The screw holes look dished to me but I'm new here, what do you think?

Yes, definitely a refinished gun that was heavilly buffed, dishing the screw holes and rounding sharp edges. Probably done after those God awful sights were added. But it may be a nice shooter. Ed.

Of course all we have to view is your pictures, but from those, the
frame definitely looks refinished. The hammer and trigger have
been redone - perhaps satin chrome plated. If the gun was originally
an M&P, then the top strap has been altered, to accomodate that
target rear sight assembly. The front sight has been pinned into
the original forged sight.

Mike Priwer

I thought it didn't look right, especially the color and waviness of the frame.

Thanks for proving I can still learn.




Rob

yessir, it had to been 'reblued' after they soldered on that "neato
" front sight....

__________________
dan
NRA Benefactor,PMA

Bubba gunsmithing at its finest, 'Ol Junior gave that poor S&W the De-luxe treatment alright.

Absotively.

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Pre model 10 I assume that has been refinished. The front sight isn't made to be soldered on although it may be. They look like Micro sights. The front was made to accept the factory and could put it on over it and pin it in place. The rear usually had to be milled to some degree. An economy shooter. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Bob

yep color off and someone went a little "heavy handed" with the buffer
you have to keep the flats flat....
would be an intresting shooter..

If you're going to take your gun out for a walk , do you have to put on
its trigger SHOE?

Yuk,yuk ,,I crack myself up sometimes.


Everybody ,grow up.

Allen Frame

__________________
NRA cert.instructor&R.S.O.

Always occurs to me that such a revolver may well have been altered [and refinished afterwards] because someone saw some great accuracy from it. That little K-frame may shoot nothing but bullseyes all day!

Regards,

Dyson

Oh my goodness!!!!!

Definitely buffed and blued; the hammer looks shiny, probably just had the case colors polished off, too much trouble to plate.

The Micro rear sight is screwed down to a flat spot filed or milled on the top strap; the front ramp is made to be pinned to the original front blade but the discoloration along the bottom edge may be a sign that it was also soldered down.

This was the concept of a small shop custom gun in the 1950s. The gun may be military surplus or an ex police service revolver bought cheap.

The target grips are of a later style than what I think of as the era of this type work. But maybe Joe's Gunshop was just carrying on their
projects after they were out of the general style.

I especially like the dishing around the bolt notches.

Yeah, shallowing out stop notches is generally something I would avoid

That front and rear sight are so high I wonder how the heck it even hits POA at 25 yards!

That is absolutely the worst sight installation I have ever seen and the reblue isn't much better! Who made those awful sights?

Micro.
Some time out of business, but at one time they were a leader.

If I didn't know better, I would think you fellers were making fun of that fine piece of S&W craftsmanship! I just hope he didn't pay anything for it.

Tom

I never intended to buy it, was just looking for some education

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The cylinder looks to have been buffed a bit too much, the locking bolt recesses need sharp edges to assure correct inline lock-up of the cylinder with the barrel. That example may have some sloppy side to side movement in the cylinder when she is cocked and locked. Interesting to know how she shoots and index's.

Did you buy it, or was it given to you?

Thanks Bob, I've been chasing long guns for some time now and have become quite good at judging finish first hand. I am new to handguns, having just got my license, and original factory finishes can certainly vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. A factory Python finish is almost as glossy as the K Frame above. Just a learning curve is all.

I didn't buy the gun, I saw it while browsing through Gunbroker and saw the finish was different from other early K Frames so I decided to ask about it here, no idea about how it shoots.


thanks,

Rob