|
03-27-2010, 02:25 AM
|
 |
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
Liked 592 Times in 212 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by petemacmahon
I was the one that started a similar thread for a X frame revolving 460. To me it had enough merit to ask the custom shop and a few of the top smiths if they would be interested. Nobody took me up. But to my chagrin, Taurus appears to have beat S&W to the market:
Rossi 2010 What's New Catalog
And my local shop already has two on order already. Price is 495.
------------------------------
Oh, I posted this b4 I read page two and saw Dave Nash's excellent post. But dave, where did you get that picture of the the S&W rifle? Scan arms is all in German, can't get much out of that site.
------------
I'm going to ask my local shop owner to ask the person who has one on order now if I can see it when it comes in and maybe even (If I buy him a box of ammo) let me put a few rounds down range to test it out.
I'll report back. |
“petemacmahon”
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you; I have been busy.
The ScanArms ad image taken from “Qball’s” original posting might be a bit dated. I’m not sure of their current status and much of what you might find of theirs would (I think) be in Swedish although the reproduced ad indicates a tie with Frankonia who acquired Wischo some time ago.
Wischo used to do all kinds of things with Smith. Everything from stock guns with nothing more than the words “Target Champion” etched or engraved on the side to all-out special order pieces that never saw the light of day in the U.S. They did other things too with Smith and unrelated to this topic, they were the ones who sold off a good number of the left over Model 19-P’s into the European continent.
Although a while back I thought I saw a press release indicating that Wischo was now considered to be the wholesale arm of Frankonia's business, I am not sure what Frankonia’s relationship is with S&W. I have also seen references to a company called "Waimex" that might be what Wischo once was in regard to be a specialty Smith outlet. Confusing to say the least; although Waimex is now listed as the S&W's German Distributor on their (S&W's) website.
In any case, the stocked gun in that picture could have been done on either side of the pond and I am checking into whether or not it was done here. My feeling at this point (and I will get back to you if and when I hear something) is that it probably wasn’t simply because of all the issues involved.
For if it clearly can’t be shown that such a gun started out as a rifle, it is a nightmare to deal with in regard to the paperwork. And even making something here, for sale over there, that wouldn’t be sold here, can be procedurally problematic; both in theory (paperwork) and in practice [actual items floating around that can shipped to the wrong place in error or that can be “reimported” (a polite term) in violation of the law].
I realize that T/C (now a part of S&W) went to the Supreme Court on a somewhat related (but perhaps not truly applicable) matter and won but is it worth it in small numbers, probably not. For example, back in the 90’s when T/C (not yet affiliated with S&W) was already involved with outright stocked handguns in Europe (as was Dan Wesson, I think), Smith & Wesson still had the tooling on hand for the shoulder stocks for their 37mm gas launchers, which were basically breaktop non-gun N-Frames with a slightly different way of fitting things to the grip frame. The tooling, the stocks and/or the guns themselves could have been modified to make a shoulder stock for the conventional N-Frame revolvers that were being sold overseas BUT it was felt that for the volumes involved, the chances for something going askew were just not worth it. And I don’t blame them.
However, when you make something as a real model for sale in the larger US market, then guns can be built from the ground up as rifles/long guns and these issues can be sidestepped as long as you are also building things in a way where conversion into something illegal cannot be easily accomplished. I didn’t spend a lot of time with the gun but it didn’t seem like that would be a problem with the Taurus. And for all that people on this site say about them, it should be recognized that they are a big enough and a professional enough company to not go looking for trouble in such a manner. Also note that I am not an attorney nor am I offering legal advice in regard to the NFA. I neither wish to be quoted as an expert (or even correct) in these matters nor do I wish to be dragged into an endless discussion about what can and can't be done legally.
As to your looking at the one already on order at your local gun shop, I can tell you that the samples I handled at SHOT (I handled two and we must remember that they were show samples) were nicely fitted and finished and the actions felt good. If that continues with the production guns, the one you see should be pretty neat. I have long thought the revolving rifle was an intriguing concept and I think that this could turn out to be a real fun gun. And looking at the number of people who have taken the time to read the various postings regarding this concept on this site, hopefully once it becomes available, they will think so too.
Finally, the image of the Smith “rifle” you asked about was credited in my original posting to “Smith357” as he had included it along with the piece that I quoted from him.
Dave Nash
|