Smith & Wesson Model 64: Cheap Police Pistols

A few years ago, it wasn’t uncommon to come across used police trade-in revolvers at reasonable prices. However, when old becomes vintage, vintage becomes collectible — and now you’re looking at something that’s in-demand. Many of those classic revolvers now go for more than they were sold when they were new. Yet there are always outliers and exceptions, such as the Smith & Wesson Model 64.

To many collectors, a classic Smith & Wesson revolver must be blued with a pinned and recessed barrel, wood stocks, target sights, a hammer-mounted firing pin, and especially “No Hillary Hole!” (the keyed internal lock in the side). While most of those features are appreciated, they don’t have to be deal breakers when you need something at a good price.

S&W MODEL 64 SPECS:

• Caliber: .38 Special
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel length: 4 inches
• Overall length: 9.25 inches
• Weight: 32 ounces
• Cost: $189
• Found At: Cabela’s, Reno, NV

So, let’s look at this police trade-in Smith & Wesson Model 64. The model number leads with a 6, so that means it’s stainless steel. It was Smith & Wesson’s answer to the classic Model 10 with a stainless steel finish, and it was the first stainless steel full-sized revolver approved by the NYPD. It sports unmarked rubber grips as opposed to wooden stocks, which were about as tactical as you could get on a six-gun from the ’70s through the ’90s.

This is a later model with Smith & Wesson’s two-piece barrel system, which may not look as vintage as a pinned and tapered barrel. However, it makes for a much stronger barrel because it lacks the flat spot beneath the forcing cone (a known weak point), but it also has Smith’s infamous internal lock in the side plate. 

The old school exposed firing pin on the hammer has been moved to a firing pin internal to the frame. 

The internal lock is one of the most controversial additions that Smith & Wesson has ever made to a handgun. While there are a few anecdotes that suggest the lock is capable of engaging while firing, it has only been credibly reported while shooting heavy recoiling Magnum level cartridges — not on a .38 Special, even with +P rated ammunition.

As stated previously, this was a popular sidearm for use with NYPD. Those revolvers are marked as such, with NY-1 on the yoke. This one is not. It bears the markings INOP, which may have confused the seller we got it from as being “inoperable,” but it’s not. It stands for Indiana Office of Probation, referring to Indiana County in Pennsylvania.

All those factors contribute to the low price. However, this particular revolver may be the best .38 Special service revolver that Smith & Wesson ever made.

Built on the K-Frame, S&W Model 64s can safely handle +P ammunition, and the two-piece heavy 4-inch barrel on these later models bears that out. The sights are fixed, and the single-action trigger pull breaks at 4.5 pounds with a crisp DA pull just under 12 pounds.

THE AWESOME

At one time the Model 64 was one of Smith’s flagship guns. It represented the company’s vision of taking a classic design like the Model 10 and updating it with improved materials and increased safety for some shooters. 

This one is accurate, reliable, and robust.

Tons of accessories are out there, from holsters to grip panels, to get it the way you want.

THE OK

The fixed sights, marked frame, two-piece barrel, and safety lock are turn-offs to purists and collectors who like to stack revolvers in the safe without ever actually shooting them. Thus, they may not appreciate in value as a collectible in that arena. This is especially true since Smith & Wesson appears to be removing the lock from select models as of this year.

If you like to tinker with revolvers to the point of swapping out the barrel, the two-piece barrel isn’t an easy one to work on.

As an aside, while the trigger isn’t bad on this one, it could probably be better.

THE AWFUL

While anecdotes abound about the lock system failing under fire, it’s not a concern with .38 Special. If you still don’t trust it, the lock can be easily removed, and you can go as far as to fill the unsightly hole in the frame with a part available from several online vendors.

That last part may be the worst part of the package. With stories of lock engagement flowing through the ether of the internet, that hole just never looks right to those of us who don’t completely hate it.

LOOSE ROUNDS

This would be a good candidate for someone new to shooting who is limited to a budget around $200. It’s a decent choice for home and personal defense. Despite the rudimentary fixed sights, the two-piece barrel makes for a very accurate revolver. 

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