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David S.
04-03-2014, 07:36 PM
A local fun store has a 13-3 4" in stock for just under $450 that caught my eye.

This would be my first dabble into the revolver world. What do I need to know?

Cheers,
David

JHC
04-03-2014, 08:13 PM
A local fun store has a 13-3 4" in stock for just under $450 that caught my eye.

This would be my first dabble into the revolver world. What do I need to know?

Cheers,
David

SWEET revolver. You chose well. I dunno, be patient if you haven't shot them DA much before. Dry fire that DA and have fun. What sort of grips came on it?

David S.
04-03-2014, 08:25 PM
It's a blued finish, not that you asked, with hogue rubber grips.

Round, I believe.

41magfan
04-03-2014, 08:26 PM
I'm not exactly sure what kind of input you're looking for but with the right holster it will be relatively easy to carry and for a mid-size revolver they're relatively easy to shoot. The only downsize to the fixed sight configuration might be getting an acceptable zero if you shoot bullet weights at the extreme ends of the spectrum (110 or 180 gr) at longer than casual use ranges. If you find your gun doesn't shoot to POA, locate an old school S&W Armorer with a lead babbitt and he'll be able to beat it into submission. Once zeroed it will never wander under normal use.

I still have the one I carried before pistols nudged revolvers out of use in LE circles and I personally find it to be the ideal medium caliber revolver. I even pushed mine into doing duty as a hunting handgun once and it worked OK.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/703/47aq.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/jj47aqj)

Keltyke
04-06-2014, 05:31 PM
SHUWEEEET!!! My first gun was a 13 and I've always regretted selling it. It's a fixed sight 4" .357 Mag on the S&W "K" frame in either nickle or blued finish, It'll handle anything you put in it.

David S.
04-06-2014, 07:16 PM
I'm not exactly sure what kind of input you're looking for ...

I've never seriously considered revolvers, but with all the recent love they've received and my jumping on the Sig bandwagon, I'm intrigued. I really don't know what I don't know.

Is this a solid model? It appears the answer is yes.
Is this a reasonable price (depending on wear)?
I see model 64s available for less but like the versatility of .357 mag.

Cheers,
David

Wheeler
04-06-2014, 07:50 PM
I've never seriously considered revolvers, but with all the recent love they've received and my jumping on the Sig bandwagon, I'm intrigued. I really don't know what I don't know.

Is this a solid model? It appears the answer is yes.
Is this a reasonable price (depending on wear)?
I see model 64s available for less but like the versatility of .357 mag.

Cheers,
David

It's hard to go wrong with a Model 13. The price is not far out from what I see solid condition used models listing for locally. A few thinks to check are lockup. This is how much the cylinder moves from side to side while the gun is cocked. A small amount of play is acceptable, a lot of play is not good. This should be checked on all cylinders.
Endshake: this is forward/rearward movement of the cylinder while the gun is cocked. A very small amount is acceptable. A lot indicates the possibility of a lot of heavy loads ran through the gun.
With the yoke open, spin the cylinder and watch the ejector rod, make sure it's straight with no wobble.
Check the motion of the ejector rod by depressing it. If it binds it's bent. While its depressed look under the extractor star for trash. Release the ejector rod and make sure the extractor star returns to a flush position with the rear of the cylinder.
Look at the forcing cone and top strap for excessive erosion/flame cutting.
Look in each individual cylinder for pits, burrs or flaws in the cylinder walls. It's not common but is possible.
Close the cylinder and make sure the cylinder release latch goes back fully. If the gun won't cock the cylinder release latch is most likely sticking.
Check the yoke at the front of the cylinder. If there is a sizeable gap near the barrel there's a good chance some idiot has been doing the Hollywood snap to close the cylinder. Unless you want to order and replace the yoke I'd suggest handing it back to the salesperson and thanking him/her for their time.
You should be able to cycle the gun through all six cylinders with little difference in trigger pull. If there is a significant difference from one cylinder to the next there's possibly a timing issue.

I hope this helps.

41magfan
04-06-2014, 08:14 PM
I've never seriously considered revolvers, but with all the recent love they've received and my jumping on the Sig bandwagon, I'm intrigued. I really don't know what I don't know.

Is this a solid model? It appears the answer is yes.
Is this a reasonable price (depending on wear)?
I see model 64s available for less but like the versatility of .357 mag.

Cheers,
David

K-Frame S&W's are about as good as it gets with medium frame revolvers and $450 is about right if it's in good condition. If it's a surplus law enforcement gun it was likely carried a lot and shot very little. I too like the versatility of the .357 Magnum cartridge but I wouldn't poo-poo a properly loaded .38 Special if that's all I had. There's some high performance .38 loads out there that a K-Frame will digest without difficulty.

If you'll pay your dues learning to manage the trigger on a DA revolver, everything else will seem easy.

David S.
04-06-2014, 09:16 PM
Thanks gents. Wheeler, thanks for the great writeup. That will be super helpful.


I too like the versatility of the .357 Magnum cartridge but I wouldn't poo-poo a properly loaded .38 Special if that's all I had. There's some high performance .38 loads out there that a K-Frame will digest without difficulty.

I'm not poopooing the .38 Spcl. What I meant by versatility was that I appreciate the ability to run both the .357 and .38 as opposed to just the .38.

Wheeler
04-06-2014, 09:25 PM
You're welcome. I hope it's helpful.

1986s4
04-07-2014, 10:51 AM
A fine choice! I have a M13 3" barrel. Those fixed sights will shoot point of aim with 158-160 gr bullets. I have heard one should not use magnums under 158gr by reason of excessive heat and gas in the forcing cone area. A very high level of quality for the cost.

JHC
04-07-2014, 11:04 AM
You're welcome. I hope it's helpful.

+1 to kudos for your list Wheeler. I knew a couple of those but not others. I might laminate it on a 3x5 card and keep it in my wallet. ;)

Tamara
04-07-2014, 11:13 AM
FWIW, an invaluable tool for the novice wheelgunner checking out a used roundgun is this thread here (http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57816).

Totem Polar
04-07-2014, 11:19 AM
Not much to add, but threads always need gratuitous pics:

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab79/Sidheguitarist/DWC/13-1copy_zpsf5b025e9.jpg (http://s851.photobucket.com/user/Sidheguitarist/media/DWC/13-1copy_zpsf5b025e9.jpg.html)
13-1

45dotACP
04-07-2014, 12:17 PM
Excuse me for a second while I wipe the drool off the keyboard.

Those stocks make me wobbly at the knees.

Tamara
04-08-2014, 12:35 PM
That is one dead-sexy sixgun.

FWIW, the very first gun store I started hanging out at when I was in high school had a couple of crusty old fixtures who thought that that gun rag columnist and his infatuation with Gov't Model jammomatics was some passing fad and that the 3" Model 13 was the ultimate CCW sidearm ever devised by the mind of man.

A lot of water's gone under the bridge since then, but I'd be lying if I said that I've entirely shaken that hoary old idea out of my head.

Dagga Boy
04-08-2014, 02:51 PM
That is one dead-sexy sixgun.

FWIW, the very first gun store I started hanging out at when I was in high school had a couple of crusty old fixtures who thought that that gun rag columnist and his infatuation with Gov't Model jammomatics was some passing fad and that the 3" Model 13 was the ultimate CCW sidearm ever devised by the mind of man.

A lot of water's gone under the bridge since then, but I'd be lying if I said that I've entirely shaken that hoary old idea out of my head.

I honestly think a majority of the public would be well served with a 3-4 inch medium framed .38/.357 revolver with fixed sights. My wife was a perfect example. She wasn't that into guns (lord knows she could have had anything she wanted), was realistic enough to know that she should have a handgun around as I worked nights through most of our marriage, she liked to shoot but didn't like to go shooting. She had a Model 65 3 inch (now my daughter's) that she was very good with. She had the same ammunition in it for home use until her passing as the first day it went into the nightstand drawer, and maybe shot 100-200 rounds through it total. I felt no issues with it with her as she was happy with it and how she shot with it, and the manual of arms matched her dedication.

I would have zero issues with carrying a medium to large frame 2.5" to 4" revolver these days in retirement and out to pasteur. For a majority of what my life is, it is still a good option.

Wheeler
04-08-2014, 03:32 PM
+1 to kudos for your list Wheeler. I knew a couple of those but not others. I might laminate it on a 3x5 card and keep it in my wallet. ;)

Oh gawd! Please fix all the typos first!

LSP552
04-08-2014, 04:40 PM
I honestly think a majority of the public would be well served with a 3-4 inch medium framed .38/.357 revolver with fixed sights. My wife was a perfect example. She wasn't that into guns (lord knows she could have had anything she wanted), was realistic enough to know that she should have a handgun around as I worked nights through most of our marriage, she liked to shoot but didn't like to go shooting. She had a Model 65 3 inch (now my daughter's) that she was very good with. She had the same ammunition in it for home use until her passing as the first day it went into the nightstand drawer, and maybe shot 100-200 rounds through it total. I felt no issues with it with her as she was happy with it and how she shot with it, and the manual of arms matched her dedication.

I would have zero issues with carrying a medium to large frame 2.5" to 4" revolver these days in retirement and out to pasteur. For a majority of what my life is, it is still a good option.

Your wife must know my wife. I'm trying to convince mine that she "needs" a 3" SP101........so I might be able to get my old 3" 65 back. The revolver is THE weapon for someone who isn't a shooter or interested in become one.

Ken

Beat Trash
04-09-2014, 05:16 PM
I would love to see the 3" 64's and/or 13's produced again. Without that stupid lock though.

I agree that this would be a perfect pistol for many out there. And I have a hard time believing that S&W couldn't sell enough of them to justify bring them back.

Dagga Boy
04-09-2014, 05:43 PM
I would love to see the 3" 64's and/or 13's produced again. Without that stupid lock though.

I agree that this would be a perfect pistol for many out there. And I have a hard time believing that S&W couldn't sell enough of them to justify bring them back.

I think the issue is two fold-price and "gee whiz". Smith revolvers have gotten expensive, especially compared to things that "look" similar, or even quality semi-autos with "lots of firepower". For those who will shoot 44 rounds at the range, load 6 and put it in a drawer for the next several years, you are talking a ton of money. Back in the early to mid 90's when I had my own store I sold a lot of the Taurus versions or the 3" Smith's and they were very inexpensive compared to the Smith's and Rugers. Personally, a 3" GP 100 built like an LCR to me would be pretty neat.

Wheeler
04-09-2014, 06:04 PM
I would love to see the 3" 64's and/or 13's produced again. Without that stupid lock though.

I agree that this would be a perfect pistol for many out there. And I have a hard time believing that S&W couldn't sell enough of them to justify bring them back.

A friend of mine looked into having S&W introduce a model 12-5 with the standard K frame dimensions and an updated Aluminum frame. The price point was in the neighborhood of $50,000 for a limited run (I disremember the number of guns that would produce.) I'm sure if anyone could convince Talo or one of the other large distributors the production could be arranged.

Beat Trash
04-09-2014, 10:02 PM
I know I'm dreaming here.

I can't believe what a new S&W revolver is going for. I still cry when I think about the gun my Ex took in the divorce about 5 years ago, a factory 3" model 66.

I grew up seeing the round butt 3" model 13 in pictures and the movies. It was THE FBI gun. There is something about that revolver. Just wish I had thought to buy one way back when they were still available.

The modern day replacement for that gun would be the 3" GP100. But it just doesn't have the sex appeal to me.

Tamara
04-10-2014, 07:22 AM
And I have a hard time believing that S&W couldn't sell enough of them to justify bring them back.

If they could, they wouldn't have discontinued them in the first place. ;)


I know I'm dreaming here.

I can't believe what a new S&W revolver is going for.

Like the 1911, it was designed in a time when labor was cheap, with the only overhead for your workforce being the amount of money you put in their pockets every payday.

There were no HR departments or pensions or scholarship programs or paternity leaves or paid sick time or any of that other stuff. No OSHA and no EPA to monitor plant emissions. You could pay people a squat-oh-nine a day to inspect the work and if they didn't do a good job, fire them and hire the next one standing at the factory door.

I was taking a little Mauser 1910 .25 apart to take some pictures the other day, and the amount of machining and (no doubt) hand-fitting that went into that pocket pistol that sold for a pittance in its day was just practically obscene to modern eyes. Every single part of that gun was whittled from a block of steel. For every Mauser 1910 that came out the factory door, there were probably two more in the form of iron filings and metal chips on the factory floor. It was like looking at gold leaf toilet paper.

Robinson
04-10-2014, 07:27 AM
You can sometimes find round butt 3" Model 13s on the auction sites, but man the prices people want for S&W revolvers... They can be found if you want to pay the money though.

Tamara
04-10-2014, 07:38 AM
You can sometimes find round butt 3" Model 13s on the auction sites, but man the prices people want for S&W revolvers...

The market for medium-frame centerfire Smiths was artificially depressed through the Nineties and into the early Aughties as the glut of po-po trade-ins moved through the market like a pig through a python. This coincided with a lot of people getting into Smith collecting because it was the workingman's alternative to collecting Colt's. Up until just ten years or so ago, the only Smith Hand Ejectors that brought big money were prewar large-frame guns and some rare and hard-to-find variants.

Now the police trade-in supply has pretty much dried up, and this coincides with Smith collecting becoming a respected discipline within the larger avocation of firearms curating. Prices will only be going up. (Personally, I'm pretty much priced out of the Hand Ejector market. It was fun while it lasted, though.)

EDIT: Look on the bright side of things: You could be a Colt's fan. Pythons and Diamondbacks have always been expensive, but they've gone off-the-charts looney tunes flat-out crazy in the last few years. Half the Pythons I've seen lately have been stickered for more than I paid for my Subaru.

JonInWA
04-10-2014, 07:59 AM
I think the issue is two fold-price and "gee whiz". Smith revolvers have gotten expensive, especially compared to things that "look" similar, or even quality semi-autos with "lots of firepower". For those who will shoot 44 rounds at the range, load 6 and put it in a drawer for the next several years, you are talking a ton of money. Back in the early to mid 90's when I had my own store I sold a lot of the Taurus versions or the 3" Smith's and they were very inexpensive compared to the Smith's and Rugers. Personally, a 3" GP 100 built like an LCR to me would be pretty neat.

Isn't that called a SP101??

Best, Jon

Chuck Haggard
04-10-2014, 09:18 AM
Isn't that called a SP101??

Best, Jon

Not exactly.


a 3" GP 100 built like an LCR to me would be pretty neat

I'd really dig a 6 shot 3" LCR, that would be totally bad kitten.

Robinson
04-10-2014, 10:50 AM
The market for medium-frame centerfire Smiths was artificially depressed through the Nineties and into the early Aughties as the glut of po-po trade-ins moved through the market like a pig through a python. This coincided with a lot of people getting into Smith collecting because it was the workingman's alternative to collecting Colt's. Up until just ten years or so ago, the only Smith Hand Ejectors that brought big money were prewar large-frame guns and some rare and hard-to-find variants.


Yes I think that colorful observation is spot on. At least the guns are still out there -- I mean, if you want a P&R magnum in good shape you can still find one without much trouble.

Chuck Haggard
04-10-2014, 10:51 AM
I'm wishing I had bought about ten of our model 66s back when they all got sold for $125 a piece.

Dagga Boy
04-10-2014, 01:31 PM
a 3" GP 100 built like an LCR to me would be pretty neat

Not exactly. I'd really dig a 6 shot 3" LCR, that would be totally bad kitten.

We are on the same page. 3" 6 shot with modern materials and manufacturing so we can have totally soulless revolvers. They would make great carry guns for many people.

With that said....I dug my 3.5" Model 27 out of the safe to include it in an article I am doing on N frame revolvers. I am talking to a maker about custom leather and another grip decision (Cocobolo, Ivory or Stag). It is remarkable to me how wondrous these things were and what has happened within my lifetime to the art of making guns.

Robinson
04-10-2014, 01:50 PM
We are on the same page. 3" 6 shot with modern materials and manufacturing so we can have totally soulless revolvers. They would make great carry guns for many people.

With that said....I dug my 3.5" Model 27 out of the safe to include it in an article I am doing on N frame revolvers. I am talking to a maker about custom leather and another grip decision (Cocobolo, Ivory or Stag). It is remarkable to me how wondrous these things were and what has happened within my lifetime to the art of making guns.

Nyeti -- I realize you have already selected a vendor but if you want another source for great leather to consider, I highly recommend Adams Holsters. Luke has made four holsters for me and they are superb. He also has some nice exotic leathers to choose from.

Nephrology
04-17-2014, 05:10 PM
We are on the same page. 3" 6 shot with modern materials and manufacturing so we can have totally soulless revolvers. They would make great carry guns for many people.

This is a gun I would definitely be interested in.

Tamara
04-17-2014, 05:22 PM
It is remarkable to me how wondrous these things were and what has happened within my lifetime to the art of making guns.

Gaulish nobles with beautifully handmade swords, their figured bronze hilts set with jewels, were subjugated by guys using cheap mass-produced gladii turned out by fabricae in their tens of thousands. All the loving polish on a hammer head don't help it drive nails. ;)

(...and it pains me as much to say that as anybody. I remember walking into the living room early one morning at my old place, up in the pre-dawn light to go staff the tables at a gun show. There on the coffee table in the dim grey half-light was my S-prefix Model 27-2, lying between a couple of Bangor Punta-era N-frame guns. For a second, I wondered where I'd gotten two parkerized N's until I realized that they just looked that dull by comparison in the gloaming.)

Nephrology
04-17-2014, 05:31 PM
in the gloaming.)

You know that is probably maybe only the 5th or 6th time in my life I read that word in print. Recognizing that I know the definition of a word before I recognize the word itself is not a common experience for me. Kudos.

Dagga Boy
04-17-2014, 06:32 PM
Gaulish nobles with beautifully handmade swords, their figured bronze hilts set with jewels, were subjugated by guys using cheap mass-produced gladii turned out by fabricae in their tens of thousands. All the loving polish on a hammer head don't help it drive nails. ;)

(...and it pains me as much to say that as anybody. I remember walking into the living room early one morning at my old place, up in the pre-dawn light to go staff the tables at a gun show. There on the coffee table in the dim grey half-light was my S-prefix Model 27-2, lying between a couple of Bangor Punta-era N-frame guns. For a second, I wondered where I'd gotten two parkerized N's until I realized that they just looked that dull by comparison in the gloaming.)

I am working on an N frame article right now. It has been such a joy sitting at my desk with a Smith 520, my old duty 25-5 Hebrew Hammer, a Lew Horton 3" 629 and a 3.5" 27-2 in front of me. I have decided that being everyone thinks I am an outdated curmudgeon anyways, I should just start carrying the 27-2 in a Hank Sloan rig with some honey ivory grips and simply live it. If I ever have to shoot some evil doer again, it will be done with class.

Spr1
04-17-2014, 07:58 PM
You know that is probably maybe only the 5th or 6th time in my life I read that word in print. Recognizing that I know the definition of a word before I recognize the word itself is not a common experience for me. Kudos.

I knew what it meant, but could not for the life of me tell you when I last saw it in print.

Tamara your vocabulary/posts are a delight. Don't get a swelled head now.........

Spr1
04-17-2014, 08:01 PM
To actually comment on the thread, when I think of shooting a handgun for just the pleasure of it. A K-frame Smith is right at the top of the list.

David S.
04-17-2014, 10:00 PM
Went to the shop last weekend to pick up some other toys and it was long gone. C'est la vie.

Carry on though, I sense a wheel gun in my future.

Dagga Boy
04-17-2014, 10:37 PM
So Tam, is there something even more special on the "S" prefix guns over the "N" Prefix on the already pure awesome 27's?

Malamute
04-17-2014, 11:01 PM
The S prefix guns in the 44 frame are earlier guns than the N numbered guns, up to about late 60's I believe. Tam will know more specifics, like when it was first used. Before the early 50's, they weren't model numbered like later guns. Other things, like 4 or 5 screw, date the guns to different time periods in the 50's to early 60's.

Dagga Boy
04-17-2014, 11:10 PM
I figured that the "N" would have come first.........but there is that whole common sense thing;). I badly want a "Registered Magnum", but I simply have to drool on the glass at Jackson Armory until I get a real job again someday.

Tamara
04-18-2014, 05:42 AM
So Tam, is there something even more special on the "S" prefix guns over the "N" Prefix on the already pure awesome 27's?

There's a whole big essay explaining the differences in John Ross's Unintended Consequences, of all places, but to give the thumbnail:

When the .357 Magnum cartidge debuted, the eponymous N-frame revolver that chambered it was intended as S&W's flagship revolver. The first ones, the Registered Magnums, were individually custom-ordered guns, priced at $60 when the next most expensive gun offered by the company was only forty-five bucks retail. ($500 would buy a new Ford coupe.) Even after the Registered Magnum run ended, they remained pricey offerings, practically "custom shop" guns; a guy had to work at S&W ten or fifteen years before he was even considered to do the polishing job for the bluing on a .357 Magnum. When they added the .44 and .41 Magnums, these too got the "flagship" treatment.

After the Bangor Punta purchase, an eye towards profit margins plus the inability to crank out enough .44 Magnums to keep up with the demand meant an end to the extensive handwork that went into the flagship guns, and about the time of the switch in serial number prefixes from "S" to "N", you can see the effects. The polish on the blue isn't quite as lustrous; it may look a little rougher under the sideplate; things like that. It was already an anachronism on a mass-produced consumer product offering in the '50s, anyway. :(

Dagga Boy
04-18-2014, 06:57 AM
Thanks Tam, that was the justification I needed to start carrying and shooting this thing....it is just an "N". Of course, the Quest has now begun for a pristine S or a real Registered Magnum. It's funny, I passed on "perfect" 27 recently because it was Nickel. If I am dropping that kind of coin, I want bluing I can swim in.

SteveK
04-18-2014, 07:28 AM
I'm with you. I can't even consider buying a stainless Smith revolver. Although sweet bluing seems to be a lost art (unless your name is Turnbull), it still carries 10x the character for me. Which reminds me I need to dig out the 586 I picked up right before my heart surgery. It kinda slipped my mind I even had it.

Tamara
04-18-2014, 07:39 AM
I'm with you. I can't even consider buying a stainless Smith revolver.

At one time I collected 3" stainless N-frames; had one of each caliber except .45ACP, including the super-rare 10mm and .45 Colt, as well as 3" V-Comp 627 serial number JMC0001. Ended up selling all of them except the 629.

I still prefer stainless guns for shooting and using (I'll leave a stainless gun sit uncleaned in a range bag for months without the slightest twinge of conscience) but collecting soulless steel Smiths strikes me these days about the same as the idea of collecting used Ford Taurus rental cars.

Dagga Boy
04-18-2014, 08:13 AM
I also have the "Lew Horton bug". I just took my 3" 629 out the other day to the range and got some of the 240 grain "let you know what a real gun feels like" love going. Past the "Pinned and Recessed" days, I like the stainless guns, especially if I am shooting and carrying them a lot. The older blue guns are just special because of the bluing quality. For working finishes, my "pre Mountain Gun" Performance Center 629 Mountain Revolver is probably my favorite of the bunch. It has a sort of weird bead blast finish that looks great.

I find the newer stainless guns to be great projects with grips, sights, and work done to them, where touching the 27 for anything other than great looking grips would be a sin. With Tam's analogy, I rather hot rod a Taurus SHO and leave the 60's Mustangs alone.

Rich
04-20-2014, 07:10 AM
I liked my M13. The first thing I did was to remove the spur from the hammer.
I`d rather have a 3inch version instead of the 4inch.
accuracy was excellent. Heck all my S&W 38/357 shot nicely

Malamute
04-20-2014, 11:02 AM
Thanks Tam, that was the justification I needed to start carrying and shooting this thing....it is just an "N". Of course, the Quest has now begun for a pristine S or a real Registered Magnum. It's funny, I passed on "perfect" 27 recently because it was Nickel. If I am dropping that kind of coin, I want bluing I can swim in.


I like nickel better than stainless. I had a 6 1/2" 29 for several years and foolishly traded it off. It's one of the ones I've traded but I wish I'd kept. Just as many like stainless guns for their low maintenance, I look at nickel the same way. It shows holster wear and handling, but it adds character in ways stainless guns don't (or can't?). I also miss the 4 3/4" Colt SAA 44 spl I had. It got carried a fair bit while I had it. Back in my motorcycle days, when I got stopped for velocity infringements, the usual reaction from the attending officers was "Cool! Where did you get that?" (those were the open carry days, no concealed permits)

Trooper224
04-20-2014, 03:41 PM
I honestly think a majority of the public would be well served with a 3-4 inch medium framed .38/.357 revolver with fixed sights. My wife was a perfect example. She wasn't that into guns (lord knows she could have had anything she wanted), was realistic enough to know that she should have a handgun around as I worked nights through most of our marriage, she liked to shoot but didn't like to go shooting. She had a Model 65 3 inch (now my daughter's) that she was very good with. She had the same ammunition in it for home use until her passing as the first day it went into the nightstand drawer, and maybe shot 100-200 rounds through it total. I felt no issues with it with her as she was happy with it and how she shot with it, and the manual of arms matched her dedication.

I would have zero issues with carrying a medium to large frame 2.5" to 4" revolver these days in retirement and out to pasteur. For a majority of what my life is, it is still a good option.

My wife is much the same. She enjoys shooting but doesn't go that often. She's more than happy with the 2.5 inch S&W Model 66 I bought as a house gun. She shoots it pretty well with .38 +P loads and I feel comfortable with her level of security, as I also work nights.

Trooper224
04-20-2014, 03:46 PM
Started my LE career with a 27. To this day it's my favorite wheel gun.
http://m0.i.pbase.com/g3/64/521964/2/122525060.JnlPUAip.jpg

Beat Trash
04-20-2014, 04:04 PM
That my friend is a nice revolver...

saltydog452
04-20-2014, 04:46 PM
If utility and being just plain, flat 'handy', the 3" RB .357 M 13 might be close to the top. As would a handy size K-22. Tough choice.

Wheeler
04-20-2014, 08:55 PM
If utility and being just plain, flat 'handy', the 3" RB .357 M 13 might be close to the top. As would a handy size K-22. Tough choice.

Not to sidetrack the thread too much but I'd think a 4" Model 34 would fit the bill of a handy .22 revolver better than most any.

Alpha Sierra
04-20-2014, 09:11 PM
Started my LE career with a 27. To this day it's my favorite wheel gun.
http://m0.i.pbase.com/g3/64/521964/2/122525060.JnlPUAip.jpg

$133.39..........I want a time machine

Dagga Boy
04-20-2014, 09:53 PM
Now, that is a gun that the Lord's work can be done with class in removing evil doers from our midsts. Its an exact clone of what is sitting next to me as I type this (except mine is in the 200 SN# range). I have those identical grips on one of my 25-5's, but I think I am going with Ivory micarta or something similar on the 27. Awesome revolver, with a real history. It's funny how you go back to your first duty gun as your favorite. It was the probably the first one that you ever pointed at another human. It shared the times when you did some really stupid things. It was there with you when fighting them into the car was more fun than talking them in. They earned their scars with you and they were your security blanket when you were scared to death and had to pretend that you weren't. Thanks for sharing it.

Trooper224
04-20-2014, 10:25 PM
It's funny how you go back to your first duty gun as your favorite. It was the probably the first one that you ever pointed at another human. It shared the times when you did some really stupid things. It was there with you when fighting them into the car was more fun than talking them in. They earned their scars with you and they were your security blanket when you were scared to death and had to pretend that you weren't. Thanks for sharing it.

In fact, I had my first "defining moment" with one like it if you know what I mean. Unfortunately I let that first one get away in a moment of stupidity I've regretted ever since. It took me about fifteen years to find another one I was happy with. Too bad I paid more than the three hundred bucks I paid for the first one. ;) This one was still in the box with dried grease all over it when I found it, but not anymore. Those grips themselves are something of a collectable now. I find this a bit amusing since we used to trash them first thing back in the day. Now they're packed away in the box and it wears a pair of Sandalwood grips for shooting. Wheel guns are real guns.

http://m7.i.pbase.com/g1/64/521964/2/126358507.5AJ7ISZb.jpg

LSP552
04-20-2014, 11:11 PM
Thanks Trooper224! What a classy blaster.

Ken

LSP972
04-21-2014, 07:41 AM
Alright you guys... enough already with the vintage, gorgeous S&W revolver pics, eh?

I'm already on the fence with a mega-retro urge... all of this isn't helping.:D

.

Trooper224
04-21-2014, 09:11 AM
Alright you guys... enough already with the vintage, gorgeous S&W revolver pics, eh?

I'm already on the fence with a mega-retro urge... all of this isn't helping.:D

.

:p

http://m8.i.pbase.com/g3/64/521964/2/121816958.NDIoMSUM.jpg
http://m1.i.pbase.com/g3/64/521964/2/124167651.VIk3StVu.jpg
http://m3.i.pbase.com/g5/64/521964/2/107284713.tjiRQBEU.jpg

Dagga Boy
04-21-2014, 10:07 AM
Trooper 224....aka...."The Enabler". Let him have it brother, he should fold to the Retro bug soon.

David S.
04-21-2014, 10:07 AM
Not. Helping.

;)

45dotACP
04-21-2014, 10:34 AM
:p

http://m8.i.pbase.com/g3/64/521964/2/121816958.NDIoMSUM.jpg
http://m1.i.pbase.com/g3/64/521964/2/124167651.VIk3StVu.jpg
http://m3.i.pbase.com/g5/64/521964/2/107284713.tjiRQBEU.jpg

This post has a significant level of win.

Chuck Haggard
04-21-2014, 11:15 AM
That model 66 speaks to me..............

Stephanie B
04-21-2014, 11:24 AM
Back in the early `80s, a gun dealer I knew purchased a bunch of 4" M28s when the NY Staties dumped theirs. He offered one for sale to me. I declined, as I had a 6" M19 and saw no need for a 4" gun.

Kind of regret that, now.

LSP972
04-21-2014, 12:35 PM
That model 66 speaks to me..............

Yeah... when was the last time you saw a set of trits set up like that?

I DO have one of those (with standard sights) that now does duty as a bathroom gun :D ... I could use those Ahrends stocks, too.

Nice piece.

.

Chuck Haggard
04-21-2014, 12:52 PM
Yeah... when was the last time you saw a set of trits set up like that?


.

1992 maybe. It's been awhile.

Trooper224
04-21-2014, 12:54 PM
1992 maybe. It's been awhile.

I installed a set just like that on my first 27. They came in very handy one night back in '92 and I've been a big believer in night sights ever since. I found the 66 in a gun shop a few years ago as is, minus the Ahrends. It has one of the slickest action jobs I've ever handled as well as magnaporting. All for the price of $400.00 I could live without the porting but it's a sweet shooter. My wife has seized upon it as "her" gun. It's a 66-no dash and will seize up if too many magnum rounds are fired through it but it lives on .38 Specials most of the time.

Dagga Boy
04-21-2014, 01:11 PM
1992 maybe. It's been awhile.

Those are what are on the Hebrew Hammer. I got them put on pretty early in the career as a graveyard dog from the beginning. I am going to end up having some Bowen Rough Duty's put on to replace them at some point.

Tamara
04-21-2014, 01:52 PM
The flash-chrome on the hammer and trigger is a lot better looking than case coloring on those stainless guns...

SeriousStudent
04-21-2014, 07:06 PM
Beautiful pistols, thank you all so much for sharing the photos!

I need to find me a K frame, I just have to scratch that itch.

Wheeler
04-22-2014, 01:43 AM
Back in the early `80s, a gun dealer I knew purchased a bunch of 4" M28s when the NY Staties dumped theirs. He offered one for sale to me. I declined, as I had a 6" M19 and saw no need for a 4" gun.

Kind of regret that, now.

Did someone mention a 4", NYSP marked Model 28?

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt86/Wheeler686/S%20and%20W/101_1244.jpg (http://s600.photobucket.com/user/Wheeler686/media/S%20and%20W/101_1244.jpg.html)

Al T.
04-22-2014, 06:16 AM
And I've got a horribly abused M27 3.5 in the safe I'm planning to get re-finished "eventually" and this thread makes me want to move that date up a bit.... :)

SeriousStudent
04-22-2014, 06:45 PM
And I've got a horribly abused M27 3.5 in the safe I'm planning to get re-finished "eventually" and this thread makes me want to move that date up a bit.... :)

Oh! Send it to Bill Riehl, and then we all get to see pictures!

You know you want to, just give into it.

Al T.
04-23-2014, 07:33 AM
I might do that if Bill would sign a promise not to kick me in the kitten for sending him such an abused Smith. I paid 30 bucks for the little critter and had to soak it in ATF & MMO for a month to get it un-frozen.

Rich
04-28-2014, 03:16 PM
I see S&W still offers the M10 38spl in a 4inch tube.
any reason why no 3inch?

I happen to favor the fixed sighted revolvers for ccw

Wheeler
04-28-2014, 05:19 PM
I see S&W still offers the M10 38spl in a 4inch tube.
any reason why no 3inch?

I happen to favor the fixed sighted revolvers for ccw

S&W doesn't seem to listen much to shooters or customers when it comes to changes in their product line.

revchuck
04-28-2014, 09:57 PM
The market for medium-frame centerfire Smiths was artificially depressed through the Nineties and into the early Aughties as the glut of po-po trade-ins moved through the market like a pig through a python.
This is true, and the reason I could afford to fill my safe to a reasonable level with S&W revolvers. And for the OP, that includes a 4" M13...I think I paid $180 for it. I gave ~$200 for an unfired 681. I miss those days.

And speaking of OPs, I managed to get an Official Police in excellent shape for about $200 as well.

Malamute
04-28-2014, 10:27 PM
This is true, and the reason I could afford to fill my safe to a reasonable level with S&W revolvers. And for the OP, that includes a 4" M13...I think I paid $180 for it. I gave ~$200 for an unfired 681. I miss those days.

And speaking of OPs, I managed to get an Official Police in excellent shape for about $200 as well.


I miss those days when clean 19's were $225. 27's were $300-ish. I wish I'd bought a few of each and laid them away, or just been smart enough to keep a couple of the 27's.

Wheeler
04-29-2014, 02:12 PM
I have an almost pristine Model 16-4 4" I bought for the princely sum of $225 dollars in 1992. It seems a feller bought it, shot exactly twelve rounds through it, thought it had too much recoil and traded it in. I got the partial box of ammo with it as well. Since then I've had an offer of a straight up trade for a 625-8 with a boatload of stuff that goes with moon clip guns and a cash offer of $800.

Malamute
04-29-2014, 02:53 PM
Well yeah, its one of those MAGNUM guns. Of course it kicks bad. :D

I really wish I'd planned for geezerhood better by buying an old school K-32 back when you could hardly give them away. A decent early 32 hand ejector on the small frame would be a fun shooter and small game gun also. They look like a shrunken model 10/38 Military & Police.

Wheeler
04-29-2014, 03:16 PM
Well yeah, its one of those MAGNUM guns. Of course it kicks bad. :D

I really wish I'd planned for geezerhood better by buying an old school K-32 back when you could hardly give them away. A decent early 32 hand ejector on the small frame would be a fun shooter and small game gun also. They look like a shrunken model 10/38 Military & Police.

Hehe, yup. It is considerably louder than a .32 Long. Speaking of which, I have two Model 30-1's as well. I got both within the past few years for around $300/each. The deals are still out there, it's a matter of patience, and having the spare cash when they come around. I'd gladly trade the 4" 30-1 for a 16-3 in .32 Long but I've only seen one come up locally in the past few years. The seller had more emotional attachment to the pistol than I had cash or desire at the time. :-/

Malamute
04-29-2014, 03:25 PM
$300 seems to be about the price range I've seen the little 32's for. The model numbered ones may be later than I was thinking. I don't recall the proper term for the early guns.

I poached, I mean borrowed this image,

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc194/StrawHat/002_zps6f1f46e7.jpg

Wheeler
04-29-2014, 04:02 PM
$300 seems to be about the price range I've seen the little 32's for. The model numbered ones may be later than I was thinking. I don't recall the proper term for the early guns.

I poached, I mean borrowed this image,

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc194/StrawHat/002_zps6f1f46e7.jpg

That right there looks like a 1905 Hand Ejector built upon the mighty I frame. Besides the difference in frame size the I frames use a leaf type main spring like their larger cousins whereas the J frames use a coiled main spring.

Here's a picture of my 3" 30-1.

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt86/Wheeler686/a4d431bd-26ef-46ed-8fc2-0b5134f5623e_zps4f31d5cc.jpg (http://s600.photobucket.com/user/Wheeler686/media/a4d431bd-26ef-46ed-8fc2-0b5134f5623e_zps4f31d5cc.jpg.html)

These are bringing closer to $450-$600 on the collector markets now, especially of you have the correct grips, box, dox, etc. I've yet to come across one that I'd pay $600 for personally and I'd have to really consider $450 or even $400 for another Model 30.

nalesq
05-10-2014, 08:07 PM
Those are what are on the Hebrew Hammer. I got them put on pretty early in the career as a graveyard dog from the beginning. I am going to end up having some Bowen Rough Duty's put on to replace them at some point.

Are these tritium sights the same made by Meprolight one can still get today? Does the front tritium insert simply replace the little orange plastic insert? How well does that hold up over time? How hard is it to install properly to make sure it stays in place?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

jlw
05-11-2014, 11:48 AM
Did someone say model 13?

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g472/chiefweems3102/wheelguns%20and%20leather/13s.jpg

Wheeler
05-11-2014, 12:07 PM
Did someone say model 13?

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g472/chiefweems3102/wheelguns%20and%20leather/13s.jpg

That 3" is screaming for a bobbed hammer, rounded trigger and a set of GoodYears... ;-)

jlw
05-11-2014, 12:39 PM
That 3" is screaming for a bobbed hammer, rounded trigger and a set of GoodYears... ;-)


Done, and I polished off all of the blueing too.

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g472/chiefweems3102/wheelguns%20and%20leather/68c55c75-9b3a-41fc-8226-3a606ef0525a_zps03c34248.jpg?t=1399829907

Wheeler
05-11-2014, 08:32 PM
Done, and I polished off all of the blueing too.

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g472/chiefweems3102/wheelguns%20and%20leather/68c55c75-9b3a-41fc-8226-3a606ef0525a_zps03c34248.jpg?t=1399829907

Looks like you could have stood to use a little Flitz too. :)

Dagga Boy
05-11-2014, 11:12 PM
Are these tritium sights the same made by Meprolight one can still get today? Does the front tritium insert simply replace the little orange plastic insert? How well does that hold up over time? How hard is it to install properly to make sure it stays in place?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I think they are. They were put on in 1988, and they are dead, but still on there. One of our armorers when I started had a side business doing night sights and he installed them. Obviously did a good job.

Robinson
05-12-2014, 09:26 AM
Are these tritium sights the same made by Meprolight one can still get today? Does the front tritium insert simply replace the little orange plastic insert? How well does that hold up over time? How hard is it to install properly to make sure it stays in place?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Yes, the Meprolight front replaces the red insert -- and I think they make a full blade replacement for guns that don't have the red ramp insert. The tritium insert is pretty easy to install, just requires very slight fitting and some epoxy. I had a set on a 686 that was carried quite a bit and I never had a problem with the insert.

nalesq
05-12-2014, 01:35 PM
Yes, the Meprolight front replaces the red insert -- and I think they make a full blade replacement for guns that don't have the red ramp insert. The tritium insert is pretty easy to install, just requires very slight fitting and some epoxy. I had a set on a 686 that was carried quite a bit and I never had a problem with the insert.

Is the Meprolight front insert a little wider than the factory front sight? It sort of looks that way in some pictures I've seen. Also, how difficult is the rear installation? And what is the width of the rear?

Robinson
05-12-2014, 07:05 PM
On the gun I owned, the front tritium insert matched the width of the blade perfectly.

Installing the rear sight isn't difficult, but it's important to follow the instructions and make sure you don't lose any small parts. You are essentially breaking the rear sight in order to install the new sight blade. The rear sight blade is bigger than the factory blade (obviously), and if I remember correctly the notch is just slightly wider than normal.

Overall, the Meprolight kit is a good upgrade as long as you are willing to permanently alter your sights.

jlw
05-12-2014, 07:23 PM
From Meprolight's web page:

for pin inserts (http://www.meprolight.com/default.asp?catid={0A19467A-BB97-4974-949E-B32AE2F02C84}&details_type=1&itemid={D7C12EAA-DE12-4334-9960-730075D4F404})

for red inserts (http://www.meprolight.com/default.asp?catid={0A19467A-BB97-4974-949E-B32AE2F02C84}&details_type=1&itemid={82F3F9FD-1A25-4204-A62C-A81FEC061C0A})

LSP972
05-13-2014, 08:10 AM
You are essentially breaking the rear sight in order to install the new sight blade. .


Yes. We were shown, in armorer training, how to fabricate a special tool to install the new windage nut. We made this tool out of the small sight adjusting screwdriver that used to come with specified revolvers (handy little piece, that; I used one to make a special tool for Sig magazine catch plungers that has been worth its weight in dope).

Getting the new (and tiny) nut on the new windage screw is pretty tricky without that tool... and then you gotta be sure to stake it properly, or it will go away in short order.

.

xray 99
05-13-2014, 11:03 AM
2315

Both fitted with Spegel grips.

nalesq
05-13-2014, 03:44 PM
Yes. We were shown, in armorer training, how to fabricate a special tool to install the new windage nut. We made this tool out of the small sight adjusting screwdriver that used to come with specified revolvers (handy little piece, that; I used one to make a special tool for Sig magazine catch plungers that has been worth its weight in dope).

Getting the new (and tiny) nut on the new windage screw is pretty tricky without that tool... and then you gotta be sure to stake it properly, or it will go away in short order.

.

Is the Meprolight rear sight still adjustable after installation?

I am thinking about installing it on a Model 19 with a 2.5-inch barrel, and am a little worried about it not being the right height for such a short barrel length.

LSP972
05-13-2014, 04:28 PM
Is the Meprolight rear sight still adjustable after installation?



The few installations I've seen appeared to be. But I've never done one personally, so I couldn't say for sure.

You're correct to be wary of sight height. S&W sells at least four different rear blade heights to accommodate various barrel length/front sight height combinations.

Sadly, I have no idea what front sight height is "right" for the Mep trits.

That said, keep in mind that you've got quite a bit of elevation adjustment in the standard S&W "micrometer" rear revolver sight. Another option is this; the windage screw (which you had to break the end off of- the part that was staked into the nut) has the same thread pitch as the elevation stud and screw. I have made several "custom" elevation studs by carefully filing down the slotted head of a windage screw until it fits into the frame slot. This gives twice the amount of "up" adjustment in these rear sights, at the cost sticking the rear sight up where it can get knocked off/beat up. IOW, its something best done on a competition or "range" piece, as opposed to a carry piece.

Also, be aware that its not a simple task to do right, and whoever you have do it should be familiar with the procedure.

.

Robinson
05-13-2014, 07:01 PM
The Meprolight rear sight is adjustable, and it works just like the normal factory sight.

I had mine installed on a 3" 686 and the height was fine. That is no guarantee it will work for you, but keep in mind your front sight height is not going to change.

nalesq
05-13-2014, 11:04 PM
The Meprolight rear sight is adjustable, and it works just like the normal factory sight.

I had mine installed on a 3" 686 and the height was fine. That is no guarantee it will work for you, but keep in mind your front sight height is not going to change.

So it sounds like installing these Meprolights on a K Frame is a wee bit more challenging than installing night sights on a Glock. Am I correct that this is therefore something best left to a competent gunsmith?

If so, maybe I should just get CT lasergrips and be done with it...

Robinson
05-13-2014, 11:32 PM
I am not a gunsmith and I was able to install the Meprolight sights without much trouble. If you take care to follow the instructions you will probably do just fine. The biggest thing is understanding what you are doing with the rear sight. A gunsmith could probably do the job pretty quickly, but will take exactly the same steps as you would. The instructions that come with the sights are pretty good.

Oh and a small triangular file works great for the minimal amount of fitting that might be required for the front sight insert. And you will need some epoxy. If your front sight is pinned you can also opt for the kit that gives you a full front blade replacement -- if you don't mind a less conventional shape for your front sight.

My overall opinion is that the Meprolight sights are worth the cost and trouble to install if you want both front and rear tritium sights on a revolver. They work well once installed. If you only care about tritium up front and your front sight is pinned then you have other options.

Drifting Fate
05-16-2014, 09:01 PM
As others have noted, the K-frame is an incredible piece of machinery, one of the top combat sidearms ever made. Period. The only things you really need to ask yourself are do you live in a salty environment (stainless vs. carbon steel) and do your eyes suck (mine do, it's between fixed and adjustable sights)? Besides those two questions, it's personal preference as to barrel length and square or round butt (not mine, get your mind out of the gutter.)