Yet another Model 34-1

TAROMAN · Sep 21, 2011

About a month ago I found (and bought) the first Model 34 I had ever seen, a 2" 34-1
So, today a friend who owns the LGS called ne that he had just traded for a S&W that I might be interested in - a 4" 34-1!
Seems a lady traded it in on a Bodyguard 38.
Paperwork done and out the door. This one was obviously shot very little, as the cylinder turn line is quite faint.
Cleaned out the gumed up WD40 residue and shot its portrait:

Will just have to scare up a grip adapter and I'll be good to go.
Oh, here's its "little brother":

TNDave · Sep 21, 2011

You are on a roll! Those 4" guns are a lot of fun. I been shooting mine every week for the past three weeks.

Hondo44 · Sep 21, 2011

Two great finds! They are fun little guns. I have to warn you though, they are addicting. I have four in different vintages and really have to use disciplne whenever I see one for sale. If it's just too cheap I just can't resist however.

The four on the left, two I frames 1955 and 57 and two J frames, 1971 34-1 and 1981 34-2:

And then the pre war 22/32 bug got me:

redbos · Sep 22, 2011

Thats Kit gun Heaven! Nice collection!

Hondo44 said:
Two great finds! They are fun little guns. I have to worn your though, they are addicting. I have four in different vintages and really have to use disciplne whenever I see one for sale. If it's just too cheap I just can't resist however.

The four on the left, two I frames 1955 and 57 and two J frames, 1971 34-1 and 1981 34-2:

And then the pre war 22/32 bug got me:

TAROMAN · Sep 26, 2011

Wow, what a collection! While there's no way I'll ever go so far, I did find a nice set of J target stocks for this little one:

cupp260 · Sep 26, 2011

Really nice gun..That's one I am looking for too. I'd really like to have a 34 or 63 with 4" barrel.

Great find!

CC

Hondo44 · Sep 27, 2011

krehmkej said:
Wow, what a collection! While there's no way I'll ever go so far, I did find a nice set of J target stocks for this little one:

Those are the nicest grained J targets I've ever seen.

They must be very late issue which got a little short on top. They no longer reach the frame corner like the older ones.

shooter686 · Sep 27, 2011

Hondo44-

Was the barrel cut off on the last gun in your post? Front sight/base looks odd and the barrell markings go nearly to the muzzle. Good looking gun however.

Shooter686

Hondo44 · Sep 27, 2011

shooter686 said:
Hondo44-

Was the barrel cut off on the last gun in your post? Front sight/base looks odd and the barrell markings go nearly to the muzzle. Good looking gun however.

Shooter686

Yes it was cut to 3 1/2", I should have mentioned that. It's a mid '20s 22/32 Heavy Frame Target (Bekeart style). Probably had a bulge in the original 6" barrel or the owner saw the new 22/32 4" Kit Guns in 1935 and decided it would be handier. Obviously been reblued, not a great job but not as bad as most. And it was cheap!

I liked the way the original sight base and blade were retained by cutting of the base and soldering it back on, albeit workmanship is lacking. The blade was filed to a funky shaped ramp but since it is serial #'d to the gun I kept it and restored the patridge profile. I also replaced the pin with one that protrudes to be authentically accurate for the period. There are traces of surface solder that I need to polish off so the ramp will properly take bluing.
I removed the original target stocks which made it look out of proportion and put the period correct (no medallions) service stocks on the rd butt grip.

It has no collector value so I can let my grandkids handle and shoot it w/o concern. It's very accurate and as good a shooter or better than any of my unmodified 22/32s.

model17 · Sep 27, 2011

yeah gotta' love 'em!!

Hondo44 · Sep 27, 2011

My favorite matched pair of J frame shooters; top is a Mod 34-2 22/32 Kit Gun and below is a Mod 30-1 homemade 32 Kit Gun.

TAROMAN · Sep 27, 2011

Nice, very nice.

tommix · Sep 27, 2011

34-2 with ivory stocks

Hondo44 · Sep 28, 2011

That's a beautiful gun!

depicts · Sep 28, 2011

You can't go wrong with Mod 34's. You can never have enough, though these are two of my favorites.

TAROMAN · Sep 28, 2011

That pinto is too kewl! Have you lettered it?

depicts · Sep 28, 2011

krehmkej said:
That pinto is too kewl! Have you lettered it?

No it doesn't letter. It's the ******* child of some local collector, who just wanted what he wanted.

shooter686 · Sep 29, 2011

Hondo44 said:
Yes it was cut to 3 1/2", I should have mentioned that. It's a mid '20s 22/32 Heavy Frame Target (Bekeart style). Probably had a bulge in the original 6" barrel or the owner saw the new 22/32 4" Kit Guns in 1935 and decided it would be handier. Obviously been reblued, not a great job but not as bad as most. And it was cheap!

I liked the way the original sight base and blade were retained by cutting of the base and soldering it back on, albeit workmanship is lacking. The blade was filed to a funky shaped ramp but since it is serial #'d to the gun I kept it and restored the patridge profile. I also replaced the pin with one that protrudes to be authentically accurate for the period. There are traces of surface solder that I need to polish off so the ramp will properly take bluing.
I removed the original target stocks which made it look out of proportion and put the period correct (no medallions) service stocks on the rd butt grip.

It has no collector value so I can let my grandkids handle and shoot it w/o concern. It's very accurate and as good a shooter or better than any of my unmodified 22/32s.

It's still a beauty! Personally, once I own a firearm, even on with some wear and tear, cosmetic issues, gunsmithing, etc, I tend to be protective of maintaining it in its current condition. Many times I have found the perfect knockaround gun just to treat it like new.

Shooter686

Hondo44 · Sep 29, 2011

shooter686 said:
It's still a beauty! Personally, once I own a firearm, even on with some wear and tear, cosmetic issues, gunsmithing, etc, I tend to be protective of maintaining it in its current condition. Many times I have found the perfect knockaround gun just to treat it like new.

Shooter686

Thank you! It's one of my favorites, more so than my others worth more.

Yet another Model 34-1

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