolver. The fn is out shooting the glock so far. About same size as a 17 but fits my hands better.
 
While it may not be a great deal it isn't all that bad. If I had to choose between a 66-2 and a 686 with lock I would choose the 66-2 any day and be happy. In fact I would not mind having a 4" 66-2. To bad I just bought a refrigerator for the house.
 
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I think you made the right choice , $675 is to much for a 66 , the most I would pay is $600 , in EX condition .

But like someone else mentioned , I would pay $675 for it before I bought the 686 with the lock .

The 66 is not built as strong as the 686 , so I would practice with 38's most of the time and limit 357 , especially 125 gr. and lower .

The 66 is one of my favorite S&W revolvers that I don't own . I have been passing on them for $600 in my area .
 
I hadn't seen one at that price here yet. We have a 686 with a lock and not fond of lock myself. I picked up a model 60-9 a few weeks ago with 2 1/4 inch barrel. Love it. I want the 66 and husband is looking fora stainless4.6 inch Blackhawk with not much luck. Love the 357.
 
Prices seem to vary depending on area of the country for some reason. About two years ago I bought a 4" 19-3 in 90%+ condition with box, papers & cleaning rod for $700. I know it wasn't a 'deal' but I had to have it. All the other ones I had seen in my search were beat up.

For some reason I've never bought a gun I regretted, (yet) but I have regretted passing on a few.
 
Like many others, I am fortunate to have both revolvers. The big gun is a Model 686-1 with a 4" barrel, and the smaller one is a Model 66-2 with a 2 & 1/2" barrel. I won both a few years apart but both at auctions. I can only say the price must of been indicative of the market at the times since there were plenty of bids on both guns.

I acquired the 686 in 2011 for $440.00 plus 10% sales tax off GunBroker. The 66 was obtained last year at a live auction with the high auction bid at $450.00. When you add in the buyers premium and sales tax it was just about $545.00.

The 686 came with box and papers. The 66 came as just the firearm. I would grade them at between 85 to 90%.

Due to the barrel length and other factors, I could not even begin to compare the two. They are different revolvers in so many ways as you can see in the attachment.
 

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Couldn't help myself and bought it anyway. Really good condition. Now to find a holster and another set of grips to put these up for later.
 

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I was finally able to get them to drop $45.00 more out the door but if they hadn't I would have probably bought it anyway. Really liking these older guns. Triggers seem better. Balances way better than our 686. Now if I can just find a Ruger speed six in 357 I will move on to something else.
 
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