is it wrong to modify a 3" Model 36?

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rc51kid

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I am looking at a used 3" square butt NON flat latch no lock 36. That i about all i know about it. It has a good bit of finish wear and a the seller says it has a rust spot on the rifling that does not effect hooting. So it is not mint at all. It does have matching number square frame grips.

I am interested in it, it is under $300 locally. But i really want a round butt. Would it be "wrong" to have it converted to a round butt? is there anything rare about this gun?
 
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You can't convert a square butt J-frame to a round butt. Well, without chopping the gripframe off and welding on a round butt gripframe, I mean. The design isn't like a K- or N-frame where this is easily done.

j_round_square_frame.jpg
 
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Nothing rare about it.

But why spend $300-400 extra to change a square butt to round butt?

Just buy one in the configuration you want. You'll have it to use immediately instead of many later after the work is complete.

You have no chance of reselling it in its 'modified' condition for what you paid for the basic, un modified revolver.

You'd start with a $300 revolver, spend $300-400 to modify it and end up with a $250 revolver, if you're lucky.
 
i figured the grip could be ground down just like a frame. Is that not the case?
 
If you look at the photo I posted, you'll see there's not enough metal to remove to make it a round butt. You'd have to cut a portion of the gripframe away and weld. Not only that, but the square gripframe is longer than the round, so you'd be removing the serial number, a big no-no.
 
I have the same gun you're considering, and while it's a square-butt, it's still pretty small and easily concealed. I put a set of Craig Spegel's grips on it and carry it once in awhile, but it's far too nice a gun to carry all the time. Even with the new grips, my smallish hands still don't quite fit it, my pinky resides under the base of the grip.

 
Buy the gun and use it. There is not a significant percievable difference in the round vs square butts on the J-frame. If you find you just cannot live with the square butt (unlikely) you will have a good 38 you may keep in reserve or sell for what you put into it.

I am concerned about the rust spot on the rifling and overall condition of the gun. Make sure the timing is correct by dragging your thumb along the cylinder as you slowly cock it. It should lock into place on each chamber by the time you get the hammer all the way back. Also, test fire the gun if possible.
 
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I'd agree for the most part with gkitch--there won't be a lot of difference in carrying the gun, but I think there is a difference in shooting a RB v. a SB model 36.

The SB at least in my hands is more controllable. I suspect most people would find the same thing to be true. The addition of a Tyler T grip completes the package and makes my 3" model 36 a fine shooter.

And of course the pics -db- posted show that this is not a practical conversion anyway.
 
My 36-1 (3"hb) is round butt... but for shooting, I've often swapped the square butt target stocks off my Kit Gun. I routinely concealed the 36 with RB banana targets on it. The cylinder is the biggest part of the protrusion. Careful stock choice, it can conceal just as well. With FBI cant holster, the barrel & handle is in vertical line & not conspicuous. It's the total bulge that shows... is more about clothing.
Buy it, shoot it, love it.
It you really don't think you can love it, pass & buy a RB.
 
I wouldn't focus on the conversion myself. But you can't go wrong with a 3" 36 for 300 beans.

The OP's mention of the rust spot in the rifling is a bit concerning though. May I suggest bringing a brass bore brush with you and see if it will "clean" off. If it does, you'll have a neat shooter at a good price.

I would give ANY S&W with a 3" barrel a loooooonnnnggggg look. :)
 
Just to summarize the excellent advice you've been given . . .

1 - to answer your question - it IS wrong to even consider modifying a J-frame square butt to round butt

2 - a square butt . . . especially a 3" . . . is a great handling gun and with the proper holster and clothing makes a great concealed carry piece

3 - if the rust spot doesn't affect accuracy, $300 is a good price

4 - however, if a round butt is really what you want, keep looking . . . they're out there.

Russ
 
M3Stuart said:
I wouldn't focus on the conversion myself. But you can't go wrong with a 3" 36 for 300 beans.

The OP's mention of the rust spot in the rifling is a bit concerning though. May I suggest bringing a brass bore brush with you and see if it will "clean" off. If it does, you'll have a neat shooter at a good price.

I would give ANY S&W with a 3" barrel a loooooonnnnggggg look. :)
Click to expand...

Agreed. 3" SB is a very desireable configuration. Take a hard look at the barrel after a brush has cleaned it up a bit. Guns with light pitting often shoot quite well. The main issue is usually excessive fouling, but if it's just one small spot that shouldn't be a problem. I know we would all like pristine examples untouched by human hands, but some of those beaters have a lot of love left in them.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
 
The rust spot in the barrel is unlikely to make any real difference in realistic use.

It's a good bargaining point, but wouldn't prevent me from buying at $300. Great gun.
 
Unlike some others here, a RB j-frame fits my hand better than a SB-- the SB points high for me. It also doesn't conceal quite as well as a RB. That said, appearance-wise a SB kind of balances out the 3" HB and looks good.
As far as modifying goes, converting a SB j-frame to RB isn't physically practical as pointed out. Otherwise, while I wouldn't modiufy a pristine gin, I wouldn't hesitate to modify a shooter-grade one. I lke a bobbed hammer & ground-smooth trigger on my carry guns meant for DA use, but have only so modified shooter-grade (or less) guns. I bought a beautiful model 37 airweight Chief about a year ago with original grips & box plus all the etc, but sold it off because i didn't want to bob a collector-grade piece for carry duty. I ended up buying a pre-37 that had been around the bloick a few times and in fact came to me already bobbed.
 
The round butt grip is so much better than the square butt grip for concealed carry, I would say go for it or either buy a three inch gun with a round butt grip to begin with.

Nearly all of my revolvers have round butt grips, and if I had the time and skill to round the others off I would, as I just prefer the round butt grip even when not conceal carrying the revolver.
 
The main advantage to a RB-J is the wide selection of concealable grips.

BUTT , (pun intended) a 3in heavy barrel ain't really meant for concealment. It's a small belt holster gun. My Hogue rosewood-gripped square butt 36-1 carries nice and feels good in the hand , even with +P loads.:D


However , my 2in 37 is also a square butt J. This I wish I could get better concealment grips for. I think putting a square butt on a 2in J was a mistake.:(
 
mkk41 said:
The main advantage to a RB-J is the wide selection of concealable grips.

BUTT , (pun intended) a 3in heavy barrel ain't really meant for concealment. It's a small belt holster gun.

However , my 2in 37 is also a square butt J. This I wish I could get better concealment grips for. I think putting a square butt on a 2in J was a mistake.:(
Click to expand...

Disclaimer: I am a dyed-in-the-wool fan of 3" heavy barrel J-frames . . . preferably with square butts

". . . a 3in heavy barrel ain't really meant for concealment . . ."
Depending on how each of us defines "concealment" . . . that ain't necessarily so

". . . it's a small belt holster gun"
agree . . . but I believe concealment and belt-holster carry are not mutually exclusive.

Depending on cover clothing, I carry a 3 inch heavy barrel, square-butt, J-frame in a well-designed, pancake-style, belt holster worn on the strong side. Handling and control is unmatched.



"The main advantage to a RB-J is the wide selection of concealable grips . . . my 2in 37 is also a square butt J . . . wish I could get better concealment grips for."
Unfortunately that's a very true statement today. I am a big fan of custom grip maker Craig Spegel and intend to ask him if he'll make them . . . will report back.

Even though our current choices for J-SB concealment grips are very limited, there are some examples out there that demonstrate a grip design can be made to fit both RB and SB . . . like J-frame targets, only smaller.

Both 3" heavy J-frames in the picture above are wearing the same model of Pachmayr grips and riding in the same Lobo pancake leather . . . only one is made for a square butt and the other for a round butt. Can you guess which one?





"I think putting a square butt on a 2in J was a mistake"
That's another whole subject but . . . on that point, Sir . . . we totally agree. Only thing better is also adding target sights . . . but then, don't get me started!

Russ


edit to add: I spoke with Craig Spegel (yes, he answers his own phone) and he continues to offer a J-frame square butt boot grip . . . am sending in my order today.
 
The square butt J-frame magna stocks don't offer much to hold onto but I like the factory target stocks.

29417yc.jpg


In addition to Spegel, Eagle at one time offered a small rosewood boot grip for square J-frames. They're not available anymore but I was lucky to find a set on the used market recently:

2uhp8k9.jpg

14wbpcn.jpg
 
I used to have a SB 2" 36 which was my first j-frame. It had Pachmayr Compacs when I bought it which I thought were too large. I tried magnas & Pach grip adapters but didn't esp care for the feel. Checked around and Craig Spegel was the only one offering SB j boots. eagle had them listed on their website (sort of) but had discontinued making them. Finally I was able to convince Jim Badger to make up a set of rosewood laminate boot grips for me, a shortened version of his 3-finger combat grips. Eureka-- just what I was looking for. They looked great, but unfortunately still weren't as good for carrying concealed as a RB so I sold off the gun and (separately) the grips.
I don't know why there aren't more options for SB j's-- they're actually not all that uncommon.
 

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