SW Model 66 no dash value

[defjon]

Don't know a lot about this gun, I handled one in the store and loved the balance and look. I'd be buying sight unseen but the seller reports no issues. Is 465 all said and told a good deal for a model 66 no dash pinned and recessed (whatever that means)? I just think its a purty hogleg and look forward to blazing some 38s down range

 

[Sport45]

I'd say $465 is a fair price. What barrel length?

 

[defjon]

Oops, that would be good info. I imagine the shorter barrel might be worth more? This one is probably the most common- 4 inch barrel.

 

[madcratebuilder]

A P&R'ed 66 for $465 otd, buy it. I paid $500 for my M66, but it does have the 6.125 barrel and extra fancy factory wood. That was two years ago.

 

[carguychris]

I imagine the shorter barrel might be worth more? This one is probably the most common- 4 inch barrel.

Yes, the shorter barrels are worth more on the Magnum K frames; generally, 3" > 2-1/2" > 4". The 3" barrel is worth the most bcause it came with a full-length ejector rod and fewer were made.

Around here, that price would be a great deal on a M66 snubby in anything resembling decent shape, although I've been told they're priced slightly lower in other regions. For a very nice but not LNIB 4" gun, it's a fair price, albeit not a steal.

Regarding P&R, here's the lowdown from an earlier post of mine...

S&W eliminated the barrel pin from J, K, and N frame revolvers in 1982, and all centerfire Magnum revolvers had the cylinder counterbore eliminated at the same time. S&W collectors refer to pre-1982 Magnums as "Pinned & Recessed" or P&R. The K and N frame Magnums all got a new dash number when this occurred. For K frames, the first non-P&R .357Mag models were the M13-3, M19-5, M65-5, and M66-2. For all .357Mag N frames, the first non-P&R model was the -3.

Keep in mind that the pinned barrel and recessed cylinder don't make any measurable difference in how the gun shoots. It's mainly a collecting thing. P&R guns command higher values because they're older and more traditional, and many S&W collectors obsess about tradition.

The L frames were introduced in 1981 and had non-pinned barrels and non-recessed cylinders from the start. There is no such thing as a P&R L frame.

J frame Magnums were never P&R because the J frame was not available in .357Mag until the 1996 frame stretch.

FWIW pre-1982 K & N frames in non-Magnum centerfire calibers (.38Spl, .44Spl, .45ACP, etc.) never had recessed cylinders. OTOH all post-1935 rimfire Smiths, including today's production, have recessed cylinders to prevent case-head separations with soft rimfire brass.