S&W 65-5 Stainless Pre-Lock Love

Mark_Mark

Mark_Mark

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What you Smith Heads think about the 65-5?

I think Modern Stainless Steel Smith with no Lock! My thoughts, Smith at its more modern before the lock. Looks incredibly strong, like you can do 300 full house .357 with ZERO issues!

Yes, they have one at my local… but EXPENSIVE
 
Well, its still a K-frame. It still has the "weak" forcing cone issue. All the pre-lock guns do.
I had one of the transitional M65s (forget the dash #). MIM hammer and trigger, one-piece heavy barrel, no lock but new-style cylinder release.
It was ok at best. The lockup was not super tight and accuracy was only so-so. Ended up selling it off and didn't miss it.
Your mileage may vary, of course. I think that particular gun was made on a Friday afternoon before a 3-day weekend. :confused:
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Well, its still a K-frame. It still has the "weak" forcing cone issue. All the pre-lock guns do.
I had one of the transitional M65s (forget the dash #). MIM hammer and trigger, one-piece heavy barrel, no lock but new-style cylinder release.
It was ok at best. The lockup was not super tight and accuracy was only so-so. Ended up selling it off and didn't miss it.
Your mileage may vary, of course. I think that particular gun was made on a Friday afternoon before a 3-day weekend. :confused:
Click to expand...
Nice Write Up and honestly!

That good! so, why is it $1350???
 
I'd hold out for a M65-1 or -2, they're still P&R. Those are features I look for, and put the gun a bit earlier in timeframe. I'm looking, but haven't come across on with a round butt/ 3" barrel yet. Those are features I don't have in any of my revolvers (well, I do have a round butt but it's not fixed sights). Our issue revolver when I worked for DOC back in the late 1970's was a 4" M65-1.
 
Mark_Mark said:
why is it $1350???
Click to expand...

3" barrel, perhaps? 3" k-frame .357mags with fixed sights aren't uber-rare, but they're not all that common, either. And many love the 3" barrel.

As mentioned, though, it's no more and no less strong than any other k-frame.

I'm an admitted DA trigger snob, but the factory action of my 3" 65-5 is the smoothest of all my revolvers, including those that've had action jobs. If I were limited to a single revolver, my 3" 65-5 would likely get the nod. If I were to sell it, it'd be north of that $1350. Many likely feel the same

index.php
 
With revolvers, I prefer adjustable sights so I’d get a 66 not a 65.

But different strokes for different folks.

One of these days I might spring for a new production Model 19 with the improved barrel. I do not mind the lock but some do.
 
photos and detail tomorrow!

then we can reassess the value. It’s been there for a bit. Probably a bit of wiggle room.
 
cfullgraf said:
With revolvers, I prefer adjustable sights so I’d get a 66 not a 65.

But different strokes for different folks.

One of these days I might spring for a new production Model 19 with the improved barrel. I do not mind the lock but some do.
Click to expand...
I only mind the Lock because everyone else does. I’m very much a follower and sheep!!!
 
they also have a 629-1 with factory scope mount. Stainless and no lock.

anybody interested in photos tomorrow?

upload_2023-6-5_19-46-23.jpeg
 
Mark_Mark said:
Nice Write Up and honestly!

That good! so, why is it $1350???
Click to expand...
Mine was the 3" too. Sold it for more than I paid, $900 IIRC.

It did have a nice trigger. I probably could have improved the accuracy with some better grips. The sloppy lockup on an obviously low-round count gun was a big turn off. Its possible S&W would have tuned it up under warranty, but I just didn't love it enough to go through that hassle.

I went back to older S&Ws and have universally loved them.
 
My 65-5 is a Lady Smith version and is one of my favorite revolvers for a couple reasons. Its super smooth action and accurate and it was my mom's gun that she gave to me about a year before she passed. With the bobbed hammer it is a pleasure to carry. Her husband was a Certified Smith and Wesson armorer. He was the one that bobbed the hammer and smoothed the action on this and all the rest of the revolvers he owned. I now own several of them and they are all butter smooth. These 3" 65's are in demand and fetching high prices as they are well balanced and make nice carry guns.
20151113_064228.jpg
 
The 65 is no more or less stout than any other K frame .357, as the others mentioned a few times above. All the pluses and minuses the K frame offers are also in the Model 65, but the stainless construction and snag-reducing fixed sights do make it pretty darn nice for damp-weather belt holster carry when traipsing about. As is commonly known, the S&W L frame .357 was developed to address the durability shortcomings of the K frame, and the L frame 581/681 fixed-sight and 586/686 adjustable sight .357’s have done so admirably. :thumbup:

The $1,350 price tag for a Model 65 is huge. If there is no collector panache, like an odd barrel length, or it belonging to a famous owner with provenance, then IMHO the shop is REALLY swinging for the fences with that one. ;)

IMG_1439.jpeg

My Plain-Jane, Hogue-gripped 4” Model 65-3 missed out on the P&R era, but it still locks up well and shoots nicely. (Seen here with its “little sister,” a Plain-Jane 4” Model 64-3 .38 Spl.) Laughingly, if I could get $1,350 for this 65 I’d sell it tomorrow and buy the nice walnut-boxed 6” Model 27-2 .357 that a LGS has for sale for $1,650. :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
Riomouse911 said:
The 65 is no more or less stout than any other K frame .357, as the others mentioned a few times above. All the pluses and minuses the K frame offers are also in the Model 65, but the stainless construction and snag-reducing fixed sights do make it pretty darn nice for damp-weather belt holster carry when traipsing about. As is commonly known, the S&W L frame .357 was developed to address the durability shortcomings of the K frame, and the L frame 581/681 fixed-sight and 586/686 adjustable sight .357’s have done so admirably. :thumbup:

The $1,350 price tag for a Model 65 is huge. If there is no collector panache, like an odd barrel length, or it belonging to a famous owner with provenance, then IMHO the shop is REALLY swinging for the fences with that one. ;)

View attachment 1155324

My Plain-Jane, Hogue-gripped 4” Model 65-3 missed out on the P&R era, but it still locks up well and shoots nicely. (Seen here with its “little sister,” a Plain-Jane 4” Model 64-3 .38 Spl.) Laughingly, if I could get $1,350 for this 65 I’d sell it tomorrow and buy the nice walnut-boxed 6” Model 27-2 .357 that a LGS has for sale for $1,650. :thumbup:

Stay safe.
Click to expand...
stonebuster said:
Must be a 3" for that price. All the 3" K frames I've seen are pricey, even the 64-5 (38spl). I bought an excellent condition model 64-5 3" last year for $900+. At least I didn't have to worry too much about the forcing cone since it's a 38spl
Click to expand...
let’s go take some photos today and see why it’s $1350 at a place that doesn’t ready price gouge
 
I just missed out by one day on a 3” Model 10 .38. I saw it online as a new listing on the consignment page of a chain gun store Sunday evening, I drove an hour in traffic to beat the store opening Monday, and as soon as I walked in it was already sold. Asking price was $599.00. (Store didn’t take the page down after it had sold on Sunday. :()

Oh well, early bird gets the worm. I bought a case of 9mm for $150 to make the trip worth something. Not a steal, but in Ca that’s not bad. :)

Hopefully the 65 is a rare one. :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
Howdy

Model 65-3, made around 1982 or so. Four inch bull barrel. This was the second 357 Mag revolver I bought, probably around 20 years ago or so. Sorry, I do not remember what I paid for it, but it was relatively inexpensive, I think I got it for a bit under $200. I seem to remember I came across it at a gunshow, and it had formerly belonged to a police woman. I changed out the wood grips it came with to these rubber ones, sorry I do not remember exactly what brand they are.

pmuxPWuXj.jpg

po3peI0Mj.jpg




The Model 65 is basically a Stainless version of the Model 13. This Model 13-2 has the same fixed sights and bull barrel. By the way, all Smith and Wesson Stainless revolvers have a '6' as the first digit of the model number.

pn8ySBFbj.jpg




As previously stated, this revolver is built on the K frame, and like all older K frame revolvers it has the flat on the bottom of the forcing cone, which in some instances can lead to splitting of the forcing cone. I do not have a photo of the forcing cone of my Model 65, but this is the forcing cone of the Model 13-2. Note the flat at the bottom of the forcing cone, making the metal a little bit thinner in that spot. As I have stated previously, S&W was putting this flat on the bottom of the forcing cone as a clearance cut on all K frame revolvers, starting way back around 1905 or so. It was never a problem with 38 Special revolvers, but it could be problematic with 357 Magnum revolvers.

pnHVI3egj.jpg
 
Nice! My Model 65 wasn’t too expensive either, I think it was around $475 a couple of years ago.

IMG_0617.jpeg

I got a decent deal for my 3” Model 13-4 as well. It was $500 about seven years ago, a bit extra pricy back then for the 3” barrel over the 4” versions.

The 65 grips look like Uncle Mikes. If they are rather hard they probably are, if they are soft or spongy probably not.

Stay safe.
 
Driftwood Johnson said:
Howdy

Model 65-3, made around 1982 or so. Four inch bull barrel. This was the second 357 Mag revolver I bought, probably around 20 years ago or so. Sorry, I do not remember what I paid for it, but it was relatively inexpensive, I think I got it for a bit under $200. I seem to remember I came across it at a gunshow, and it had formerly belonged to a police woman. I changed out the wood grips it came with to these rubber ones, sorry I do not remember exactly what brand they are.

View attachment 1155359

View attachment 1155360




The Model 65 is basically a Stainless version of the Model 13. This Model 13-2 has the same fixed sights and bull barrel. By the way, all Smith and Wesson Stainless revolvers have a '6' as the first digit of the model number.

View attachment 1155361




As previously stated, this revolver is built on the K frame, and like all older K frame revolvers it has the flat on the bottom of the forcing cone, which in some instances can lead to splitting of the forcing cone. I do not have a photo of the forcing cone of my Model 65, but this is the forcing cone of the Model 13-2. Note the flat at the bottom of the forcing cone, making the metal a little bit thinner in that spot. As I have stated previously, S&W was putting this flat on the bottom of the forcing cone as a clearance cut on all K frame revolvers, starting way back around 1905 or so. It was never a problem with 38 Special revolvers, but it could be problematic with 357 Magnum revolvers.

View attachment 1155362
Click to expand...
Stainless Smith start with a “6”

now I know
 
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