Well one came into my local shop and every one is not interested and I can get it at a great price...has anyone tried a set of k frame combats on one?
I am told they will fit just perfectly
I am thinking of putting a 3 5" barrel on it and having the cylinder fluted
What do u all think?
I would love the feedback
God Bless,John


Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

I think the cylinder might be unfluted for a reason....

__________________
Todd

They will fit. But it’s gonna hurt.

__________________
No gold. Only lead. Bobby

Well I only plan on shooting 45 long colt...
no reason to beat myself up...
The combats would look perfect and the short 3.5" barrel would make it better to carry
I know u all will think it is like putting a 4cylinder in a sports car
But it would make shooting 45 long colt like a 22lr...
fun and accurate and when u are a very tall guy like me
something unique
So u think cutting flutes would be a bad idea?
I have a very good friend who is also a gunsmith with CnC machinery
Maybe better to have him just make another cylinder with flutes
Keep the original as is...
God Bless,John


Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

Fluting the cylinder shouldnt be any trouble for someone with a vertical mill and rotary indexing table. Or you could see what the price of a new cylinder is but chances are, it may need to be fitted. Personally I prefer flutes but otherwise, I dont know what youre expecting by doing it?
Let us know how it goes. Pics are nice too.

Well the custom touches are just to try and make it a little different and I have never been a fan of the non fluted ones and I thought if it was fluted it might make that huge cylinder look a little smaller too...
it was just a thought
God Bless,John

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

I suspect the factory made the cylinder and other parts the way they are for good reason, but I am not a tinkerer or metallurgist. No need to reduce the safety margins on such a high powered piece of artillery. No matter what you intend to shoot through it, there is no telling what others will try to shoot later.

Well I think u are right ...
maybe the best way is to make a custom cylinder
Good idea
God Bless,John

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

Personally I doubt normal style flutes would make the cylinder unsafe. Outer wall thickness and amount of material beween the chambers will remain the same. I think the main reason the 460 and 500s have unfluted cylinders is that every ounce counts on these things when it comes to recoil.

Same thing goes for the grips. Set of wood combats are going to give you a hot hand.

Having a barrel replaced or cut down on one isn't impossible. But, going to cost you some money. Go buy a short barreled one and save some bucks.

I have all kinds of modified guns. I also have a mill, a lathe and a bunch of tools. If I had to pay some one by the hour it wouldn't happen. Mostly I buy guns with issues, gather parts and go to work.

The cylinder on my 460V came fluted, I believe the performance center version are the ones with a non fluted cylinder (but I could be wrong).

Way too scary for me. I'd rather deal with a den full of rattlesnakes.

__________________
That's just somebody talkin.

How much are they selling it for?

Sounds like you’re going to spend a boatload of cash to just to shoot 45 LC. Personally I’d just buy a SAA clone for about the same price of all that custom work you’re looking at.

Any round butt K frame grips will fit an X-frame

Wood grips are fine if they fill your hand- other wise may not be much fun.

You did not mention which model available you but you should know there are three 3.5" barrel 460 produced by S&W
SKU 170268- a comped version with fluted cylinder
SKU 170281- two tone version of above model
SKU 170350- uncomped with solid cylinder (current model)

The unfluted cylinder offers more weight and hence less recoil;
most shooter find the extra weight welcomed in the shorter barrel models of the 460.


previous threads relevant to your questions

New 3.5” 460 S&W Range Test

460 S&W wood grips


be safe
Ruggy

Wasn't sure about the cylinder being un fluted for safety reasons, just the little people in the back of my mind....

One thing that I do know, it's 45 Colt, and not Long Colt...

__________________
Todd

John why not just buy a 3.5" 460. Since you don't already own one it would seem more expensive to buy one and chop it and modify the cylinder than to just buy the correct configuration. Mine has the unfluted cylinder but you can get them with the fluted cylinder. See post #13.

Since we are on the subject here is mine. I have shot it twice now. It is really a hoot to shoot. The 45LC is much milder to be sure.
I personally think the K frame RB Combats don't look very good. Too small for the larger gun. They may fit functionally..but to me they look like what they are... small grips on a very large gun. JMO Keep us updated.

__________________
John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

Well I am sure it is able to shoot the 45 lc as I have heard many people shooting this
I see they state 45 colt but the same round... and I was told by the previous owner he shot some of that himself
God Bless,John

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

Well the reason I am considering this....
very very very low costs....
Plain and simple I could not buy the 3.5" for what I can build this one for...
it will be less than 1/2 of the new price to buy it
Otherwise I would not be considering this
I was wondering of the k frame combats would be too small looking
I just like the looks of them
Another friend i have can copy just about anything and I wonder if u could scan the k frame combats and oversize the grip to fit the frame size so they look more proportionate...
i really do not like the looks of the rubber grips
I know this all must sound very foolish to most but I like a unusual project and may in the end improve on the original design a little

My original idea when i seen this was to make this something that someone like Schwarzenegger would carry in his hip as back in the day in all the movies he made
A big beefy overbuilt handgun which just wows you when u see it
God Bless,John

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

well i did some looking around...
found this pic online...
it is the only one i can find with the short barrel and the fluted cylinder....
the compensator needs to go along with the front sight
looks like a Lew Horton gun from ad

this second one i am told is a Smith Wesson 500

look how much nicer it looks to me
and the lines are more reminiscent to the classic S&W lines
and here is the grips i think will look even better than my first idea
the n frame square combats ...enlarged of course

dont you all agree?....
God Bless,John
thank u internet for all the pics


and love the red front sight too...looks so much better as well...
and the 3.5" barrel is perfect...

Here is something else I know. I have a couple or 325 PDs. Scandium alloy 45 ACP N frames that weigh 21.5 OZ with a titanium cylinder. I am going to replace one guns cylinder with a 45 colt cylinder. (I will have to shorten barrel extension also)

I have size XXL hands. I have spend a good share of my life working steel. Big impact guns, big hammers and tools.

With wood combat grips my 325s are to painful to shoot more than a cylinder full of ammo. I am talking it hurts even when the grips fit. With the rubber grips that cover the back strap I can shoot them as much as I want. I can feel it sure. It isn't painful.

An X frame in 45 colt would be a kitty cat even with wood grips (I have a 500) Once you stick real 460s in it it would get brutal. If you want to shoot 45 colts get a 625 anyway. I got a bunch of those. They are great.

45 colt is the round same as 45 long colt. 45 colt is the proper name. A 460 shoots 45 colts, 454 Casull and 460 S&W

There is a Smith & Wesson 460 3" BBL NIB 170350 Perf. Center on Gunbroker right now for a Buy it now of $1369
Just needs some wood and flutes milled in

If you can buy the 460 at the local place for under $800, find a barrel or get the original cut down and either installed for under $500 your in for $1300 before cutting the flutes or getting grips. Saving $69 for a gun with no warranty and 1/2 the resale value. I am not against modifying guns. Hardly. I have a revolver made into a revolving carbine, cut down barrels, made 44 mags into 45 colts, have wild cat rifles and revolvers. But, it isn't as simple as people often think it is.
This started out life as a military 1917 45 acp with fix sights. LOT of hours

Attached Images

1917 combat a.jpg (43.0 KB, 41 views)

There are plenty of short barrel 460 available on gunbroker

and yes the one in the picture is a Lew Horton -SKU 170268

Save your money and get what you want rather than trying to build one, you will be a head in the long run.

be safe
Ruggy

Why would you want a Monster Masher 460 only to shoot 45 Colt.
I like to run my 460V Hot and Lovin every minute of range time.
Sometimes I get a few nasty comments from fellow shooters though. Usually it's the guy next to me with a 22.

Attached Images

460 H110 - Copy.jpg (160.6 KB, 38 views)

If you're only going to shoot .45 Colt in it, I think you'd be much better off buying a 25-5 and cutting the barrel. I do believe there are some snubby 25-5s out there but that may take a long time and a good bit of searching to find.


This is a 28-2 frame that I built up as a snubby .45 Colt.

A good reason to shoot 45 colts from a 460, a large heavy projectile that's easy to control at 44 magnum levels.

Cutting flutes in the cylinder, done by someone competent, will not weaken the cylinder to a dangerous level at all. The idea of using the heft of a X-Frame to make shooting .45 Colt pleasant is a great game plan, if indeed the reduced recoil balances out the increased bulk when carrying(your reason for shortening the barrel).

But...... I once again have to agree with ruggyh, there are models available out there that will probably cost you less in the long run and not have to be changed so drastically. Yet, if you can get the gun at a price that makes all the customizations affordable and practical.....and you have a one of a kind semi-custom gun, why not.

Well sorry for the delay
I am thinking price should be around 5 to 6 hundred range and it is pristine with everything included as new
Great friend has Cn C capabilities and love unusual stuff so this why I reconsidered this
I know it will not be to everyone taste
That is ok
Having a great gun at much less than buying one already done is always more fun in my opinion
Anyone can find a production gun with time and money
Much harder to alter one and make it your own
Thank u all for the kind words and wisdom
I will go next week and look at it again
I think it would be perfect hip gun
Perfect conversation gun too
God Bless,John

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

I wanted a 460 without unnecessary holes in the barrel and a fluted cylinder.
Bought a new M460 3.5" rather than go thru all the machining/expense.

Flutes can pinch the fingers as the cylinder rolls.
Perhaps a skilled artistic engraver might be able to create the illusion of flutes?

I'd rather eat a steak that fell in beach sand than clean the chambers after a box of 45 Colts.

Starting work on proper stocks for the 3.5" using an old pair of Herretts.

Attached Images

D6A169B2-1BF6-41DD-8C7E-D65CF66711D1.jpg (73.2 KB, 17 views)

I should have also been clear about this as many think I am crazy to shoot 45 in it...
What I should have said
I will use the 460 cases which I will have quite a few with the dies and ammo and extra stuff included with this
It even has one of those billet speed loaders too
I will make 460 size cases with 45 loads if possible
I do not mind cleaning any gun
No matter how long it takes .
But I agree it will make for more work for me too
I am also thinking of making a beautiful basketweave hip holster to go onto my Lawrence Belt I have
God Bless,John
Fun and unusual projects done right and cost effective are great
But going overboard usually means you will never get return on investment

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

Do cylinders need hand-fitting, or is it a matter of a simple swap? Maybe someone will trade a fluted one for an unfluted one.

__________________
Μολὼν λαβέ
NRA Life Member