Make: Smith & Wesson
Model: 65-3, The .357 Magnum Military & Police Heavy Barrel Stainless, Round Butt
Serial Number: ANK0168
Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1986 / Modern
Caliber: .38 Special / .357 Magnum
Action Type: Single and Double Action with Swing-Out Cylinder
Barrel Length: 3"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated ramped blade integral to the barrel rib. The rear sight is a square notch in the top of the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two piece smooth round butt Goncalo Alves with finger grooves and S&W medallions. The inside of the right grip has a date marked of "AUG 16" with the year no longer legible. There is little to no handling wear. There are no chips or cracks. The grips rate in Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Stainless Steel
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 10/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 99% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish is strong and complete with little to no handling or operational wear. There is a thin turn line on the cylinder. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The double-action is smooth, the single action is crisp. The lockup has minor play. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be required to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes with its factory box with matching label, product code 102602 and special order number 6260, with cleaning tools, manual, and plastic gun sleeve.
Our Assessment: Smith & Wesson introduced the stainless-steel Model 65 in the early 1970s as the fixed-sight .357 Magnum counterpart to the Model 64 and stainless companion to the blued Model 13. Built on the K-frame, the Model 65 combined service-revolver simplicity with corrosion-resistant construction and Magnum capability, making it particularly well suited to law-enforcement and defensive use. The 65-3 engineering change appeared in 1982 and continued through much of the 1980s. Among these revolvers, the 3" heavy-barrel round-butt configuration has developed a particularly strong collector following for its compact proportions, full-length ejector-rod stroke, and excellent balance.
This circa-1986 Model 65-3 is an exceptionally clean example, retaining about 99% of its original stainless finish with little more than a thin cylinder turn line. The bore rates 10/10, and the action functions correctly with a smooth double-action pull, crisp single-action release, and only minor play at lockup. Its smooth Goncalo Alves finger-groove stocks remain in Excellent condition, while the matching factory box documents product code 102602 and special order number 6260 and is accompanied by the cleaning tools, manual, and plastic sleeve. The combination of the desirable 3" round-butt configuration, outstanding condition, and matching factory packaging makes this an especially appealing K-frame Magnum for the Smith & Wesson collector.
