Anyone have an Andy Cannon customized revolver?

thetrio_94043

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I have a model 29-3 that I sent to Andy many years ago and I was wondering if anyone else owns or had a gun customized by him. This is after he closed his shop and was doing it part time.
 
I had two of his guns. A 27 and a 25-5. This was about 20 years ago. His action work was outstanding. Should have never sold them. He passed away several years ago.
 
I knew he passed away, and I was just wondering if anyone else enjoyed his work as much as I did.

I always wanted a 4 inch barrel but mine had the 6 inch tube and he replaced it, did a full action job, and smoothed the target trigger into more of a combat style trigger.

He did a great job and exceed my expectations.

I really enjoyed the conversation I had with him before deciding to use his services.
 
I have a 629 (I want to say -3) that Andy did a complete make-over on. I bought it used about a year ago in mint condition for about $750; at the time I was considering a new 5" full lug 629 and the new gun would have cost quite a bit more. He did a sweet action job to it, narrowed and contoured the trigger, polished the trigger and hammer (looks real nice), numbered the cylinder holes and Metaloy hard-chromed it. Compared to my other 629 (that's only had a mild action job done to it) it's easy to shoot it well. I've heard of quality issues with Andy's work, but it's not apparent on my gun.

Needless to say I STILL want that 5" full-lug 629 before Smith decides to stop producing them...
 
I have a 3" model 65 that Mr. Cannon worked his magic on at some time in the past. Except for the highly polished trigger and hammer it doesn't look any different from a stock 65, but when you pull the trigger - Wow!

Trigger pull isn't that light, but is smooth as butter. It's actually better than some of my old PPC revolvers that I paid a ton of money for in the past. In addition to the polished and rounded trigger and hammer, he has his name stamped on the cylinder along with having each chamber numbered.

I carry this revolver regularly, and always enjoy letting others try a few rounds out of it at the range. It always gets comments on the trigger pull.

If I were to ever stumble across another one of his guns, I would snap it up in a heartbeat.
 
Yea, he explained the quality issue to me and kind of what happened.

When I was taking to him on the phone, he told expanded his shop too quickly based on some outside influences so he was no longer a "one man show" and the quality went down because he really couldn't manage the amount of work that came in personally.

When he decided his name suffered enough, he shut down the custom gun business and went to work in law enforcement. He then tracked as many customers as he could during those years where the quality was low and tried to fix as many guns as he could.

Then he went back to doing it part time, but not really advertising like he did in the past. I got lucky and saw one of the few ads in American Handgunner and jumped at the chance to get on his schedule.

When I talked to him, I mentioned I saw he was the first to convert a Redhawk to 454 casull when nobody thought it could be done and all of the work he did with Mas Ayoob.

Once again a great guy to talk with.
 
Yea, he explained the quality issue to me and kind of what happened.

When I was taking to him on the phone, he told expanded his shop too quickly based on some outside influences so he was no longer a "one man show" and the quality went down because he really couldn't manage the amount of work that came in personally.

When he decided his name suffered enough, he shut down the custom gun business and went to work in law enforcement. He then tracked as many customers as he could during those years where the quality was low and tried to fix as many guns as he could.

Then he went back to doing it part time, but not really advertising like he did in the past. I got lucky and saw one of the few ads in American Handgunner and jumped at the chance to get on his schedule.

When I talked to him, I mentioned I saw he was the first to convert a Redhawk to 454 casull when nobody thought it could be done and all of the work he did with Mas Ayoob.

Once again a great guy to talk with.

Good info, thanks. My Cannon is a beautiful gun that does not exhibit any signs of quality control issues.
 
I have an Andy Cannon customized 7 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk that is identical to a job he did for Hank Williams, Jr.
I read about it in a magazine article and got AC to fix one up for me.
Smooth, accurate, a great hunting revolver. He put a copper insert in for the front sight, works well.
 
I have a 686+ that Andy did in 2000. Is there any way to value the gun because I may need to sell it. Andy said it was one the last civilian revolers that he was doing. Thanks for your help.
 
I remember stopping by Andy's shop in Hamilton Montana in the middle 80s to drop a 624 and there was a Ruger Redhawk 5.5" 44 on his desk that he was boring to 45 Colt for Hank Williams Jr.

He was a nice guy and did great gunsmithing.
 
I currently have 9 guns in my collection that Andy tuned for me back in the eighties and nineties. I truly believe that he was an artist and I miss his work dearly. I used to send all my Smiths to him for action work and I still enjoy and appreciate them to this day and would never part with any of them. I had 2 others that I traded away years ago and I wish I hadn't.
 
I had a model 25-5 with a 6" barrel that had an unbelievable action that Andy built. I later had him build a full custom on a model 28. I have always regretted selling both of them. I have never found anyone that comes close to his quality of work and believe me when I say that I have tried.
 
Massad Ayoob Andy Cannon Street L pics

Help fellow forum members!! Has anyone seen one of these and give me some info?.I am of the opinion its not a collectible. Mr Ayoob said he still has his and shoots it once in a while and other said they had them , shot them and sold them and wished they had them back. But i dont know the story of this gun.I recently acquired on of these and it comes in a wooden case
thats lined and fitted to display the pistol. Its a 686 that Cannon milled the barrel back and made a compensator that looks like a power port. He did an action job
milled the trigger guard, bobbed the hammer and made a really neat front sight.The barrel is now 3.5 inches
and the compensator gets it out to about 4.1. The engraved plate says 1 of 10. The pistol looks unfired and I am dying to try it. I dont know if its more valuable unfired or not.
Here are some pics of this dynamite gun.








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Notice how each chamber is numbered and the cylinder is
marked C A N N O N


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If any fellow members can provide any info on this Ayoob Cannon Street "L" I would deeply appreciate it.
 
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Andy Cannon

Some time in the later 80's I won the first Ayoob alumni pistol match. Part of the prizes was a $300 gift cert. for Andy Cannon work. I sent him a 629 6" that He shortened to 5" and ported the bbl ala Magna port. Complete action job of course. Gun had great double action, but I did have to send it back because it was horrible out of time when I recieved it. Andy was very sorry and it came back perfect in a short time.

BR
 
Andy Cannon Guns

I recently purchased an Andy Cannon S&W model 29 8 3/8" that has been hard chromed....like metaloy.

I see all the info on an Andy Cannon Guns is pretty old.

It has a very smooth action and the cylinder holes are numbered.
Wileyjackhammer
 
Here's One

Been Shown Before....Model 686-2 (1989 MFG). I further customized the revolver by having TK Custom cut the cylinder for full moon clips.
 
I posted this 24-3 enhanced by Any Cannon on the forum a short time ago. The double actions is so smooth a real joy to shoot !
 

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