My Take On The New S&w M63 5" 8-shot Kitgun.

[WILL TERRY]

We bought one of these last fall. To be truthful I picked it out and the Wife wrote the check. She said it was for my birthday.
After a pile of 22LR ammo has gone down range from this M63 I am here to tell you this is a FINE little sixgun...errr aaa eightgun. It does shoot beautifully with a bunch of different 22LR loads and handles like it's much bigger brother, the K22. We shot up 585 rounds in it on Tuesday past and it finally dawned on me, this is indeed a K22JR so to speak. It does not handle at all like the S&W M34 kitgun; you'll swear you're shooting a k-frame S&W.
The SA and the DA triggers wre excellent right out of the box and only a click or two on the sights were needed to hit cans out to 60 yards or so as fast as we could put the sights on 'em and roll the cylinder around.
My only complaint is the looks of the rubber stocks [ PEPTO BISMAL PLEASE...] which do indeed feel fine and handle well.

[CZ93X62]

I'm just glad to see ANY of the Kit Guns return. Thanks for the review, I've rolled one of these around in my mind for a little while.

Sidenote--from the S&W site, Model 41 @ $1,209 MSRP??!!

[JLarsson]

I'm just glad to see ANY of the Kit Guns return. Thanks for the review, I've rolled one of these around in my mind for a little while.

Sidenote--from the S&W site, Model 41 @ $1,209 MSRP??!!

They mighty proud o' dat dere 41, ain't they. :yikes:

[CZ93X62]

That they are. For top-flight 22 rimfire bullseye venues, a SIG-Haemmerli--Walther GSP--or Pardini runs a lot more than that. A couple years ago, I had a chance to buy a Walther GSP-C kit, the 32 S&W Long wadcutter version with a 22 LR top end for $1500. Divorce fire sale thing, and it had a lot of miles on it. I guess S&W has chosen a price point midpoint between Ruger 22 autos and the esoteric Europistoles.

[JLarsson]

Interesting you say it that way instead of, "That's what it takes for manufacture, marketing, taking into account it's a niche gun and not a top-seller", etc.

I'm so naive when it comes to big business practices. I'd like to think that a lower price-point, if economically possible for the company, would increase sales, thereby increasing exposure, thereby increasing sales, etc.

The "let's target people with X amount of money" mentality escapes me. Probably because I don't have X amount of money. :supergrin:

[djw]

This thread prompted me to visit the S+W site. I felt like Rip Van Winkle. The posted MSRP's were incredible. I guess if you are going to shoot expensive ammo you need an expensive revolver.

[CZ93X62]

JL--

My bit was just educated speculation, tinged with some cynicism formed during 30+ years of gun hobby activity. That said, the Model 41 is VERY well-made, and shoots wonderfully, and will last forever--100K rounds is just a warm-up with target-pressure ammo. Whether or not it is worth 3 Ruger 22 LR autopistols or two K-22 revolvers is up to the buyer and his/her perceived skill level. So far, that's a NOT for me.

DJW--

If someone pays straight-up MSRP for new firearms--they aren't shopping very much. Figure a 10%-15% discount from S&W MSRP, at least--otherwise, a gun dealer becomes a gun collector these days. Caveat emptor, as always.

I fight the expensive ammo part of the bit by reloading my own and casting bullets. The expensive gun part gets countered by all those used guns out there--barely fired, divorce fire sale, not what they really wanted........patience pays handsomely.

[djw]

CZ........I agree with your observations. I also reload and have since the '60s. Do not cast due to space/time limitations.
Was able to pick up a "used" model #41 a few years ago from a guy who had never shot it and was on his way to trade it in on something else he had convinced himself he wanted/needed. Paid just under 1/2 of the MSRP posted earlier in this thread.
I hope your estimates of what the "dealers" will come down are on the low side as I noticed S+W had "re-introduced" their "classics" and that model #27 sure appeals to me. They would have to have a real "fire sale" to induce me to purchase one at anywhere near the posted MSRP.