I've had a 65 for many years. Shot it a bit, and carried it briefly in the 1980s (right after buying it brand new), but then put it away. It's been living in the back of my gun safe till recently when, for one reason or another, I decided it would once again make an ideal CCW in a Milt Sparks VM II IWB holster. Anyway, taken it to the range a few times recently, and learning to appreciate it all over again. So much so that I decided that I'd better procure a back up duplicate just in case. Always believed in the wisdom of buying two of everything you like.

All week been searching for either a 13 (blued version), or another 65, with a three inch barrel/round butt frame. No local shops have one. Nothing on the Internet. Keep coming across commentary on it, though, stating how rare they are, and how if you find one, grab it up. Had no idea. Makes me feel all the more fortunate to have one, but sure would like to find a duplicate back up for it.

I wouldn't think they'd be particularly rare. The FBI used them for years after they deep-sixed the more expensive 3" model 27. This was the gun that they used their famed "FBI Load", .38 Spec. LRNHP in. Anyway, I dunno about the stainless, but the 13 was extensively used by them. See Silence of the Lambs.

Nice light. My Outdoorsman currently has a dead bulb. Can't find one at Cabela's.

Although there were a lot of them, they are remarkably hard to come by. I think those who have them, know they have a great gun and aren't all that likely to give them up. If you have to resort to an online source like Gunbroker to get one, you'll pay near top dollar. Otherwise, you'll just have to stash some cash in a special place in your wallet and cruise the pawn shops for the next year to get the right gun for the right price.

I think they're a nearly ideal defensive revolver.

Yeah, I know it was the FBI gun, and that this is the gun they carried the FBI load in. I also know about it (the Model 13) being Agent Starling's gun. That was a great scene, by the way, wasn't it, i.e., when she was in the pitch black basement dungeon?

Me too, especially stoked with the FBI load .38 Special.

Heck I would like to find a reasonable S&W 66 4 inch....

Hawkeye,
I have the same gun and use the BB 158 gr. LSWCHP-GC +P .38 Special in mine. I think you are fond of that loading too? You are now aware of that "cult like following" I mentioned in the last thread in which K-frame 3" RB's became a topic. One thing to consider, the M64 is the same gun only in .38 Special and was available in the same 3� RB configuration. Usually they can be found for considerably less money than the .357 Magnum version M65. Modern .38 +P loadings in the 3� barrel aren�t anything to sneeze at, especially if you pack the .38 +P in the M65 anyway. Might run across one of those easier and for less money. Just a thought�

Hey. Thanks. That hadn't occurred to me, and it makes perfect sense. As you said, I carry the BB FBI load in it anyway. I will see what I can find.

I like 3" fixed barrel Ks. Good guns.

I sent my Model 65 back to S&W after buying it used. They installed a three inch heavy barrel, converted the lock work to DAO, put in a trigger stop and did a few other things.
I carry it often, usually with Winchester Silver Tips.
The 65 is the one here on the right, the other revolver is a three inch .38 Special Model 60.

I intend to have the hammer spur lopped off of mine, but see no advantage in going the extra step of converting the action to DAO. Is there any advantage to this? Does it allow for an even smoother double action or something? What's the upside?

The upside used to be that there was absolutely no way to cock it. That way an opposing attorney could not claim you shot somebody by accident and then go to a civil suit after you were exhonorated in criminal court. I know of no other reason for DAO on a revolver.

Agreed, but I do very much see an upside to taking the hammer spur off. Nothing to snag on clothes during the draw.

Cylinder & Slide offers a DAO conversion where a roller bearing is installed on the double action sear. I think the DA pull ends up around 7-8 pounds without messing with the main or rebound spring.

The model 10 was also offered in a 3 inch heavy barrel with round butt. I was fortunate to pick up a mint 10-8 recently with these specs. Had a chance at a NIB 13 in three inch recently but the guy wanted $600 for it.

3 inch k frames are awesome!

I like the sight picture of the blued fixed sight guns better (black sights instead of stainless) easier for me to pick up and better contrast against most backgrounds.

You can get a lighter DA pull if it is DAO. I've heard a guild pistolsmith came up with a 3.5 pound DAO trigger for an N-frame that way. On a fighting gun there is no reason not to.

Agreed, if you can actually improve the double action pull that way.

The roller cam option is a very expensive conversion; over $150.00 in parts alone. The roller should have only a limited impact on the weight of pull because the main factor in the weight of pull are the mainspring and slide rebound spring. Regardless of how smooth you make an action, you still have the resistance of those springs. I've never heard of a 3.5lb DAO trigger on a revolver...but I'd sure be interested in seeing one.

A good action job on a S&W should run around $100.00. Generally, you can take 2-3lbs off the trigger pull weight, and make improvements to the smoothness and consistency of the pull.

Changing to DAO has no impact on the feel of the trigger whatsoever.

Hawk - Regarding bobbing the hammer on your S&W. You have a hammer that is case hardened carbon steel that has been hard chromed. When you bob the hammer, to make it all match, you'll have to have the hammer hard chromed again. When you do that, you have to do the action work after the re-hard chroming.

To do the hard chrome right (and let's home it's only done right), the existing chrome has to be removed, so you don't have tolerance stacking. Removing chrome is a PIA and they will charge for that.

You may find it cheaper to pick up a case hardened hammer for a blued K frame, and then have the work done with that hammer installed in the gun.

Good point. Might have to do that instead, then.

I see them from time to time, they've been showing up lately as owners are trading them for EBR's. My son and I have a couple of 64's and 65's so configured (not for sale).

What I'd like to find (along with a few thousand others) is a 10-6 in .357 (1200 made) at a steal

There are a lot of good revolvers should should do the job for what you are looking for besides the 13 and 65, as mentioned the 10, 64 which is still being produced but in the 38+P version, but also the GP100 has a 3" version, SP101 has a 3" version but also the Ruger Security Six, Speed Six, and Service six with 2-3/4" barrels. Both Blue and Stainless. But all these guns are certainly popular right now and you will pay dearly for some of them.

I feel the action is smoother, and if nothing else, it pretty much forces you to concentrate on double action shooting. For a close in combat revolver, thats the way I want to train.
For me, a three inch fixed sight revolver is not ever going to be used for metallic silhouette, so why do I need a hammer and the ability to shoot single action?

The only revolvers that I ever do much single action shooting with are the big N-Frames, because I see them as primarily hunting arms, with the added ability to fire double action in case of emergency. Anything smaller I view in just the opposite way, i.e., primarily intended to be fired double action, but capable of single action fire for the rare case where longer range precision work is called for.