They were replaced not by better revolvers, but by auto pistols. The 13/65 revolvers were the last of their type, and arguably the best — elegantly simple, reliable, an ideal balance of size, weight, accuracy, controllable recoil and power.
-Alemaster
*****
Here's an email I sent to Alemaster when he passed this article on to me:
Back in the mid to late 1980s, one of the Tool & Die makers that worked with me and my dad at the ammo plant had an FFL and saw an article in Shotgun News where the FBI was switching over to the 10mm and was selling their 65s to the public. Jim ordered something like 20 of them to sell to his friends at cost. Dad bought one for 200 bucks, then sent Jim over to me. I had visions of some shot out, beat up revolver, so I passed.
When Dad got his, he came over to my place and showed it off. The barrel had been replaced, the lockwork cleaned and polished and everything tightened up. It was basically a new gun except for some very minor cosmetic dings.
I immediately called Jim and asked if he had any left and he just laughed, saying they were all long gone, so I told Dad that I wanted his when he died. He remembered that and made sure Mom knew. About a week after he died, Mom gave it to me.
That 65 is by far my most favorite gun, not only because my father passed it on to me when he died, but also because it's just one sweet shooting sonofabitch.
Dang. That article makes me want to buy an old, scratched up nickel revolver and ship it off to Robar for refinishing. That Model 13 came out gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteBut then again if a clean Model 65 ever came my way I'd snap that sucker up in a heartbeat.
Quite a numbers of years ago I had the opportinity to shoot in the rain. Handguns especially are damned slippery when wet.
ReplyDeleteMy social guns wear sharply checkered grips, backstraps, pistol grips and handguard covers, accented where needed with sandpaper-like adhesive materials. Not pretty. Not slippery either.
Having said that, the model 65 is tbe pinnacle of carry revolver firepower, function and reliability, and that is a beautiful gun.
"Having said that" you have as a matter of fact, said it all.
DeleteThe mid-1960's Model 60 (stainless Chief's Special) was the typical birthday and Christmas present for our family members. We must have nearly a dozen or more tucked away among our relatives. Sweet nostalgia! Oh, and SEARS sold them for holiday gift-giving.
ReplyDeleteMy bride was at a local gun store sale a few years back and bought an almost new in the box Model 60 for $450 plus tax and fees. It's of late 60s, early 70s vintage. If it had been fired before it was hard telling.
DeleteI can't believe how comfortable that gorgeous little gun with the round butt is to shoot!
Did you know the Model 60 was the first stainless gun made by Smith & Wesson, in 1965?
Yep, and in 1966...it was cash & carry. Good times.
DeleteI have the 65-2 with the 4" barrel LEO trade in. I was looking for a Stainless Speed 6 and couldn't turn down the deal I got on the Model 65. Mine has a lot of holster wear but the bore looked new. I broke out my dad's old SWC 357 bullet mold and pumped out 2k of a soft lead 160gr SWC one Saturday afternoon. It has become the "truck gun" that gets regular range use. It is the pistol I can shoot the best, single action.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful refinish on that, and even w/o, a find I'd have gladly taken.
ReplyDeleteAll the fed boys I worked with, Secret Service, FBI and Customs mostly, carried Model 19s. Model 13s were the average guy’s K-frame, like the Model 28 Highway Patrolman was the average guy’s N-frame .357, as opposed to the more expensive Model 27 (original Registered Magnum). When I want to get my magnum without punishing myself too much, I break out the old 2.5 inch Combat Magnum and got to work. Eod1sg Ret
ReplyDeleteI recently bought a S&W mod 10-6 bull barrel square butt. Police turn in from Malaysia or some such. https://www.classicfirearms.com/smith-wesson-m10-classic-38-spl-4-blued-police-turn-in-hg4151-10-6/ I took a chance as it was only $250. Came in more brown than blue. Lots of holster wear. Dings and scratches, it had been used as a hammer once. Otherwise a never fired gun. Just like the article says: "the side plate screws were in perfect condition." "The holes in the frame for the firing pin and cylinder-locking bolt were unworn and perfectly round. The cylinder stop notches showed no indication of peening. There was no indication of flame cutting. With the cylinder closed there was barely detectable rotational play and no perceptible fore-and-aft play. Both single and double action, the cylinder carried up properly. I was holding a practically new revolver; it was just uglier than a flat tire in a mud hole." Every now and then I get lucky. I left mine as is except for a pair of Hogue grips.
ReplyDeleteAmong her uncle's holdings, my wife and I got a .32-caliber S&W, last patent number in 1905. Still mostly nickel. My oldest said the bore looks pitted. Probably not worth fixing. I do not know if the revolver was used much for real-life shooting, but it was a good hiding weapon for the days her grandfather carried it in SE Oklahoma and SW Arkansas.
ReplyDelete2 best shooting revolvers I own are a S&W 66-2 and a Colt Trooper MkIII. Both old police guns that were in mint condition once you get past some holster wear.
ReplyDelete