.357 Magnum Art & Function, the Fusion of S&W, Phil Quigley & Keith Brown

[RKmesa]

After a couple of years, my latest project gun is finally complete. It features a classic pre-27 8 3/8" .357 Magnum, beautifully engraved by the Master Steel Wizard, Phil Quigley, and stocked by Master Grip Magician, Keith Brown. I love the way that it finally came together and thought I'd share some glamour shots with the forum...























I'm always excited to see your treasures of functional S&W art - so feel free to share. And as always, thanks for letting me share,

[les.b]

What a spectacular, yet tasteful project!! As usual with your projects, words fail me.

Thank you for sharing with us, Richard!!

Best Regards, Lea

[JayCeeNC]

I don't know which is more stunning, the gun or the grips.
Both are art masterpieces.

[JohnRippert]

I am gobsmacked. That is truly amazing. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[paplinker]

It's beautiful.
I think Phil is going to start getting really really busy the most you show his works of art.

I like that its not overboard with the gold. Enough to enhance it without looking like your trying too hard.

Keith Browns work seems to always put a smile on my face. He must be on your Christmas card list. lol

I am curious if when you have a project done,do you have the locking pin rounded as not to leave a mark from unintentional turning?

[Wildwest22]

RKmesa, that could possibly be the best looking gun I have ever seen! Wow it really is stunning

[handejector]

Nice!
I'm assuming the 'medallions' in the grips are scrimshawed ivory?

[quinn]

As usual, Richard, outa da park!

[CH4]

How does she shoot?

[colt_saa]

Very nicely done

A great addition to your collection

[Shootgood]

Wow,that is stunning!

[KSK]

Great looking revolver, Richard! First class all the way.

[Muley Gil]

I've got an old Hunter holster you can have for totin' in the field. It's only a 6", but I'm sure you won't mind a little bit of barrel sticking out, will ya?

[Joe Kent]

Truly a fantastic work of art! Thank you for sharing. All my very best, Joe.

[BAM-BAM]

Originally Posted by Muley Gil

I've got an old Hunter holster you can have for totin' in the field. It's only a 6", but I'm sure you won't mind a little bit of barrel sticking out, will ya?

LOL ..... don't know why but that post invoked an image of Dirty Harry pulling that out from under his sports coat.......... the draw seemed to go on forever!!!!

Beautiful gun

[series guy]

They say nothing is perfect. They are wrong. A most glorious blend of the work of two artists at the pinnacle of their respective crafts. We can feel your pride.

[MRH]

It is awesome. What is the significance of the side plate engraving? The Browns are something else.

[Wrangler Rich]

Wow!

It is fortunate that there are 3 people with Vision consummating in such a beautiful project. Thank you for sharing it with us.

WR

[Doc44]

RK...Very nice.

Bill

[RKmesa]

Originally Posted by handejector

Nice!
I'm assuming the 'medallions' in the grips are scrimshawed ivory?

Yes they are beautifully scrimshawed - like the KB magnas set you sold me many years ago. Here are a few more photos of the stocks:

[runscott]

Originally Posted by RKmesa

Yes they are beautifully scrimshawed - like the KB magnas set you sold me many years ago. Here are a few more photos of the stocks:

Those are probably the best gun photos I've ever seen, and they don't even show an entire gun.

I recently bought a pair of Keith Brown grips for my Python, after going to his site and seeing that he's stopped taking orders and his implying that he may not be making more grips in the future. Yours are probably my favorite set I've seen, although I'm kind of partial to what he does with birdseye maple!

[bruce5781]

I'm speechless, Richard.

[Erocksmash]

This is fantastic, I would live to have him do my model 66 3inch ...

[RKmesa]

Originally Posted by paplinker

I am curious if when you have a project done,do you have the locking pin rounded as not to leave a mark from unintentional turning?

Rich, I have heard of folks rounding the sharp edges of the cylinder lock, but I have not done that. I am just very, very careful when I open and close the cylinder... and no dry firing.

[wordsmith]

Wonderful, simply wonderful.....

DC

[29aholic]

Simply amazing...maybe some day

[model3sw]

Originally Posted by RKmesa

Rich, I have heard of folks rounding the sharp edges of the cylinder lock, but I have not done that. I am just very, very careful when I open and close the cylinder... and no dry firing.

Richard, it's not so much of a "rounding" but rather a light buff on a low RPM bench mounted machine wheel ( Part removed from the gun, of course ) with some light rouge and firm polishing wheel. The only target to buff would It just takes off that rigid edge (on the sides of the pop-up ) that I presume occurs from the stamping process. Careful not to thin out the width.

BTW: OUTSTANDING, Magnums. Buona Fortuna !

Sal Raimondi

[krsmith58]

glamour shots indeed . the 2 year wait must have been hard . to own a Smith so beautiful must be very gratifying . I like it , a lot . kenny , mauriceville , texas

[Erocksmash]

Is phill a member here or is there a form of contact that can be sent via PM?

[series guy]

I seem to recall a pair of 6 1/2" guns in a Huey case. Is that in the future?

[RKmesa]

Originally Posted by Erocksmash

Is phill a member here or is there a form of contact that can be sent via PM?

He is on the forum and goes by the name of P.Quig.

[RKmesa]

Originally Posted by MRH

What is the significance of the side plate engraving?

No real significance, just a scene that both Phil and I liked. Phil titled the gun "War Plans".

[LPD256]

Richard-I’m hoping this gun will come with you to the Tulsa Symposium. Absolutely spectacular.

[MAG-NUM]

Amazing! One of the most beautiful guns I have ever seen!

[BRatliff]

Truly spectacular Richard!! Your collection exudes "artistry in arms", but this is akin the Mona Lisa. The revolver itself, the engraving and the fishmouth grips. Keith must have dug really deep into his woodpile for those blanks. I hope you plan to bring it to Tulsa, I would love to drool over it in person.

All the best, Bob.

[1Aspenhill]

Richard,
I had to go get a towel to wipe up the drool off my computer!
Bill

[kscharlie]

I have to admit, Richard, that there are no words in the English language to adequately describe this gun. Simply beautiful.

I also can't believe that no one yet has offered to buy it from you. I will pledge to honor my offer, and will not back out. $500, eh?

[ben_g1]

that's beyond stunning, thanks for showing us the great guns and great photography.

[RKmesa]

Originally Posted by BRatliff

... Keith must have dug really deep into his woodpile for those blanks...

Bob,

The wood origin is a very interesting story in and of itself - one of these days I'll try and share all of the details (with photos) in a separate thread... In a nutshell, originally these grips started out as an old rifle stock blank that I purchased for $10...

[Dave.357]

True eye candy

[RKmesa]

Originally Posted by series guy

I seem to recall a pair of 6 1/2" guns in a Huey case. Is that in the future?

I think you may be referring to this similar pair of 8 3/8" guns (another Quigley-engraved/Brown-stocked collaboration)...



Original thread: Craftsmanship At Its Finest - The Perfect Fusion of KB Wood and Quigley Steel

I'm thinking that I will have a single gun case built for this gun, but it's still in the planning stages... I'll post some photos when it is completed.

[Trooper224]

Beyond words.

[aardq]

In general, I don't care for engraving. This gun is nothing short of magnificent! Not only would I be proud to own it, I would show it off at every chance, and carry pic of it in my car!

A beautiful job by outstanding craftsmen. This is an excellent example of firearms art. Thank you for sharing the pic with us.

Dan

[6518John]

Originally Posted by RKmesa

I think you may be referring to this similar pair of 8 3/8" guns (another Quigley-engraved/Brown-stocked collaboration)...



Original thread: Craftsmanship At Its Finest - The Perfect Fusion of KB Wood and Quigley Steel

I'm thinking that I will have a single gun case built for this gun, but it's still in the planning stages... I'll post some photos when it is completed.

If these guns were presented for a duel, I think the combatants would be in such awe and admiration they would forget their differences and spend their time viewing the revolvers! Especially if they were gun fanciers.

[opoefc]

Richard! It's a "N0-N0" to have stocks that overlap the engraving ! I also see that has happened on the cased pair. Pls get out your hacksaw and remove the tops of the offending stocks so that I can properly review all the engraving ! My sensibilities are ruffled! Mr. Quigley's work is beyond masterful, of course, as is Keith Brown's, of course. "War Plans" is an interesting panel scene. Was there any etching involved in the engraving work? Ed.

[series guy]

I should have consulted my saved photos before posting. After admiring your latest I figured that it would be the natural progression.

[Bob L]

BEAUTIFUL!!!

[LJBrennan007]

Wait, you mean you're not going to shoot that gun and show us some pics of the groups? KIDDING, that thing is the one of the most beautiful guns I've ever seen and just the grips are probably worth more than my car! The best part about this forum is most of us would never even see a gun like that at our local gun shows and we appreciate that you are kind enough to share your art with us.

[RKmesa]

Originally Posted by opoefc

Richard! It's a "N0-N0" to have stocks that overlap the engraving ! I also see that has happened on the cased pair. Pls get out your hacksaw and remove the tops of the offending stocks so that I can properly review all the engraving ! My sensibilities are ruffled! Mr. Quigley's work is beyond masterful, of course, as is Keith Brown's, of course. "War Plans" is an interesting panel scene. Was there any etching involved in the engraving work? Ed.

Ed:

What was I thinking? I almost always take photos of my guns "naked" without the grips, but on this one I had to "leave something to the imagination"... and you appear to have a pretty active imagination. Seriously, in looking back at the War Plans' photo session, I was so infatuated with Keith's grips that I failed to take any photos of the gun without the grips. For those of you without much imagination, I will tell you that the engraving is beautiful under the grips and both of the sides are fully covered with rich deep scroll consistent with and additive to the rest of the gun.

With that said, the engraving pattern was laid out by Phil with the understanding that these "fish mouth" shaped grips would be made and would cover some of the engraving. As a side note, on my wish list is a set of KB service length stocks (post war length) that would show all of the engraving (for those that don't know, it is fun playing "musical grips"). Here are a few photos with some "other"/interim grips...

With some KB Ivories:





With some Thailand eBay specials...





I think that you would agree that the KB fish mouth targets should have a permanent home on the gun...

In the interim, next time I have the camera out, I will take a photo or two of the naked gun with all of the engraving shown and update this thread. In addition to the sides, there is also some cool engraving around the serial number on the butt of the grip - I'll take a photo of that as well.

On the cased pair - sorry, but there is no engraving under the grips, just smooth bare metal... from an engraving perspective, what you see is what you get with that pair.

[robvious]

bravo... superb... wow...