[tungster]

Question about one of my toys. This .357 was given to me around 1997. It came from a man that was like a father to me and he was retired from the CIA. The story I was told was that it was an original police issue still with the original wood grips.

My question is with the 3rd image. There's a "007" dot matrix print on it. Would that be from the police department numbering their own firearms outside of the serial number? That's what I was told but haven't really tried to confirm.

I've had other people tell me that the serial number stamp wasn't done during manufacturing but was added afterwards. How do you really know?

Appreciate any info on this.........

 

[delcrossv]

S&W didn't do dot printing in that era. The 007 was added afterwards. As to why or by whom, there's no way to tell.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! I tend to agree with Del that S&W probably didn't do the dot matrix. However, I have seen factory stamped serials inside the yoke using dot matrix. It could be a rack number but we usually see those on the butt frame or on the left side under the cylinder.

 

[Curt360]

Welcome to the forum! Nice model 66, they are great shooters. Hope you shoot it often. Enjoy!

 

[WendyZXZ]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Dhstheiv]

Looks like a nice gun, can’t help with the markings

 

[tungster]

Thank you for the warm greetings and information. It is a delight to shoot. The first time I shot it when I got it back in 97 I was at the indoor range and everyone was shooting 9mm. I took two shots out of that. It has a 6 inch muzzle flash and four people came over to see wth I was shooting. I'll never forget that.

Thanx again.......

 

[Thewelshm]

welcome mate, shoot it till the black SUV's show up....

thewelshm

 

[jeepnut]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the very nice 66.

 

[Boriqua]

Thank you for the warm greetings and information. It is a delight to shoot. The first time I shot it when I got it back in 97 I was at the indoor range and everyone was shooting 9mm. I took two shots out of that. It has a 6 inch muzzle flash and four people came over to see wth I was shooting. I'll never forget that.

Thanx again.......

Yea .. letting off some full on .357 sure has a way of waking up your lane mates!!

 

[Thewelshm]

Yea .. letting off some full on .357 sure has a way of waking up your lane mates!!

you should see what a 500 does

thewelshm

 

[Layne12gun]

CIA did not use revolvers to my knowledge . also CIA guns don't have serial numbers so they are not traceable .. . I think some one has told you a very nice story . and backed it up by placing 007 on the gun .

 

[mrerick]

I have a 1992 vintage model 65 (fixed sights version of your model 66 K Frame).

That flat area on the crane is blank on my revolver.

The printing looks like an early dot matrix CO2 laser print. It was likely a rack number or something else done well after it left S&W for an unknown reason.

 

[tungster]

CIA did not use revolvers to my knowledge . also CIA guns don't have serial numbers so they are not traceable .. . I think some one has told you a very nice story . and backed it up by placing 007 on the gun .

I never said that he used it in the CIA just that he was retired from the CIA. That and my military background is why we got along so well. . He had a huge gun collection and this was one that he gave me.

 

[delcrossv]

Guy worked for the CIA....
.007
Previous owner's name wouldn't be Bond, would it?

 

[jonesy814]

CIA did not use revolvers to my knowledge . also CIA guns don't have serial numbers so they are not traceable .. . I think some one has told you a very nice story . and backed it up by placing 007 on the gun .

no one said it was a CIA gun. He said the man that gave it to him was CIA, and it was a police revolver