Mod. 14-2 Question ?

[ia1727]

I'm considering buying a Model 14 for a shooter only---if I get one the overall condition doesn't need to be that important.

I'm considering having the 6" barrel cut down to either 5" or 4".
My question is---Has anyone ever done this and if so would you have any idea as to who to contact to get it done and what the cost might be ? Will S&W do this or do you have to have a custom shop do it ?

Thanks for any replies.

Steve

[scha]

If you want a 4 inch it would be much easier to just buy a Model 15. Cutting down a 6 inch barrel means having to attach a new front sight and this is difficult to do without being unsightly. It would be much easier and cheaper to just buy one with a shorter barrel. There were a very few K38s with 5 inch barrels made, but these are collector guns and would command a high price.


Hope this helps.

Steve

[GyMac]

By all means get the Model 15. In addition to costing a bunch of money, the modification might be done incorrectly, leaving you with a poor shooter.
Chris

[HAWKEYE10]

I agree with Steve you are throwing good money away. If you want a 4" shooter any of the guns S&W made will serve you well. Don

[YeshuaIsa53]

Guess you may not be getting the answers you were asking for.
A Model 27-2 comes with a five inch barrel and you would have a darned nice gun that will also shoot .357 magnum loads if needed. Most come with the same patridge sight and adjustable rear sight.

You may also find a shooter grade Model 14-2 Dayton gun some day by just asking around a bit here and there. That had the heavy four inch barrel.

I think someone had a four inch Model 14 on the forum a half year ago or so and was rather unique. Don't know if it was lettered or what. Good luck.

[Trooper224]

Please don't buy a Model 14 of any shootable grade, and then bubba it up by chopping the barrel. That would be a crime against one of the finest shooting handguns S&W ever made.

[jhvaughan2]

As others have said. M15 gives you (normally) your 4" Another option is a 4" m19. m14's are almost magical. We need all we can get. I plead with you not to cut one up.

[semperfi71]

I would like to add that a fixed sight K-Frame .38 Special [or even .357] would make an excellent shooter and can be found in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 inch barrels lengths at very good prices.

Adjustable sights generally have no advantage over fixed sights if the handgun was properly sighted at the factory which most S&Ws are. My rational being that most handgunners settle on one load for their .38 Specials. Once that load is found it usually is "on" windage-wise, and in the case of 158 and 148 [wadcutters] grain loads they usually shoot "on" in elevation, or even a little high, which is not a bad thing.

I will add a "counter-caveat" in the same post. Some folks, due to "hold" or just plain physical differences can find fixed sights do not shoot to anyhwere near point of aim. However, again, K-Frame .38s can be found cheap. Hence they can be sold for what the owner usually paid if they bought them at a good price. Then, yes, adjustable sights become necessary.

[rockhammer]

Last time I checked JG Sales had model 15's and 67's for very cheap.