My 66-1 & 686-1 are both LE handguns. The 10-5 was a great pawn shop find.

My much older brother (16 years) spent a 35 year career with the Arkansas State Police. Back in the 80s, I would ride with him during the weekends as a young teenager (!!!). When he retired, he called me and asked if I wanted his 66-1. Absolutely. It has the ASP logo etched into the right side near the grip. Lots of ASP history with the 66-1.





Next is 686-1 made in about 1991 & owned by a sergeant at my old agency. He wasn't a shooter, so the condition is mint.



S&W 10-5. The cylinder's plum color is neat.

quote:

Originally posted by jbourneidentity:

S&W 10-5. The cylinder's plum color is neat....

I love the little M10's and yours looks to be in very nice condition, I wonder why the plum color though? I'll have to look at mine.

I'm unsure just when as time flies, but around 2008-10 I was just hanging out in the little local gun shop when a young man came in and asked the owner if they purchased used guns?

The owner said "maybe bring it in".

He went back out and came in with a nice M10 saying "this is it, it's a snubby. My father bought it for my mom I think back in 80's to have for protection, I doubt she ever used it. She died a couple months ago and I just want to sell it, I'll take $200." (I had been looking for an older J and was excited that I'd probably be able to purchase it from the shop for $250!)

The owner said "I'm not interested but thanks." At that point I asked the owner if he would mind if I looked it over because I could be interested?

The owner said "sure".

It appeared almost new, when I asked the fellow if he had the box he said no. It didn't matter I was just asking and I wanted that revolver.

When I asked just to confirm "you want $200 for it"? He said "how about $175"? Needless to say I pulled out $175 for it and off he went.

I offered the owner of the shop $20 just for letting me buy it there but he just laughed saying "no that's your deal.

Plum coloring on steels usually has to do with higher grades of steel and the finish applied to them. I have always sort of loved the plum “patina” certain guns or parts take on.

SIG hammers, at least old school ones would show this as well many HK pistols/small parts.

I love your plum cylinder on that 10-5. Character.

Jbourneidentity, those are some very cool revolvers with some neat history. Love the family connection with that ASP 66!

I had a Model 12, 2” back in 1976 that I bought used. The cylinder had the “plum” tint, color.

ridewv, thanks for the compliment. I had no idea about why the plum color, as it's the first I'd ever seen, but cslinger offered a good reason for it. It's actually more plum colored in good light than what the picture shows.

Thanks, 92fstech. I appreciate the kind words. My brother carried that 66-1 in the squeakiest floral-pattern leather gear for the longest time. I can still remember the leather smell. Clam shell holster with zero retention. Made for the ASP for years by inmates at the Arkansas DOC!

quote:

Originally posted by jbourneidentity:
ridewv, thanks for the compliment. I had no idea about why the plum color, as it's the first I'd ever seen, but cslinger offered a good reason for it. It's actually more plum colored in good light than what the picture shows.....

You're welcome, you have a nice piece there. No revolvers but I have 2 pistols with plum slides. ??

Please be patient with me as got2hav1 has hit on a topic that I tend to get long winded on.

I have always loved Smith & Wesson revolvers

My very first NEW firearm was a 6" Nickel Model 27 that my Father bought for me back in the 70s. That gun started a life long love affair with Smith & Wesson, especially with their N-frames and the big 357 revolvers.

Here is a group photo of some of my Model 27 six shooters. That very first New Revolver is pictured in the upper right side of this image and I still own it to this day.




In 1997, due to a push from Lew Horton, Smith & Wessson introduced their first 8 shot 357 Magnum Revolver manufactured by the Performance Center. It was constructed from stainless so it was a Model 627. I learned of it at that year's SHOT Show. Many of you already know that I have a thing for serial numbers. So I talked with Horton and requested serial number 357, I was told they were only building 300 pieces for a single run and that was going to be the end of it. So I took serial number 27 instead. After all this was an upgraded Model 27.

That revolver is in the upper left of this 8 shot group photo. I received the firearm in June of 1997.



Not too long after getting the gun, I received a call from Lew Horton. It turned out that this was the fastest selling Exclusive in their history so they were going to build another 300. I was asked if I still wanted serial number 357, it arrived in September of 1997. That revolver is in the upper right of the photo above and remains unfired to this day.

This 627 model went on to more runs and eventually became a permanent offering from the company. It is still available today having been in continuous production for more than a quarter of a Century so far.

Since that first 8 shot revolver came out the Factory has made many variations.

This Heavy Hunter is one of the more unusual variations



The Factory added a V-comp version that was offered in both stainless and a black finish. I have been using one of these as a pin gun. The V-com greatly reduces muzzle flip helping me stay on target for the next pin.



Then there was this two tone, semi pinto looking revolver



Scandium allow hit in the 1990s. This revolution (no pun intended) created 5" N-frame revolvers that weighed in like 4 inch K-frames. JM speced out one of the first. In addition to the Scandium frame the Factory used a Titanium cylinder and barrel shroud to further reduce weight. Only 500 of these JM Model 327s were produced. The revolver had a unique light gathering front sight



Then the Company came out with the 327 TRR8 and the M&P R8. Both very cool revolvers that offered upper and lower equipment rails. Both had a removable upper rail. The R8 had a permanent lower where as the TRR8 had a removable lower. I preferred the TRR8 design and when one of the Distributor designed a Two Tone, the one that randomly showed up at my Dealer had my birthday as the serial number. I took this as a sign from GOD that I had to buy this revolver. I am so thankful that I did. The tensioned multi piece barrel design used on 327 TRR8 and the M&P R8 make them the most accurate 357 Magnums the Factory ever built. While every design has an truly exceptional shooter from time to time the 327 TRR8 and the M&P R8 were ALL Exceptional Shooters



In 2000 Bangors commissioned the building of the first carbon steel 8 shot Model 27s. Initially they came out with a 4" and a 6 1/2", These were blue steel and only 100 of each barrel length were produced. I tried to get serial number 27, but those had already been promised to someone else. I picked another number so I could have a matched set.

A 3 1/2" and 5" were supposed to follow the next year but there was some kind of falling out between Bangors and Smith & Wesson. The other barrel lengths were never produced.

At the SHOT Show in 2006 Lew Horton picked up the ball and introduced the 8 shot Registered Magnum in 3 1/2" and 5"

The plan was to make 350 of each barrel length. These were blue steel. LH followed up in 2007 offering the same revolvers but in a Beautiful Factory Nickel. 250 of each were planned. Off the top of my head I forget the actual production numbers but I have them written down somewhere

Pictured below is one of each configuration of carbon steel Model 27 that has ever been produced by the Factory. All six revolvers have the same serial number with different prefixes. This is the only matching set known to exist and still remains unfired to this day.



I own others that I do shoot. In fact the 3 1/2" 8 shot is one of my favorite revolvers

I can tell you that having been a correspondent at the SHOT Show has cost me LOTS of Money over the decades.



Like I said "I tend to get long winded"

So I am going to end this post before I get into the 57/357/657 family of 41 Magnum revolvers or the 25/325/625 family of 45s. Then after that I can go one about the J-frames as carry guns and my Love for the Centennial design

If you guys want to discus those, I will be happy to jump in on those threads as well

Here's one I picked up awhile ago I didn't know much about it but found out it was rare with the adjustable sights and a 4 inch barrel in .38 SW I have the letter showing it was shipped with adjustable sights.

colt_ssa, thank you for taking the time to explain and compile all those photo! No small task. Great information!

Hard to choose from a stable of S&W revolvers, but my 686 CS-1 would certainly be among my favorites! Dressed it up a bit with high grade stocks by Craig Spegel.

quote:

Post your S&W wheelguns if you like!

Not enough bandwidth.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

Nice work guys. Some fine pieces being shown.

My wife’s dad gave her this one after carrying it in his pocket for many years. We’ve never shot it.It needs a good cleaning but it looks better in person than the photo.

4” 686 CS-1 w/ round butt conversion grips.
[IMG:left] IMG_0268 by David King, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG:left] IMG_0269 by David King, on Flickr[/IMG]

625 Model of 1989 45acp w/ round butt conversion coke bottle grips
[IMG:left] IMG_0266 by David King, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG:left] IMG_0263 by David King, on Flickr[/IMG]

dking, awesome Smiths you have there. Thanks for sharing with us.

19-5



66-2

Traded into this Nickel 10-5 from the mid 60s. The grips are numbered to the gun. Cleaned up nicely.

Tooky,excellent Smiths. Really like that Model 19. Thanks for posting