This was a modification done to very, very few Model 59's and Model 39's, in the 1970's.

All of the modification were done by hand, to reduce the size of 'full size' 39's and 59's, to make them smaller and lighter.

Back when this was done, there were virtually no 'compact' size 9mm's on the market, (none that I can think of, in the USA; there may have been 1 or 2 overseas, not available in the USA) so the Devel conversions were truly groundbreaking.

In the 1970's virtually all civilian police were still carrying revolvers.

There were many small revolvers available for police 'back-up', and civilian concealed carry; but no 'small 9mm's available for the role that small revolvers filled.

I don't know how many Devel conversions were done; not very many, that's for sure.

I can remember reading about them in a gun magazine back in the 1970's. I can't remember the price, but I remember it was VERY expensive.

The slide, barrel, frame, and magazines all had to be carefully 'cut down', machined, etc., etc., and the pistol and magazines refinished.

This amount of gunsmithing was very labor intensive, and expensive.

I threw out most of my gun magazines, sadly, many years ago. I kept a few; I'm going to look and see if I still have the issue with a Devel Model 39 conversion, on the cover.