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Thread: Grandfather's Service Pistol

  1. #1

    Grandfather's Service Pistol

    Hey Pistol-Forum,

    I haven't posted in awhile but just had an experience I felt y'all would appreciate.

    My grandfather passed away last week. He had been an Arkansas state trooper for 20 years. Today I was able to take his old service revolver out to the range and put some rounds through it in memory of him. Next time I may even wear his old patrol belt and holster.

    I've attached some pictures to show off this wonderful gun but I'm also wondering how you would recommend caring for it. I've noticed some minor staining of the metal around the cylinder etc. I want to keep it looking as good as he did while in service. Also, how do I go about looking up the manufacturer date of the gun.

    Thanks,
    Bowman_15Name:  2016-11-26 15.08.39.jpg
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  2. #2
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    Model 19 (nickel), or 65 (stainless), S&W?

    Check on the S&W forum. They've got a thread for checking mfg dates on old S&W revolvers

  3. #3
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
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    Looks like a 4" Model 66 to me. Check inside the crane and you will see the model number.
    "Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Hambo View Post
    Looks like a 4" Model 66 to me. Check inside the crane and you will see the model number.
    Checked in the cylinder and it does appear to be a model 66. Thanks

  5. #5
    I Demand Pie Lex Luthier's Avatar
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    Feb 2015
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    Just a guess, but it looks like the revolver has the pinned barrel and rebated cylinder, which would place it prior to 1982. If you remove the stocks, you can read the serial number on the bottom of the grip frame. With that, you can dial the date down to the month, probably.
    I own one very similar with a 6" barrel, which was also my grandfather's service weapon.

    My condolences on the loss of your grand-dad.
    Last edited by Lex Luthier; 11-26-2016 at 06:01 PM.
    "If I ever needed to hunt in a tuxedo, then this would be the rifle I'd take." - okie john

    "Not being able to govern events, I govern myself." - Michel De Montaigne

  6. #6
    What a treasure to own!

    I have a four inch Smith model 66 too but it was never my service weapon. I hit the LE scene several years after semi auto pistols took over.

    Anyway, there are those that say a steady diet of .357 magnum loads will take their toll on a K frame Smith. I shoot mostly .38 special rounds in mine with the occasional box of .357 loads. If I remember correct, the 125 grain magnum rounds would eventually cause some forcing cone issues in the K frame models. Smith and Wesson eventually came up with the model 686 which was beefier and better suited for hot, lightweight magnum loads. I own one of those as well.

    When my agency issued the model 19 in nickle finish (essentially the same as a model 66 other than the 66 being stainless steel), they practiced with .38 specials and issued .357 loads for carry. I know of several retired guys that still have their 66 and the only issue they said was the cylinder charging holes would sometimes develop a "ring" at the .38 special length that would make loading the longer .357 cartridges difficult. This was combated with proper cleaning......which in the LE realm is not that common.

    Your Smith does appear to be a pinned and recessed model: meaning that the barrel has a pin running through it back at the frame and that the charging holes in the cylinder are somewhat counter bored allowing the rims of the cartridges to fully seat. These are sought out and desirable as some feel that the quality of construction was top notch back then.

    This is all from a layman's perspective of revolvers. I know just enough to be dangerous.

    I have used a pencil eraser to remove carbon from the cylinder and it seems to work well. Might want to try that to remove those marks you mentioned.

    Great gun. It will serve you well into your golden years......as it did your grandfather.

    Regards.

    P.S. Would love to see that gunbelt too if you got time to take a pic of it.
    Last edited by lwt16; 11-27-2016 at 10:08 AM.

  7. #7
    Member Al T.'s Avatar
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    Columbia SC
    Very cool. Thanks for the pictures!

  8. #8
    Revolvers Revolvers 1911s Stephanie B's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bowman_15 View Post
    Checked in the cylinder and it does appear to be a model 66. Thanks
    A 66 or a 66-1? Either are pretty desirable these days.

    If a person's only going to own one revolver, it'd be hard to argue that a 4" 66 was a bad choice.

    (Gads, I'm getting old when an adult comes on here and says that his grandpa carried a 66 on the job. Excuse me whilst I go yell at kids on the grass.)
    Last edited by Stephanie B; 11-27-2016 at 11:50 AM.
    If we have to march off into the next world, let us walk there on the bodies of our enemies.

  9. #9
    Member Al T.'s Avatar
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    (Gads, I'm getting old when an adult comes on here and says that his grandpa carried a 66 on the job. Excuse me whilst I go yell at kids on the grass.)
    So, what does that make those of us who cut our teeth on wheelguns....... (looks in mirror) Ah old, yep, some white haired dude keeps looking back at me.... You and Tam should compare notes sometimes.

    Bowman, not a lot to do to keep those stainless K frames rolling along. Punch a wet cleaning patch down the barrel and chambers, follow up with a dry patch, use Flitz or a pencil eraser on the powder stains on the cylinder face and that's about it. Frankly, I just ignore the powder stains, but up to you.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Stephanie B View Post
    (Gads, I'm getting old when an adult comes on here and says that his grandpa carried a 66 on the job.

    No kidding. I've still got the pair (2.5", 4") of 66-1 revolvers I was issued in 1978.

    I get phone calls, almost weekly, by troopers who have revolver questions/issues. There is ONE guy remaining in the FTU who has the skills and knowledge, and he's an old retired fart like me who used to work for me in the FTU (I haven't been involved in any training for some time now; got tired of the political bullshit and slipped over to the crime lab), and he is in north Louisiana.

    No doubt about it, revolvers are a quickly-dying breed in LE work. There are still some old revolver guys working who know revolvers (a few even still carry them), but those folks are slipping away. The average youngster coming in to LE these days thinks revolvers are old school/ no longer useful. But they think a Kel-Tec or Ruger LCP is the shiz-nit for a BUG/off-duty piece.

    Sigh...

    .

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