Posted: 3/2/2007 8:44:54 PM EDT
| had a s&w 65 in ss 357 given to me and wanted some input on this gun |
+1 I just got back from putting 100 rounds through mine and man, what a sweet shooting piece it is. |
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The S&W 65, especially in 3" configuration with round butt, is probably the best "starter" gun for novice shooters, the most adequate handgun for the moderate shooter and a staple in the safe for your dedicated shooters. Simple to operate, supremely reliable, exceptionally capable and relatively inexpensive new or used. What more could anyone want? But, I do have a crisp C-note for you in case you disagree with any of this. 
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All the hammer you'll ever need. The 581 is a good choice IF you need full house magnums all day long but the 13 or 65 (to me) has a better balance. I cherish my 3" 66 but for what it cost me, I could have had 2 65's. Pete |
I was lucky to find the one in that pic, $310 for a near mint pinned and recessed three inch M13 that's had the trigger smoothed, the hammer trimmed down and rounded, and a very slick action job done on it. The factory round butt target grips were a bonus. I don't have a 581, but I do have a 4" 681 and a 6 inch Model 28 for when I want to shoot full house loads. |
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One thing to note: they are good strong guns, but they were not built like the L frames that replaced them in the 1980s. Lots of people like the K frames for their sleekness, balance, and weight, but they come with the price of durability. Like a modern lightweight .38 snubnose that will take +P, the 65 will take plenty of .357, but the more you shoot it the faster you wear down the pistol. Make no mistake: these are NOT fragile guns, but they are not as tough as the L-frames that eat .357 all day like it was .38. Most of us shoot .38 through our .357s nearly exclusively at the range because of the savings, so the point is often moot, but it's worth noting. What I do is shoot .38 through the wheel guns every time at the range. When I feel like a refresher or mixing up a few loads to see how consistently I shoot, I might throw in a box of +P in my .38s, or .38+P and/or .357s, in my .357. |
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True about the 357 K frames. Mine is actually loaded for HD with the same load I carry in my J frame snubbie: Speer 135 gr Gold Dot 38 Spcl +P. I could, of course, load 357s in the 65 for social occasions, but I'd rather not risk confusing ammo and at room distance 38 +P will do the business. |
| They make a great "mid-range" magnum. A constant diet of heavy .357s will make you a repeat customer for your gunsmith. I've had a number of "K" frames, and can tell you from experience that hot 125 gr .357 loads aren't a good thing for them. My last one really shot Remingtons mid-range load well, as well as 38 spl +P. Bill Jordan, probably the man most responsible for the K frame magnum even said it was at it's best with 38 specials for practice, then a limited amount of regular magnum loads for sighting in and duty use only. This seems to sum it all up nicely. The FBI even used 158 gr +P lead hollowpoints as their duty load for their model 13s for many, many years. |