Besides the typically action/trigger jobs, lock removal, have you done any major mods to your revolver?

A couple little easy things in addition to the above!

I was shooting a lot of PPC and I chamfered the back of the cylinder for potentially an easier time when doing a fast reload.

Also polished out the factory too tight cylinders in 3 of my S&W .22 revolvers!

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

A while back I acquired a MP340..I make my living doing Precision TIG welding so it kind of came naturally to me when I wanted the lock hole gone to fire up the tig.. probably a little crazy to most people, I media blasted all of the black finish off of the revolver and welded up the internal lock holes. I've then.benched down the area with stone and re- media blasted the whole frame to a texture I liked. I also removed the front night sight and filed the sight base to move the point of aim, and made a precision shim that was also pinned in place with the front sight. I then removed the stainless cylinder and fitted a titanium cylinder in its place.. and Polished all of the internals that needed it.

Nothing beyond the grips, or a grip adapter, and a little paint on the front sight.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

HI DOC, WELCOME TO THE FORUM. GRIP SWAPS ARE PERHAPS THE MOST COMMON MOD. SIGHT SWAPS ARE PRETTY ROUTINE ALSO......

THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I'VE EVER HAD DONE, WHICH MIGHT BE CONSIDERED, "MAJOR"---DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT IS PRETTY SIMPLE---IS A CYLINDER SWAP.....

I HAD THE 6 ROUND CYLINDER EXCHANGED FOR A 7 ROUND CYLINDER, AT THE MOTHERSHIP, WHEN I SENT MY NO-DASH 686 IN FOR THE "M" RECALL.....

THE GUN IS SET UP FOR SD / HD---WHICH IS WHAT MOTIVATED THE URGE TO GAIN AN EXTRA ROUND OF CAPACITY. THE ACTION WAS SLICKED BY MASTER 'SMITH, DENNY REICHERT, OF SAND BURR GUN RANCH. IMHO, IT IS A FORMIDABLE WEAPON, FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE.....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I built a .44 AutoMag revolver out of a M29. Made a ported slab side barrel, put a shortened Wichita Rib on top, tig welded a hook on the trigger guard, made a steel underlug, bobbed the hammer, put 2 ball locks in the crane, did an action job, rechambered and cut the cylinder for moon clips, electroless nickel finish. As far as I know, it's the only one. That one is for bowling pins, shoots 300 gr. bullets at 915 fps. for a 275 power factor. Made 500 brass out of .308 rifle. The .308 brass has a bigger extractor groove than .45 ACP, so I had to put slits in the moon clips to make that work.

44 Auto Mag.jpg

I've made 2 686s into 646s, one 4 inch, one 6 inch. Action job on both.
Rechambered the cylinders to .40 S&W, cut for moon clips, new barrels.
This one I rechambered and found a 646 takeoff barrel online, the 6" one I had the barrel rebored and re rifled. It still says .357 on it.

IMG_20171231_095411.jpg

Built a 686 and a 625 into PPC guns with slab sided barrel, Wichita Rib, & action job.

IMG_20171231_094756.jpgIMG_20171231_095105.jpg

Built a 686 into a Bianchi Open Class gun with 6" slab barrel, titanium 7 port comp., Barricade wings, Stick Shift mover scope base, action job, & custom fitted extra 7 shot cylinder cut for moon clips and rechambered for .38 Super.

IMG_20171231_102050.jpg

All the custom barrels were made by me from a blank that was already rifled. For those who have never seen a barrel blank, it looks pretty much like a 1-3/4" diameter piece of brown sewer pipe. Very rough turned, way oversize, and no threads or anything done on the outside.

Make front and rear fiber optic sights for S&W revos.

Invented and patented 2 scope bases with presettable elevations.

Invented a system to make the trigger pull get lighter as you pull it back. Prototype gun starts at 5lb. DA and goes down to 3lb.

I do all my own work, nothing is sent off or farmed out. And that is why I'm the Toolguy.

Too much other stuff to list it all.

Decades back I bought a 4" 629-1. Had it Magna ported.
I had the frame adjusted from square butt to round, for Pachmyar grips that filled my palm.
Ran 48 round .44 mag. side matches, and the changes were very beneficial.
Still shoot it regularly.
Colt Series 70 set for IPSC. Sights, ejection port, ramp, mag well, mag release, recoil spring, SS barrel, ambi safety, and grips. Now pistols are factory ready.
Totally reliable so it's my carry.

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"from my cold dead hands" C.H.

Nothing much besides some spring changes and light polishing. I installed a patridge front sight on my 686-6 for silhouette shooting. It really made a big improvement but it was difficult to install. The front sight pin is really small, slightly smaller than a 1/16" punch, and I had to buy some really tiny drill bits, like .057 and .060"

Made a speed hammer for a fixed sight GP100.

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My current EDC 642-1 is stock except for a set of cocobolo Spegel boot grips and sights painted black. I have a 642ND that's had a trigger job done, but with the factory springs retained. I can definitely tell the difference in trigger pulls between them.

I did have a 3" 65 with some significant work. Trigger job, converted to DAO, and a hammer bob. Also had the trigger radiused and polished. Very sweet action.

Grips and painting the front sight are all I have done to mine. Most are bone stock.

Let's see now.

I round butted a NIB blue 4" M25-5 and a NIB blue 4" M24-3. Took a M27-2 and had it converted to .44 Special back in 1976. I have added target hammers and Ranger triggers. Ground off the serrations of many a trigger. Added red, yellow, white and green ramp front sights. Added white outline rear sight blades. Did many a action job too.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Some are just purposeful tools. Bill Jordon and the Combat Magnum come to mind.
Some have a history and untouched. Except for shooting history at the range. Often!

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"from my cold dead hands" C.H.

I hand-cut a dovetail for a night sight in a model 10-5. Rount butted a 4" model 29-2 once. Some other stuff.

Put a Dawson FO on my 3" 686, it made me a much better shooter, that along with some modified N frame boot grips.

Tool guy, YOU ARE SIMPLY, AND TRULY, AMAZING ! ! !

I AM IN AWE OF YOUR IMAGINATION, AND YOUR LEVEL OF SKILL. YOU ARE EVEN MORE UNIQUE THAN YOUR CREATIONS......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Nothing major; but on several revolvers, including my carry gun of eighteen years, I've had a smith polish the innards, polish and radius the trigger face, and install a blaze orange insert in the front sight.

Don't mess with springs, etc. I'm not a handgun hunter or target shooter: my guns are for home and personal defense, and a fairly (but not excessively) heavy DA trigger is what I prefer.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I HEAR YA, M1A. I DID NOT GET INTO MY EXPERIENCE WITH COLT SEMI AUTOS--MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE MARK IV, SERIES '70, GOLD CUPS. A COUPLE OF THE FEATURES THAT YOU DID NOT MENTION, THAT I FAVORED, WAS SKELETONIZE HAMMERS, CUSTOM, UPTURNED GRIP SAFETIES, AND 10 ROUND EXTENDED MAGAZINES BY CHIP McCORMICK.....

UPON MY RETURN FROM VIETNAM, I ROUTINELY CARRIED A MODIFIED COLT, WITH 11 ROUNDS IN THE PISTOL, AND 2 TEN ROUND MAGS ON MY BELT, GIVING ME A TOTAL OF 31 ROUNDS, OF .45 ACP HOLLOW POINT. I REASONED THAT IF I COULD NOT GET OUT OF A JAM, WITH THAT KIND OF FIREPOWER, IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO CALL FOR A DUST OFF CHOPPER......

AFTER 30 YEARS, LIKE MANY OF MY BROTHERS, I BEGAN TO SUFFER THE EFFECTS OF MY EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE, IN VIETNAM. I AM NOW PARTIALLY PARALYZED, AND CAN NO LONGER RELIABLY OPERATE THE CONTROLS OF A 1911, WITH JUST ONE HAND. HENCE, MY SWITCH TO S&W REVOLVERS FOR EDC.....

THE COLTS THAT I SPENT SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY CREATING, CAN NOW BE REPLICATED, RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, BY SEVERAL MANUFACTURERS, WITH FACTORY WARRANTIES, AT A FRACTION OF THE COST.....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I have had two model 58's reworked by Hamilton Bowen. The first simply got his new combat sights and action work with Fishpaw French walnut stocks while the other one is redone to 45 Colt with a 5" 1950 barrel and the same combat sights, actin work and keith Brown Roper grips.

Who, me modify a revolver?

2 629-1 were made into a 5" 45 colt, the other into a 4" 45colt/acp via cutting for clips

A 25-5 colt its 8 3/8"barrel cut to 5" and a recessed 29 cylinder reamed to 45 colt. A 5" pinned and recessed 45 colt.

A 1955 45 acp got an colt/acp cylinder fitted.

A model 10 got adj sights added, a 22 barrel installed and has cylinders for 22 Harvey Kay Chuck and 22 TCM fitted

A 1917 got adjustable sights added, a cut 1950 45 barrel down to 3" and round butted.

A 10-2 got round butted, a recessed model 19 cylinder in 357 and a 2 1/2" 19 barrel.

a Brazilian got a 16 1/2" barrel a forearm, the grip frame reworked for a stock and adjustable sights added as well as fit for an 45colt/acp cylinder. Nice little carbine

There are a couple 28-2 cylinders by the mill as we speak. I just picked up a Brazilian with a round butted 45 snub in mind.

Most of my guns are stock, but if one comes to me cheap with issues it may well get a trip through the shop.

So, where are the pics?? You know, around here, no pics = it didn't happen.

Toolguy:
Can you post pix of your .44 AutoMag revolver from M29? That work is beyond me but I know a gunsmith who might work with me to do something similar. Always liked the idea of the .44AutoMag in a revolver.
sdh

I will see if I can get some pics up. I have to get my IT manager to help since she has all the computer stuff set up her way and I don't understand it all.

Thanks for the kind words, one eye joe. I have spent my life in machine shops. Many people who have done the same can do what I do, they are just thinly spread out across the country.

I just shoot them a lot mostly.

I think to make a 44 auto mag revolver you could just use a model 29. Ream the cylinder with an automag reamer cause the automag has a slightly larger base. Cut the rear of the cylinder about .035 so it could have head space with the clips. 45acp clips would probably work fine, but might need a bit of adjustment.

Sweet idea because you could have the power of a 44 mag and what I see as a convenience n moon clips.

The trigger pull mod must be interesting. May I guess that it works by the leverage length increasing some how?

WOW, over the decades that is a pretty long list of revolvers. I will stick to the revolvers since that it the thrust of the first post and I will stick to the ones that I still own

This Model 34 has it's hammer bobbed and a second cylinder rechambered to 22 Magnum to make it a convertible
This Model 25 went to Austin Behlert to be cut down to 2 3/8" and be round butted. I am in the process of doing this same style of conversion to an extra 8 3/8" Model 57 that I have laying around

I had a second cylinder rechambered to 9x23 Winchester so that I could shoot all of the 9MM family of cartridges. I also changed the revolver over to the 3 dot LPA fiber sights
This Model 66 was Mag-Na-Ported to reduce muzzle climb
I opened up the chambers on all my 940s so that they could shoot 38SUPER as well as 9MM Parabellum
This Ultimate Stainless Python went to Walt Sherman to have his Roller Bearing lock work installed
I opened up the chambers on all my 310/610s so that they could shoot 10MM Magnum as well as 10MM auto and 40S&W
There are probably others, but they do not come to mind at the moment.

1917 ( second Brazilian shipment) shortened barrel to 3.5. Added rib and front sight from a M-28 barrel. Relieved the front right side of the trigger guard. Added rear sight blade. On second 1937 vintage Brazilian, changed the barrel to 4" 22-4 barrel, adjustable rear sight. Bowen oversized front sight filed to height. M-28 cylinder bored out to .45 LC. Actions tuned all around.

I can't give any specifics as I'm planning to patent it and possibly make gunsmith or drop in parts kits. Still a bit of fine tuning and logistics to figure out. If anything like that happens at all, it probably won't be till late next year at the soonest.

Usually just polish the internal parts, change the springs, clean and well lubricate, put on some new grips. About it.

THIS HAS BEEN A MOST INTERESTING THREAD. BARREL SWAPS, CYLINDER BORING AND CALIBER CHANGES ARE AMONG THE THINGS THAT I COULD ENVISION MYSELF ENGAGING IN......

OTHER MODS, LIKE SOME DESCRIBED BY Toolguy, AND steelslaver, ARE FASCINATING, AND BEYOND ANYTHING THAT I HAVE EVER IMAGINED, OR MIGHT ATTEMPT. I AM IN AWE OF THEIR TALENT......

THE ONE THING THAT BUMS ME OUT, ABOUT THIS OTHERWISE TERRIFIC THREAD, IS ITS LACK OF GUN PORN ! ! ! WHERE ARE OUR PICTURES, OF YOUR COMPLETED PROJECTS ? ? ?









/

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Here is one of my more modified revolvers. It started as a 6" 28-2. I added a very unique white dot front sight, white dot rear blade. I bobbed the hammer and did a very extensive smoothing/action job. I added a 627 unfluted cylinder that took a little fitting but is working fine now. I stippled the back strap and put on some JM grips. I also glass bead blasted some of the parts to match the cylinder just for looks mostly. I set this revolver up for ICORE but have not made a match as of yet. I have shot it a bunch though and it is a joy to shoot. Can't wait to actually complete with it.

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Very impressive !

Lol now you are just showin off ,just kidding very very impressive.

Wow not only beautiful but very practical and useful especially your multi caliber and conversion guns ,I can just see you during the ammo shortage walk into an ammo place and say " it don't matter what caliber just give me a box or two lol.

Wow just wow I'm wordless and that don't happen to me often lol.

Here you go, a 5" pinned and recessed 45 colt
629- to 5" 45 colt
Brazilian to small round butt, 3" shrouded, adjustable sight gun
A 45 acp/colt carbine
a 629-1 cylinder reamed to 45 colt and cut for moon clips,

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And just for fun a top break Sa 32 with chopped barrel and trimmed hammer spur made into a belt buckle. Yes, it fires and I made a key fob speed loader for it

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When I grow up I want to be like you ,wow not just this but your first post also awesome work and guns.

My 329PD has a little and I mean a little stone/deburr work on the action to smooth it out but I didn't do a full on trigger job. I like it kinda heavy since its my carry gun.

Dumped the lock and put in one of my Original Precision Lock Delete part sets in Titanium Matte.

Broke the threads off my factory bolt so it got replaced with a reworked old school steel N frame bolt. Pivot stud had to be reworked so it would unlock smoothly. Yep and the threads breaking was my fault, I overtightened the thumb piece nut.

Springs etc are all stock, left it that way so I don't have to worry about light primer strikes.



629-3 is bone stock no mods.

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R/S
J.D.

Steelslaver, YOU ARE THE MAN ! ! ! THANK YOU FOR THE PICS. I WISH THAT MY WIFE LISTENED TO ME, AS WELL AS YOU DID.......

Toolguy, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THESE WERE YOUR FIRST FEW POSTS. OMG---YOU MADE QUITE A SPLASH UPON ENTRY ! ! ! YOU ARE A VERY VALUABLE ADDITION TO OUR FORUM.....

AND colt saa, THANK YOU SOO MUCH FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL PICS, AND YOUR INSPIRING WORK. IT TAKES A REAL MAN TO MOLEST A COLT PYTHON ! ! ! I WOULD NOT HAVE THE TESTICULAR FORTITUDE TO DO IT, UNLESS I RESCUED IT, FOR CHEAP MONEY, AND IT NEEDED A COMPLETE MAKEOVER......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I've been around for a while. Sorry, I didn't quite catch that last part. Kinda hard of hearing, ya know...

Toolguy, I FEEL YOUR PAIN. I'M A 75 YO GEEZER, ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE HUGE LEAP, FROM MY '60s, VIETNAM ERA, 35MM, MINOLTA SLR, THAT USES ROLL FILM---TO THE WORLD OF DIGITAL MUMBO JUMBO.....

THE PICS THAT I POST, ARE AT THE BARE MINIMUM, OF WHAT MIGHT BE DEEMED AS ACCEPTABLE, BY TODAY'S STANDARDS......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

THAT IS PROBABLY TRUE, Toolguy. THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION WAS SPAWNED IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS. AS A RESULT, I HAVE BEEN AROUND MANUFACTURING, SKILLED MACHINISTS, AND TOOLMAKERS, ALL OF MY LIFE......

I HAVE BEEN AROUND GUNS, AND 'SMITHS FOR 60 YEARS. ONLY TWO, WOULD I CONSIDER BEING UP TO THE TASK, OF SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE. ONE PASSED ON AT AN EARLY AGE, AND THE OTHER IS STILL WORKING......

THE LATTER IS INVOLVED IN BUILDING CUSTOM, 1911 STYLE, SEMI-AUTOS, FROM SCRATCH, ON BARE FRAMES, FOR SHOOTERS WHO COMPETE, THROUGHOUT THE NEW ENGLAND REGION, AND AT THE CAMP PERRY, CMP MATCHES. HE IS A ONE MAN OPERATION, AND HAS WORK STACKED UP. I DOUBT, IF HE WOULD HAVE THE TIME, OR INTEREST, TO GET INVOLVED IN ONE OF THESE REVOLVER PROJECTS......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I WAS INTERRUPTED, Toolguy. I MEANT TO SAY THAT YOU ARE A VERY VALUABLE ADDITION TO OUR FORUM. I CORRECTED THE ORIGINAL POST---I HOPE....lol

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR THE PICS, Toolguy. YOUR WORDS ALONE, COULD NOT DO JUSTICE TO THESE FANTASTIC CREATIONS......

THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM. JUST A QUESTION. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE SKILL, TO MAKE THOSE IL HOLES DISAPPEAR. IS THERE SOME REASON WHY YOU LEFT THEM VISIBLE ? ? ?

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I used to rechamber/rebarrel model 28's to 44 spl........but not so much anymore.

That's because I don't care about the ILs or the MIM parts. All my guns are working guns that get heavily used in practice and matches, and in all these years I have never had a problem with the lock or MIM parts. All my guns work great with forged or MIM.

In fact, the MIM parts are more consistent than the machined parts because they are precision molded. Every one is like every other one. In order for Metal Injection Molded parts to be viable, they have to be highly engineered. S&W did a killer job on the design and execution of these. They are very well done. If they were poorly designed or made, they would have no end of problems.

I did not do the modifications but I sent my 586 no dash back to the mothership for a complete facelift.

BEFORE: a worn 6" bubba gunsmith special I rescued.


AFTER: 4" tube, replace all the buggered screws, blast blue finish, and combat trigger job done at the Performance Center. The only thing I actually did was save the ruined stocks.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

I've changed out springs, hammers, hands, bolts, triggers, sights and cylinders. Generally, all I do is clean up the innards to remove burrs, but if there is something that needs to be done for other reasons, I'll do it. I enjoy working on revolvers and building 1911's.

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Dave Frost