What the hell do I have?

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Well, it looks like a nice S&W Model 66 to me, or a Model 19 that has been plated* as well as engraved. Are there other things it might be? If it is, then the question is what happened to the model number? Removed or never stamped?

*or had the finish removed. Do engravers do that?
 
I'm guessing a 66. Also looks like it was fitted with a set of stainless rear sights that were available on the earliest models. I'm pretty sure the stainless sights had been discontinued before the 2.5" was introduced, so those would have to have been converted or either plated in some manner. Its a damn fine looking gun. How does it shoot?
 
Im going with a silver-plated M19. I think even the earliest M66 snubbies had the orange plastic insert in the front sight blade.

Could be hard-chrome too, I suppose.......

In any event, it is a nice lookin gun, congrats!

Oh, and welcome to the forum! I can tell by your long gun collection there that youre our kind of crazy.:D
 
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My 66-1 has the Baughman front sight with the red insert, both of my 19's did not have the red insert.

Beautiful gun!

Stay safe.
 
Jeff olson

Nice looking S&W!

Might be an early Model 66 with having both the front and rear sights made out of stainless steel. Or as other's have opined possibly it's a Model 19 that's been plated. Interesting engraving design though it doesn't appear to be factory engraving.

Let us know how well it shoots, that is if you decide to use it!
 
Is that a six-shot cylinder? It kinda looks more like a five.

Do the 19/66 guns have such a small grip portion of the frame?

I'm not good with Smiths; I don't know of any of their five-shooters having come with adjustable sights, so I might be wrong on the cylinder chamber count.
 
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That's a handsome gun I would be happy to wear to any BBQ. Sort of Mexican looking engraving in my opinion, but I'm no expert. I agree with the Model 66 guess.
 
Is that a six-shot cylinder? It kinda looks more like a five.

Do the 19/66 guns have such a small grip portion of the frame?

I'm not good with Smiths; I don't know of any of their five-shooters having come with adjustable sights, so I might be wrong on the cylinder chamber count.
Ya, its a K-frame for sure, 6 shot. The 2.5 inchers all had the very slender round butt.

The very earliest 66-no dash 4" guns could have an all stainless front blade, but the 2.5" was introduced a few months later and AFAIK, all had the red insert.

Does anyone know if a stainless K-frame is magnetic? That might be another way to test it. As the chromium content of stainless steel goes up, it becomes less ferrous and magnetic attraction becomes weaker. Many industrial and food-service stainless alloys wont take a magnet at all. I believe Rugers have a very weak attraction.

If a magnet sticks strongly to that gun, it is likely a 19. If the pull is weak or none, then most likely a 66.
 
The first year and a half of production starting in 1970 had the stainless rear sights and solid stainless front sight. in Mid 1971 rear sights were changed to black according to the SW Catalog 4th edition. The 2.5" was not introduced until 1974 if I'm reading correctly and that would mean never offered with a stainless rear sight. To add to the confusion, I know my gunsmith has a 2.5" model 66 with stainless sights, but could have come off a 4". I could easily tell by seeing the gun as the 2.5" rear sight assembly is actually LONGER than the 4 and 6" rear sights.
In the picture, the rear sight is the correct length, so that would mean to me anyway that the gun is one of the following: (1) A factory S&W 2.5" with a SS Factory rear sight (would not be surprised as a lot of stuff has come from the factory not listed in the catalog). This makes the most since because the rear sight in the picture does not look like it was coated or plated to me. (2) A model 19 that has been hard chromed or plated like the Armalloy coating that was popular some years back. I'm voting model 66 that had a factory stainless rear sight and just not a catalog item. The engraving looks to sharp to have been plated or coated after the engraving. Whatever it is, it is beautiful and I think if Jeff Olsen would just send it to me, I will gladly research it and when I get a correct answer to the mystery, I'll send it back. Shouldn't take more that 3-4 years to research it.
 
The first year and a half of production starting in 1970 had the stainless rear sights and solid stainless front sight. in Mid 1971 rear sights were changed to black according to the SW Catalog 4th edition. The 2.5" was not introduced until 1974 if I'm reading correctly and that would mean never offered with a stainless rear sight. To add to the confusion, I know my gunsmith has a 2.5" model 66 with stainless sights, but could have come off a 4". I could easily tell by seeing the gun as the 2.5" rear sight assembly is actually LONGER than the 4 and 6" rear sights.
In the picture, the rear sight is the correct length, so that would mean to me anyway that the gun is one of the following: (1) A factory S&W 2.5" with a SS Factory rear sight (would not be surprised as a lot of stuff has come from the factory not listed in the catalog). This makes the most since because the rear sight in the picture does not look like it was coated or plated to me. (2) A model 19 that has been hard chromed or plated like the Armalloy coating that was popular some years back. I'm voting model 66 that had a factory stainless rear sight and just not a catalog item. The engraving looks to sharp to have been plated or coated after the engraving. Whatever it is, it is beautiful and I think if Jeff Olsen would just send it to me, I will gladly research it and when I get a correct answer to the mystery, I'll send it back. Shouldn't take more that 3-4 years to research it.
I certainly appreciate the feedback. I'm thinking it's a 66. It is not plated or chromed. Stainless. .357. No one is able to pinpoint this thing. It's never been fired as far as I can tell. I don't plan on shooting it. It was my father's. He could have told me what it is.
 
GUNPURCHASITIS, it's quite common with gun folk and there are several groups that spread it (ahem ... THR)

Unfortunately, the only self-help groups are filled with fruits and nuts.

The best way to beat it is cold turkey.

Just get rid of all those firearms and lead a life of solace and purity.

I will be happy to help, just DM me for my mailing address ...
 
I forget his name but there is a S&W affiliated expert who has access to all the S&W factory records.
If someone will post the contact details you could ask him for what the factory has on the gun.

FYI.... The stainless steels used in firearms are all magnetic, so doing a magnet test is useless.
 
I forget his name but there is a S&W affiliated expert who has access to all the S&W factory records.
If someone will post the contact details you could ask him for what the factory has on the gun.

FYI.... The stainless steels used in firearms are all magnetic, so doing a magnet test is useless.
His name is Roy Jinks. He is the S&W historian.
 
Well Jeff, it looks like you have a lot of long guns behind that S&W (a dozen +)

I know, i am a jerk and am not a very intelligent guy. But....

Your purty revolver does tickle one's fancy..............
 
I agree. I have some stainless guns from three or four different makers, and they all will strongly attract a magnet.

10-4, I was first taught that S/S would not attract a magnet...........
That was then, but now is different.
Not true, metallurgy is where it's at now. May not be necessarily a strong attraction, but still there.

I gotta go to bed, just babbling...........
 
There are three main divisions* of stainless steel, austenitic, martensitic and ferritic. Two of them (ferritic and martensitic) are generally attracted to magnets, austenitic stainless is generally not.

*There are also duplex stainless steels, but they are just a mix of austenitic and ferritic--they are generally attracted to magnets, but not as strongly as a pure ferritic stainless.

https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/is-stainless-steel-magnetic/

Metallurgy is complicated. Actually, forget about metallurgy in general, just the metallurgy of steel alloys is very complicated. I have been lightly studying the topic for awhile now because I am interested in it. Unfortunately, the more I learn about it, the more I realize how complicated it is and how very little useful knowledge I have absorbed on the subject.
 
I sold Stainless Steel and exotic metals for over 10 years. For a long time, just about everything you found Stainless was Type 304 and on occasion Type 316. These are not magnetic and that is where the non-magnetic test for stainless came in. Most of the stainless used today that requires machining and certain other applications is in the 400 series family. There are a bunch of different ones. These are generally magnetic. Like @JohnKSa, there is so much info to absorb in metallurgy. 99% of what I did was pipe, tube and valves with some structural. But with todays chemicals, there have been some strange alloys developed for them. Of course you now have Titanium, Hastalloy and many other exotics as well. It is very confusing. You have to be a scientist to know what alloy to use with certain chemicals. But the weirdest one is some acids will just plain eat us almost every type metal out there and yet it is stored in plastic jugs.
 
The first year and a half of production starting in 1970 had the stainless rear sights and solid stainless front sight. in Mid 1971 rear sights were changed to black according to the SW Catalog 4th edition. The 2.5" was not introduced until 1974 if I'm reading correctly and that would mean never offered with a stainless rear sight. To add to the confusion, I know my gunsmith has a 2.5" model 66 with stainless sights, but could have come off a 4". I could easily tell by seeing the gun as the 2.5" rear sight assembly is actually LONGER than the 4 and 6" rear sights.
In the picture, the rear sight is the correct length, so that would mean to me anyway that the gun is one of the following: (1) A factory S&W 2.5" with a SS Factory rear sight (would not be surprised as a lot of stuff has come from the factory not listed in the catalog). This makes the most since because the rear sight in the picture does not look like it was coated or plated to me. (2) A model 19 that has been hard chromed or plated like the Armalloy coating that was popular some years back. I'm voting model 66 that had a factory stainless rear sight and just not a catalog item. The engraving looks to sharp to have been plated or coated after the engraving. Whatever it is, it is beautiful and I think if Jeff Olsen would just send it to me, I will gladly research it and when I get a correct answer to the mystery, I'll send it back. Shouldn't take more that 3-4 years to research it.
After a closer look I can make out the 19-2 stamp.
 
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