Posted: 8/30/2007 2:02:04 AM EDT
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I have it in my mind that sometime I will purchase a S&W revolver in 357 Mag. I like the looks of the 66 and the 19. What are the significant differences between these two models? |
Why? Because it's a couple of ounces heavier than an L frame? Little bit more for a K frame? I have tried all three, and the best balancing revolver in .357 is a 4 inch N frame with lightweight barrel, a laHighway Patrolman. Four inch 66 is next, though very closely followed by the 4 inch 686. |
I was just throwing in a little levity man. |
Welcome to the bewildering world of Smith & Wesson model designations. As others have said, the 66 is simply a 19 in stainless. Get the stainless one for carry, the blue one for beauty. Older is better. The best ones have pinned barrels and recessed cylinders for the case rim. Another .357 Smith you might want to consider is the Model 13/65 (same gun, one blue, the other stainless). This is the fixed sight brethern of the 19/66. Some folks prefer the fixed sight models as carry pieces for the reduced snag feature. The most desireable of these are the 3-inch barrel guns. A lot of S&W fans consider this the ultimate carry revolver. The 3-inch barrel allows a long enough ejection rod that you get full extraction of spent shells. The just slightly shorter 2-1/2 barreled guns tend to hang up shells. Years ago, the FBI used to issue a 3-inch Model 13 to agents. All of these (the 13/65 and 19/66) as well as the .38 special equivalents (models 10/64 and 14, 15/67) and a handful of .22 rimfires (models 17, 18, 317, 617) are considered "K" frame revolvers. There's also a slighty beefier line of S&W revolvers called the "L" frame. These (models 586 and 686, depending on blue vs. stainless) are said to be built for a steady diet of .357 magnums. The model 19 and 66 K frames were said to be intended to be shot with magnums occassionally, but generally .38 specials are recommended for heavy practice. The L frames share the same grip size as the K. It's just the cylinder and frame that are heavier -- plus they have a full underlug. There's at least two other size groups of Smith & Wesson revolvers: J & N. Trying to figure out the model designations of all these will make your head spin. But that's probably a lot more than you want to know (ask a guy for the time and he tells you how to build a watch . . .  ). Back to your original post, the 66 and 19 are both uber-classic revolvers. I'm sure you'd be happy with either one. |
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In Jordan's day it was standard to practice with .38's and carry full Magnum loads in the K frames. Nothing wrong with that assuming you DO practice...Jordan could, and did, hit asprin tablets from the hip with wax bullets. He also killed quite a few men in his career, though he never bragged about it. (9 in LE maybe but cannot be certain) He was also a combat Marine and just an extraordinary man. I prefer the 3 1/2 tp 4in N frames myself for shooting full loads. The guns do balance better for me, and if you shoot lots and lots of full Magnum rounds thru your K frame you can expect it to loosen up...some sooner than others. There is still nothing wrong with a nice K frame, however, nor an L for that matter. Heck, I am still a huge Python fan also 
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J, K, L, N frames. Works good for classifying girls too.  I prefer a good K frame gal myself, though I have fallen into the arms of an L frame once or twice.  Edit: ikor, there's a nicely done Python available, I think it's royal blued, but I'm not sure, having never seen one myself. Only [gag] $1300.
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To quote Bill Jordan, "The Model 19 was a .38 that could occasionaly fire .357 Magnum"  He never talked about the times he took life, unlike his friend Charlie Askins. |
Bill Jordan was a class act, more so than most men could ever hope to be. I had the honor of meeting him at the NRA Convention one year. |
" No Second Place Winner" was my favorite book as a young policeman carrying a model 66. Lot's of great lessons in that book. |
ZOMG that is funny