S&W 64, 64-1, 64-2, etc. Is one better than the others?

[pangloss]

Thus far I've resisted the revolver addiction, but the cheap Model 64s at SOG and on Gunbroker are providing some pretty strong temptation lately. I've looked at postings of a lot of pistols over the past week, and I'd like to know if there's any significant difference among versions, i.e. 64, 64-1, 64-2, etc. Aside from the lock that appears in the 64-8, the only difference that I can see is that the hammer nose was replaced on the 64-6 with a frame-mounted firing pin. (Please forgive me if I'm not using the correct names for the parts. I'm not yet fluent in revolver speak.) I want a 4" stainless gun without the lock, but beyond that, I don't really know what's desirable or what aftermarket parts fit which models. For example, the Apex hammer doesn't have a hammer nose, so I confident that it wouldn't fit the 64-4, but maybe it would fit the 64-6. If I bought a DA/SA model, is it easy to find DAO hammers for conversion? Is one particular model 64 better than the others?

Maybe I'm overthinking this and I should just get my FFL to order one from SOG for me tomorrow. It'll just be a range gun for me. I'd like to be decent at shooting a revolver, and owning something besides a .32H&R J-frame seems like an important next step to take. Thanks.

[Duelist]

Thus far I've resisted the revolver addiction, but the cheap Model 64s at SOG and on Gunbroker are providing some pretty strong temptation lately. I've looked at postings of a lot of pistols over the past week, and I'd like to know if there's any significant difference among versions, i.e. 64, 64-1, 64-2, etc. Aside from the lock that appears in the 64-8, the only difference that I can see is that the hammer nose was replaced on the 64-6 with a frame-mounted firing pin. (Please forgive me if I'm not using the correct names for the parts. I'm not yet fluent in revolver speak.) I want a 4" stainless gun without the lock, but beyond that, I don't really know what's desirable or what aftermarket parts fit which models. For example, the Apex hammer doesn't have a hammer nose, so I confident that it wouldn't fit the 64-4, but maybe it would fit the 64-6. If I bought a DA/SA model, is it easy to find DAO hammers for conversion? Is one particular model 64 better than the others?

Maybe I'm overthinking this and I should just get my FFL to order one from SOG for me tomorrow. It'll just be a range gun for me. I'd like to be decent at shooting a revolver, and owning something besides a .32H&R J-frame seems like an important next step to take. Thanks.

It's all preferences. A 64 of any description would be an absolute shooting machine, and you will love it. If I were you, I'd just get the gunstore to order one of those cheap SOG trade-ins and a bunch of ammo and have fun!

[pangloss]

It's all preferences. A 64 of any description would be an absolute shooting machine, and you will love it. If I were you, I'd just get the gunstore to order one of those cheap SOG trade-ins and a bunch of ammo and have fun!

Thanks for enabling. Your "I am a weak person" thread did not help me tonight. On the other hand, I've been saying I'm going to buy a revolver for three years now, and it has been 10 whole days since I bought anything gun-related. That last purchase was just a rifle cleaning rod and some bore brushes, so it seems like I'm due for a K-frame because of reasoning.

[Duelist]

Thanks for enabling. Your "I am a weak person" thread did not help me tonight. On the other hand, I've been saying I'm going to buy a revolver for three years now, and it has been 10 whole days since I bought anything gun-related. That last purchase was just a rifle cleaning rod and some bore brushes, so it seems like I'm due for a K-frame because of reasoning.

The 64 would be even more tempting if I didn't have 2 fixed sight kframes in my safe already.

So, with that reasoning, how did I justify adding 2 3rd Gens to the pair I already have in the safe?

[scott]

Maybe I'm overthinking this and I should just get my FFL to order one from SOG for me tomorrow. It'll just be a range gun for me. I'd like to be decent at shooting a revolver, and owning something besides a .32H&R J-frame seems like an important next step to take. Thanks.

you're over thinking it. Buy one, shoot it, you'll be hooked. It's only a range gun; don't worry too much.

[Kirk]

Just purchased a DAO 64 from SOG for $229. So basically for $315 (gun, shipping, FFL fee, holster), I bought a sweet K Frame to go with my growing number of J Frames. Not bad.

[Totem Polar]

What everyone else is saying. I’m a sucker for a pinned barrel and a hammer-mounted pin, but whatever: if it says 64 on it, and there’s no lock, then you’ll likely love it.

Beware though, as a model 64 will inspire desire for a 65, and so on and so forth...

[KevH]

I know MIM is fine for many, but I don't like it in my S&W revolvers if I can help it. I prefer the pre-MIM guns so it would have to be before 64-6 (they changed the frame and some other features with that variation as well).

Here's a list:

Model 64 Military & Police Stainless, .38 Special
-n 1970, Introduction, 4” tapered barrel, Magna stocks, flash chromed hammer & trigger.
-1 1972, 4" Heavy barrel introduction, made for Oklahoma Highway Patrol, .357 Magnum; later became the M-65.
. . 1973, Heavy barrel only.
-2 1977, Change to put the gas ring from the yoke to the cylinder on 2" versions.
-3 1977, Change to put the gas ring from the yoke to the cylinder on heavy barrel versions.
. . 1982, Delete pinned barrels.
-4 1988, New yoke retention system/radius stud package/hammer nose bushing/ floating hand/on 2" tapered barrel version.
-5 1988, New yoke retention system on 3" & 4", hammer nose bushing, floating hand.
. . 1991, 3" heavy barrel became standard production.
. . 1994, Change star extractor, change to synthetic grips.
. . 1995-96, Delete square butt model.
. . 1996, Begin shipments in blue plastic cases.
. . 1996, Serrated backstrap & forestrap on RB frame for about 18 months, then discontinued.
. . 1997, Change thumbpiece/ship with Master trigger lock/change to MIM trigger.
-6 1998, Change frame design: eliminate cylinder stop stud, change to MIM hammer with floating firing pin, change internal lockwork.
. . 2001, Ship with fired case.
-7 2002, Introduce internal key lock system.
-8 2004, New two-piece barrel design

[OlongJohnson]

If I bought a DA/SA model, is it easy to find DAO hammers for conversion?

Any hammer can be converted to DAO by grinding off the SA notch, and any of them can be bobbed to have a shape fairly close to that of the factory bobbed hammers. However, they won't have the case hardening swirls in the finish. True, factory-bobbed DAO hammers are hen's teeth. I searched for a couple months before finding someone on S-Wforums who had a spare.

I've suggested that S&W create a drop-in, DAO bobbed hammer in MIM for the MIM guns, which should be sold as an accessory for ~$25. They thanked me for the suggestion. I'm pretty sure I heard laughing across the Intertubes...

So, with that reasoning, how did I justify adding 2 3rd Gens to the pair I already have in the safe?

The thing about 3953s is they are out of production and S&W is no longer supporting them, so if you intend to put a lot of rounds through them, or settle on them as a carry gun because optimum balance of shootability and concealability, you should have several.

[Jeep]

If you can find a Model 64 with a 3 inch barrel (and more than a few were made), I'd strongly argue that one would be better than the others. This might sound nuts, but it is my belief that the short barrel K frames can be even more accurate than the longer barrel ones.