I posted some pics of this one in the 80-present section a few weeks ago but this is the more age appropriate subforum. I hadn't rec'd the gun yet and was looking for any info I could get on it but no joy. Now I have it in hand and have spoken to the builder and have a bit more info, also took some better pics of it so I figured I'd repost it here.

It is a 28-2 customized and converted to .45acp by Marc Krebs of 1911 and AK fame. According to Marc, the gun is a one off piece he built for an IL cop back around 1987, he's the one that came up with the "CROWBAR" name. It has a 6" 25-2 barrel cut down to 4" and ported, and a 25-2 cylinder. The original adjustable rear sight hase been removed and the top strap and top of the barrel have been serrated, also, a fixed rear sight has been cut into the frame and serrated and a custom front sight added to match. The hammer has been bobbed and serrated, it has a wide, smooth target trigger, and the front of the trigger guard has been narrowed on the right side, in the fashion of the old "semi" or "half-fitz" treatment. It has also been round butted and the custom grips have ivory inserts with little crowbars scrimshawed on them. The action is as smooth an slick as you'd expect considering the rest of the work.

Marc couldn't recall all of the details of the build but the gun speaks for itself. It is in excellent condition and came in a very nice presentation case. I've only had the time to put a few rounds through it but it seems to be a very nice shooter, fast and accurate, and the sights are quick to acquire. I think it's a pretty cool older custom and makes a nice additon to my little collection.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

Very cool.

Does that bottle opener work?

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

That looks indeed very interesting.

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Jorge

LOL, I know, that port is freakin' HUUUUUGE!

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

With that port and really good timing, you could shoot bullseye targets and low-flying clay birds at the same time!

(Now where the hell did that stupid thought come from?)

(Pay no attention, I'm old and weird.)

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Oh well, what the hell.

I'm not into ported barrels and don't see the need with 45ACP but that is still a pretty cool custom gun.

The port doesn't appeal to me to much but the rest of the work is as trick as can be. Love the rear sight channel and the hammer work. Cool piece.

Sawwweeeeett! Makes me think "Harley".... That would be the perfect accessory for my Road King!

I'll take it! Nice custom.

Tom

Nice piece! I think I would have it cut it where the port begins, so's it would fit in my pocket better. I like the finish and hammer.

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Rough waters ahead.

very cool, I love 45 snubs

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Tommy

quite unique!

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Cheers, Charles
SWCA #2442

Nice piece of work. Any issues with muzzle blast or flash with that big port?

I love the gun, and the work that went into it. Very Cool!

My question, couldn't the same small detail work be done with an existing 25-2?

It could have, this was done back in the day when 28's were the Rodney Dangerfield of S&W revolvers. Must be an "8" thing, remember when nobody wanted 58's?

Looks to be a very well designed and crafted conversion. I'd love to shoot that one. Congradulations.

You have me thinking about a 58 done up like that.....
Temptation.
Temptation.....

That looks like some quality workmanship. Very unique. I bet it gets some looks at the range.

I've only put a dozen quick rounds through it but didn't see any flash from the port, of course, it was day time, might be different in low light or darkness.


phatmax - Sure, the same work could have been done to a 25 but the guy that had it built had a 28 to work with so that's what he went with. 28's have a history of being built on and converted to other calibers, I guess being a low buck starting point with the same quality frame as a 29s, 27s, and 25s probably has a lot to do with it.


tac803 - Cutting the barrel off flush with the front sight crossed my mind briefly but I buy old customs because of the unique work and how they represent the builders and the times that they were built. Marc Krebs is a master craftsman and this gun is apparently one of very few revolvers (if not the only one) that he ever customized, I'll be keeping the gun the way it is to showcase his work and attention to detail. I will be getting some leather made for it, I think it would be a blast to take to the local action pistol matches.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

M. Kreb's does very nice work, and this unique piece of artistry is testimony to that....I have always had an affinity for "simple" defensive platforms, be they revolvers or auto's....thus my fondness for M-65's and M-58's.....with RB's, despurred hammers and rounded triggers....congratulations on your new acquisition.....the fellow who commissioned the work also had some "insights" into what he wanted as well.....my only surprise is that he parted with it. Good shooting.

I have to agree with Crowbar. It's an exceptional job. It really does make me want to have a 58 done like that without the port.

LOTS of cu$$$$$$$tom work there. VERY well done.

Very, very nice! I too like the bottle opener!
Thanks for sharing
Scott

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NRA Life Member
AF&AM #129

Looks great...I wouldn't change a thing.

yeah baby! I keep coming back to this.

Dave

As long as you like it, that's all that matters.

That's a cool custom. My thought, you could just shoot the tops off bottles with that crowbar. Nice catch. I would hate to see her languish at the back of a safe and hope she is shot a bit. Packy

Looks like a prime club bowling pin piece. Revolver class very popular locally.

Continue to check this SaW

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Tommy

Nice machine work, what is the finish? I would cut the port off and recrown the bbl at the front sight. Had a 45 25-2 that was bobbed to 3.5" and roundbutted during the same era as the Crowbar. 25-2's were shelf dinosoars with little interest. 28s were chopped, converted into 44Spl and 45ACPs. Nice piece you have!

No idea what the finish is and Marc Krebs couldn't remember. I've considered sending it to him to have the ported section cut off but I'm afraid the finish would be ruined with no way to replicate it. Also, the port, however outlandish, is an example of what was being done at the time. It's like disco - no good reason for it's popularity, you just have to accept it for what it is.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

Wow, that looks like some serious muscle. It looks all business. that's the kind of gun my hero, Philo Kvetsch would use. Powerful.

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S&W Model 15-3

It would be interesting to see how well the comp performs running .45 super loads thru it......don't ya think? Nice piece regardless.

Purty ominous looking, like an open manhole in the dark. Impressivo.

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Halfway and one more step

Hah...was going to leave a "bottle opener" reply but I guess it was just too obvious!

Great looking N frame there. I didn't think comps worked all that great with .45ACP though...from what I understand the higher pressure/higher velocity cartridges do best?

It is interesting, and I have to go along with leaving it as is. 28s were an inexpensive platform to start with, kind of an N frame Model 10, a starting point for custom work. People had them converted to .44 mag back when the Dirty Harry craze made 29s impossible to find, and many have been converted to .45 Colt as well. I'm pretty sure yours is unique!

The more I look at it the better I like it.......nice attention to detail, I like what he did to open up the frame above the hammer to allow for cocking it, the grooved frame top strap to match the 25 barrel, the lowered front sight and milled rear sight, overall very nicely executed!

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Even older, even crankier....

The work done on this revolver looks to be top shelf, with that being said, I'm not really crazy about it. I'd personally would prefer the adjustable rear sight be left on the revolver, with a ramped front sight, and no comp....That comp looks horrible to me.....I do like the barrel length and the spur removed from the hammer. I think the work on the frame at the hammer slot is a great idea with the serrations on the top of the hammer. The 45 ACP is a greatly underrated revolver round, and is the perfect SD round for the revolver. All that being said, I still hate the comp.......

I like it, except for the barrel port. Like Bronco said, I'd buck off the barrel at the front of the front sight. Personally I would prefer such a gun to be chambered in 45 Colt- much more power available if you want it. Back in 1987 or whenever, 45 ammo (esp ball) was probably pretty cheap so a 45acp made a lot of sense. But the days of "cheap ammo" are over- at least for now.