Smith & Wesson 65-2 question

S

snowman748

New member
So I picked up an old police trade-in 65-2 for $400 a while back. I like it because it's all stainless, has a recessed cylinder, pinned barrel and a great trigger in both double and single action. Problem is I just don't find myself shooting it much because 357 and 38 Special just isn't something I run out and buy everytime I go to the store because this revolver is the only thing I own that shoots it. I've heard of some guys getting cylinders for their revolvers that would allow them to shoot 9mm in a 357 or 45 ACP in a 45 long Colt with moon clips. Now I don't want to make any modifications to my original cylinder but is there any way I would pick up another cylinder and have it modified or have a 9mm cylinder fitted to this gun? I have 3 other 9mm guns as well as plans to pickup a 9mm Carbine so I always stock it up (plus it's cheap). I understand the process probably wouldn't be cheap but I'm sure it wouldn't cost as much as buying a 9mm Smith would it? The 929 and 986 seem to run atleast $900 used and I don't want a single action like the Black Hawk.

Obviously I understand if it's not feasible I'm just curious. I also have absolutely no desire to reload at this point in my life, I've reloaded in the past but I do mostly plinking and when I reloaded I couldn't seem to find the components affordable enough to justify the hassle of reloading vs going to the store and buying a few boxes of ammo or buying bulk.

EDIT: I seem to have found a replacement 357 Magnum cylinder for the 65-2 that around $75.
 
Most anything is "feasible" if you have enough money. I don't think what you're considering is especially practical or economically wise. If you are adamant about not having a .38/.357 firearm, I'd advise selling the Model 65 (they are getting more and more desirable and, accordingly, pricier) and using the money to buy a revolver already chambered in 9mm.

I have to say, though, the Smith & Wesson Model 65 (the s/s version of the Model 13) is a very fine revolver. I carried one for a long time before my agency transitioned to autos. Also, to not have any handgun chambered in .38/.357 borders on, well, heresy...:eek:
 
I didn't say that I don't want a 357/38 revolver, I just said that I feel like if I could get a 9mm cylinder for it I would shoot it WAY more often. Like I said in my original post, most of the 9mm Smith revolvers I can find run around $900or more, I don't know ANYONE willing to buy a 65-2 for $900. If I bought an extra cylinder and had it fitted to my gun and converted to shoot 9mm that would probably increase the value of my gun having two cylinders that can be changed out at will.
 
Pinnacle charges $250 to convert .38/.357 to 9mm P.
http://pinnaclehighperformance.com/cylinder-work/

Smith & Wesson
K-Frame 6 shot 9mm $250.00

*In most cases with S&W Revolvers, a new cylinder can be fit to the frame in order to take advantage of all calibers!*

He doesn't say what the charge is to fit that extra cylinder but it is probably not too bad. Shipping the whole gun for that will add a good bit to the cost.

TK will do it, too:
http://www.moonclips.com/content/machine.asp
 
pinnacle custom

Jim beat me to it. I believe there is a few pinnacle custom jobs on this forum for that matter. I think i saw a nice little j frame 642 with a 9mm cylinder just a few days ago in a post. Seems like a cool little conversion. Will make it easier to sell if you wished im sure. If you go through with it let us know how she shoots. Good luck.
 
You may not want to hear or read this but you might simply be better off spending the money on 357 magnum or .38 special ammunition. $250 could buy as much as 6 boxes of ammo for your 65. You may just have to buckle down and remember to buy just one box of revolver ammo each time you buy 2 boxes of some other ammo.
 
What 357 Python said is the truth and the best advice you will get on this matter. I don't yet own a 357 magnum or 9mm, being strictly a 45 Colt guy for 40 years now. I can tell you that 357 magnum and 38 Special ammo are both cheap, from my perspective, and often on sale. If it weren't for reloading and bullet casting, I wouldn't be able to afford to use my 45 Colt much at all.
Again, that was a wise word from 357 Python.
 
I don't think converting it is especially economical these days. Back when labor was cheap, and guns were scarce and expensive, maybe, but not so much now.

You say you order in bulk. Simple solution. Order 38/357 in bulk.

What I'd do, if I didn't shoot anymore than you do, is get a little Lee "Wack-A-Mole" loader, a can of bullseye, a box of bullets from somewhere and a thousand primers or so and start reloading again. I think a Lee Loader is about fifty bucks or so these days. You'll need a plastic hammer, and Lee-priming tool makes things a lot easier, but for something as simple to reload as a 38/357 that's about it. I did umpteen thousands of 38's with one back when I was first getting started.
 
I might have to look into reloading again I guess, I just hated it but then again I was reloading 5.56, 308 and 30-06. I do have about 100 spend Nickel plated brass in two reloading boxes that belonged to my great uncle (my grandfathers brother) along with his one hand written load that they were loaded with. I just remember it sucked trimming the cases, trimming the primer pockets, cleaning the primer pockets, hand priming them (I used a RCBS hand priming tool). After all the case prep was done I really had no desire to load them. Plus I had to measure every single charge because my powder thrower was the worst at throwing charges, idk how many times I caught it trying to double charge or giving me half/quarter charges. Idk, just wasn't a fan of all the hassle at this point in my life. Granted I'm still young so maybe in the future.
 
Having shot 9mm conversions of various sorts, I can tell you running a .355 bullet down a .357 barrel is less than ideal. They work, but they aren't exactly match-grade accurate. They aren't worth the money.

The .38 Special is one of the easiest cartridges to reload. There's no need to trim revolver cases. I've been reloading .38 Special for decades and have never trimmed a case. You can skip cleaning the primer pockets. Lots of pistol shooters don't clean primer pockets.

The Lee Loader works well. You don't need a powder measure, just go old school and use the powder dipper that comes with it. A volume measure is a volume measure. They work best with brass that's been fired in the gun you are reloading for. Since they only neck size, brass fired in another gun may or may not not chamber. Just test it to see if it fits after you reload the first round.

A priming tool is a good idea, but you can prime with the Loader. You'll just set one off every once in a while. Loud, but harmless.

You could go a step up and get a Lee Hand Press and use regular dies. The set-up would cost half what a conversion cylinder will cost you. You could store it all in a tool box and just loading a few boxes here and there doesn't take long.
 
I'm a little surprised at how many mentioned the Lee Loader as a viable reloading set up. I started out loading my own with a Lee Loader in the early 1980s for an NRA Security Firearms Instructor's School. We needed a minimum of 750 rounds of ammo. I was able to load up 900 rounds relatively easy and in about 4 weeks just using my spare time and taking it slow. I highly recommend it for someone just starting out. There are many other companies that make and sell reloading presses. There is RCBS, Lyman, Dillon Precision and a few others. If I were getting back into reloading in a big way I would take a serious look at Dillon Precision for some serious reloading.
 
I just remember it sucked trimming the cases, trimming the primer pockets, cleaning the primer pockets, hand priming them (I used a RCBS hand priming tool). After all the case prep was done I really had no desire to load them.
Click to expand...

Howdy

Yeah, you ought to look into reloading again. Most of what you were doing is wasted effort. Maybe not a waste with the rifle cartridges you are talking about, but pretty unnecessary with revolver cartridges. Pressure is not high enough to stretch cases, so they usually do not need to be trimmed. I have been loading 45 Colt, 45 Schofield, 44-40, 38-40, and 38 Special for a long time now. I can honestly tell you I have never trimmed a case. Oh, I was measuring them to make sure at the beginning, but after a while it became obvious they were not stretching at all. I keep looking at the unused case trimmer on my reloading bench and wondering why I allow it to take up valuable real estate.

Same with primer pockets. I never clean them. In fact, with a progressive press there is no provision for cleaning primer pockets anyway. Unless you want to interrupt the process part way through, taking decapped cases off the machine and cleaning primer pockets. I haven't cleaned a primer pocket in years. Black Powder 45-70 rounds are a different story, but not common revolver rounds.

For me case prep consists of dumping my empties into the tumbler and letting it run a couple of hours. Then they are ready to reload.

Do yourself a favor. Spend a few bucks on a few boxes of new 38 Special ammo. Keep the 100 rounds of spent nickel plated brass in memory of your grandfather's brother. My experience with nickel plated brass is that it tends to split more often than unplated brass. Buy yourself a few boxes of Federal American Eagle 38 Special ammo. It is good stuff and not too expensive. Save the brass for when you start reloading.

I cannot recommend the Lee Loader. I had one a bazillion years ago for 30-30. I am not comfortable hammering loaded rounds. Plus, it takes way too long to produce ammo that way. You will go through a lot of ammo with a revolver, and will go nuts hammering them together one at a time.

First, buy yourself a good reloading manual and read it. Not the free throw away handouts, buy a decent reloading manual. Read the section on reloading. Then buy a single stage press and start loading your own ammo.
 
How about getting one the the Ruger .357/9mm conversion Blackhawks.

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