I found my 'Holy Grail', a 4" 651 (.22 WMR)!

[Stainz]

I have wanted a 4" 651 longer now than I wanted a 'Blood Work' 8-shot .357M snubbie - since 1999. I never saw one in a gunshow - or at a dealer's - before this one. I found one last month - a 4" 651-1 circa 1997-98 ANIB - considered it for weeks - even ordered a 60 Pro wood grip for. I finally relented - and wrote a check for it Saturday. Here is a picture of it as it looked at my house Saturday:



It was clean as a whistle - only a hint of a blast line under the topstrap/over the b/c gap. I imagine that it was test-fired only, it was that clean. Most of a box of CCI MaxiMags (40gr JHP) later, it definitely looks used now! My shooting observations: hits coincident POI/POA at 12-28yd with no adjustable rear sight change; no recoil; it's loud; it's stiffer DA than my 3" 63; crisp DA. Most importantly - I am happy... I have my 'Holy Grail' revolver!

Stainz

PS The 60 Pro grips I have on back order will be an asset - as will the HKS 51-J speedloaders I am awaiting.

 

[bannockburn]

Stainz

Congrats on the Model 651. I picked up my Holy Grail of kit guns a couple of months ago: a LNIB 4" Model 34. Not even a hint of turn line on the cylinder, and with the Goncalo Alves grips I ordered from Hogue, it looks fantastic.

 

[Walkalong]

.22 Mag is fun. Congrats.


The Fiocchi and Armscor are fairly inexpensive, and shoots as well for me as anything but the premium stuff.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=529153

 

[MIL-DOT]

Well,um, ya gonna tell us what somethin' like that costs ?

 

[7.62 Nato]

Nice looking gun, and it looks like no lock? Just got my 22 mag pistol, 30 shot semi auto. Nope, not the KelTec PMR30, it's the Grendel. Not my holy grail, but wanted it for a long time. Had to get it after a friend got her PMR 30, and then a NAA revolver in .22 mag.

Sooooo, what was the ticket ?

 

[ThomasT]

Nice find. I found my holy grail gun a couple of months ago and it is almost the twin of your gun. My #1 find was a model 631 32mag with adjustable sights and a 4" barrel. I didn't get the box or paperwork. I paid $690 with all the shipping and transfer. Bought it off the S&W forum.

I really like 22 mags. Thats a good find. I tried the Taurus version and the cases stuck like crazy. It got sent down the road.

The Fiocchi and Armscor are fairly inexpensive, and shoots as well for me as anything but the premium stuff.

I have read that Armscor makes the 22 mag ammo for Fiocchi and I agree its good stuff. It shoots to the same POI as the 40gr winchester and I have never had a split case or rims that were too hard like I have had with winchester mag rounds.

I bought 4500 rounds when Sportsmans Guide had it for $5.60 a box. With my other 22 mag ammo that gives me about 5500 total and that should hold me for a while.

 

[DAdams]

That's going to look good in your lineup with those new grips. Congrats on attaining near revolver nirvana.

 

[Walkalong]

when Sportsmans Guide had it for $5.60 a box.

Wow. Hate I missed that.

 

[Stainz]

No IL - the 651's ceased production by 2000 - the IL's first appeared in late 2001. I like the 651 - a lot - but the 3" 63 is really nice.

I think it was S.G. I quit buying from due to their selective sales - they won't sell & deliver most knives to Alabama. Their bean counter's decision - everyone else ships sharp things here. Still, $5.60/box for .22 WMR...

Stainz

 

[oldfool]

congratulations Stainz, outstanding !

I caved in myself some months ago and finally picked up my own 4" 651, LNIB w/ box, papers and all, looked mint and probably was "unfired", to go with my 4" 63.
It just needs some trigger time you know, and that DA will feel same as your 63, I would bet on it. ENJOY.

 

[ThomasT]

When I bought that 22 mag ammo for $5.60 a bx it was just before the crazy crap that went on in 2008 with all the shortages and scalping. And it was a very good price. I joined the club and got free or almost free shipping on it too. You had to buy in 500 or 1000 round orders to get that price.

 

[BossHogg]

Very,very nice find. I've been looking for years and have never laid eyes on one around here. I love the thought of a DA 22 mag and think that is the Grail Gun. Congrats

 

[JFrame]

Congratulations, Stainz!

I recently got into .22 mag handguns with the NAA Black Widow and Earl.

I agree with the consensus that the .22 mag is a blast (figuratively and literally) to shoot!

I'd really love to add something like that full-sized 651 to my inventory...


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[ThomasT]

I'd really love to add something like that full-sized 651 to my inventory...

Jframe that 651 is a J-frame sized gun. IIRC the "full size" K-Frame 22mag is a model 17. And if I'm wrong someone will be along shortly to correct me. A friend has a k frame 22mag that he has never shot but won't sell it either.

Well I looked it up. Its a model 48. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=258921852

 

[JFrame]

Jframe that 651 is a J-frame sized gun. IIRC the "full size" K-Frame 22mag is a model 17. And if I'm wrong someone will be along shortly to correct me. A friend has a k frame 22mag that he has never shot but won't sell it either.

Well I looked it up. Its a model 48. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=258921852

Thanks, Ratshooter -- I meant "full-sized" relative to my two NAA mini-revolvers...

But your point is well taken...

By the way -- if you can tell by my screen name -- J-frames are just fine with me!


.

 

[ThomasT]

Yep Jframe I sorta figured you were a jframe fan. And I guess that would be a large gun compared to the NAA models.

Are those as hard to shoot as my Beretta 950BS 25 auto? The 25 is a shooter but there sure ain't much to grab on to.

The same day I found the 631 I also won the bid on a S&W model 36-6. A 3" barreled adjustable sighted 5 shot 38. After shooting both I am not sure I don't like the 38 better. I was told S&W only made 615 of these guns.

 

[JFrame]

Yep Jframe I sorta figured you were a jframe fan. And I guess that would be a large gun compared to the NAA models.

Are those as hard to shoot as my Beretta 950BS 25 auto? The 25 is a shooter but there sure ain't much to grab on to.

The same day I found the 631 I also won the bid on a S&W model 36-6. A 3" barreled adjustable sighted 5 shot 38. After shooting both I am not sure I don't like the 38 better. I was told S&W only made 615 of these guns.

I guess it's kind'a hard to put a single definition on the NAA mini-revolver grips, because they come in so many different configurations. For instance, my Black Widow came with their largest fixed grip, which is just a tad smaller than a J-frame boot grip (they have a swing-out grip like a pocket knife, which is even bigger). With that large BW boot grip, the sensation isn't that much different than holding most any pocket handgun.

But I found that the standard BW grip took too much away from the biggest asset of the revolver -- the small size -- and I swapped it out for the rubber "Pug" grip. This grip is WAY smaller, but I still find it gives me a comfortable enough purchase for decent shooting.

My Earl comes with a Western-style plow-handle grip, just shrunk down to about 1/3 of a standard revolver. It's "grippable," but it's not my favorite configuration. At the sacrifice of the cool 1861 Remington look, I'm thinking of putting a Pug grip on that one also.

I also have the NAA .22 LR mini-revolver with 1 1/8" barrel. Now that one IS tiny, down to the grip. You have to get pretty creative with holding it, because you get about a 1-finger grip. For me, the best way to shoot that one is to put my off-hand thumb against the backstrap while firing. It IS possible to shoot it one-handed, however (YMMV -- I have medium-sized hands).

They're different in shape, but in substance, I would say that the 950BS is roughly comparable in size/comfort to the Pug grip on the NAA. They're both about a 2-finger grip for me -- just a hair smaller on the Pug, but the Pug's rubber texture compensates by being more "grippable."

By the way -- the 950BS was my puttering-around-the-yard gun till just a short while ago...

When I get a chance, I'll post a pic of the Jetfire alongside the various NAA minis, so you can make a visual comparison.

I never got into .32 J-frames...But just give me time...



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[eastbank]

my .22 mag is a older six inch barreled charter arms and is my light to go rimfire revolver. eastbank.

 

[Stainz]

The blued no-lug 48 was made 1959-1986, while the SS full lugged 648 was made 1989-1994 & 2003-2005. Both were K-frame six shooters. I've seen one 648 - several years ago at a gun show - and it was used and considerably more than I paid for my 651. It was sold when I walked by a bit later. I like SS - and partial lugs.

Sad news from S&W yesterday - I won't get my new 60 Pro grips for the 651 until the end of the month. I may have to do some grip swapping - just to see how it likes them! Impatient?

Stainz

 

[oldfool]

Ratshooter,
as Stainz mentioned, the k-48 and 648 are the 'full sized' S&W WMRs, K & L frames
the k-17s are 22 LR
(I have both a pair of k-17s and a k-48, what's not to love about rimfire revolvers)

Stainz
"I may have to do some grip swapping- just to see how it likes them!"
Nothing wrong with that, trying out several grip styles is part of the fun !
my 63 & 651 (both no-dash) came with the original walnut grips, but both are wearing matched 'Shooting Stars' right now... shucks, I have 3 or 4 different grips for all of 'em

Impatient, yes... for a range report !

 

[Stainz]

I did a brief range report at the end of my first post. My greatest remembrance was the recoil was non-existent - except for when a friend shot it and I sat 20 ft behind him - under a metal shed roof - with one ear muff cocked. That thing is loud! It reminds me of shooting a .30 Carbine caliber Ruger Blackhawk several years ago - except for the apparently missing huge flash - but it was bright and sunny. It hit close enough to POA that pinging 4"-6" heavy steel plates at 12-15 yd was easy - no rear sight adjustment was needed. The red insert ramp front sight was okay - I have no plans for a change there, although I am partial to HiViz on my other rimfire revolvers. I am sure the wood 60 Pro grips will help. I am quite happy with this purchase... 'I done good!'. Paper punching isn't my forte, but if I attempt some - I'll report the results here.

Stainz

PS To the best of my knowledge, there has not been an L-frame rimfire - they are all J & K frames.

 

[oldfool]

I might be wrong about that full lug 648, but believe it came out to "match" the S&Ws 38/357s, which all went L/N frame when they dropped K-frame 38/357s
(586 and 686 came out as L frames, I believe)

S&W always was prone to offer clones-to-match in their rimfire/centerfire line
I am strictly a J and K size guy myself

PS
nope, you right, 648 is K frame, that full lug barrel threw me a curve

 

[ThomasT]

Ratshooter,
as Stainz mentioned, the k-48 and 648 are the 'full sized' S&W WMRs, K & L frames
the k-17s are 22 LR
(I have both a pair of k-17s and a k-48, what's not to love about rimfire revolvers)

Thanks Oldfool. I did correct myself in the last sentence of post #14 when I posted a link to one of these on GB. And it is a K-frame.

 

[tubeshooter]

Congratulations! It's always great to snag a 'Holy Grail' gun.

I've had that experience twice (with my personal definition as something I wanted really bad for 10+ years).


Really helps get the gun bug off your case. For awhile, anyway...

 

[Stainz]

I did make an impromptu trip to the range yesterday to meet an old friend. He brought along his new Ruger 4" 8x .22LR SP101. It was misting rain & heavy overcast, so we shot from 'under the shed'. I borrowed my 60 Pro's grips for the 651 to better A-B it with the 3" 63. The 651 is a bit more stout with it's DA pull - probably a combination of both not being broken-in and the .22 WMR's rim primer needing more oomph than that of a .22 LR. But, most illuminating was watching my friend shoot it. Oh, the 3" 63, with 36gr copper washed HP Fed 550 pack ammo, was 'polite'... but the MaxiMags, 40gr HP, from the 651 produced an impressive flash. They were LOUD, too, under that shed.

The 63 had launched something near 400 rounds since it's last cleaning. It was still much cleaner than the 651 - and it was still shooting it's second box of ammo. I am still elated over my purchase, it's only down side apparent to me being it's ammo cost.

Stainz