A “New” Revolver Project

[Green Frog]

Well, my dalliance with semi autos seems to have reached a conclusion... I've gotten a Franken-Smith 9mm built to the general specs I had planned, and the price of Gen 1-3 parts seems to have gone through the roof.

Anyway, I stashed an orphan 32 Regulation Police revolver with a slightly hinkie replaced 6" barrel. The revolver is of dubious provenance... in short a good shooter but not much more. Since I'm thinking of returning to my revolver roots and trying replicate the 4" Kit Gun design as shown here several times by friend Hondo44. I will depart from his design by using post-War adjustable sights harvested from a Model 34. My only major decision yet to be made is what barrel I want. I'm thinking of having a custom profile turned... along the lines of a K frame "heavy barrel" scaled to the smaller I frame, then inletting the front lug under the barrel in the way many builders of PPC guns used to do. The front sight will probably be a small ramp, silver soldered in place and carrying a Baughman style front blade.

So, whaddaya think? Is this a worthwhile project? Should I write it up and post here as I go along? Or is this too crazy even for a Frog's mind?

Froggie

 

[Mercury]

I'm always up for a project, I say go for it.
I recently converted a model 649 from .38 and it's now a 6-shot .32 magnum and has become my favorite J-frame.

Please post your progress as you go.
...Mercury

 

[2152hq]

Love Projects! Make it what you want.
I've got a Ruger OM BlkHawk in progress. It never ends.

BTW,,What does the 'slightly hinkie replaced 6" barrel' look like?

 

[krsmith58]

i would love to see the project in photo presentation. thanks

 

[Rpg]

We need "before " photos.

 

[NavySCPO]

Projects are fun! What's not to like about creating a one of a kind or unusual revolver that S&W maybe should have offered but never did. I'm just finishing up an 18-3 which will have a substitute 22 Mag 648 cylinder. Almost perfect woods carry revolver. Certainly not original, many have done something similar, and the beauty of that is so much info from them right here on the forum so we can learn from their experiences.

Go for it, and let us see it step by step...We might be next.

 

[Jebus35745]

Go for it Froggie, long live project guns. Hondo's .32 kit gun is very nice. Sounds neat, pic or two of the current gun. About to purchase another man's completed project, a 5" model 28. The late Dave Chicodine (spelling?) cut and reblued the barrel. Gonna buy it cause it's cool looking and will sit next to the 5" 27-2 in the safe. Andy Horvath lives way too close to me, it's dangerous!! Larry

 

[Injunbro]

Go for it & show us as you go. I've made myself several one-of-a-kinds that I really like & had others pay me to do it to theirs.

 

[lawandorder]

Mercury sure would like to see your 649 conversion.

 

[Green Frog]

C'mon guys... isn't anybody going to try to talk me off the ledge here? A fine lot of friends you guys turned out to be! You're a bunch of enablers.

This project has been simmering on the back burner for several years now, and I even mislaid the gun itself in my junk room for at least a year or more but didn't look too hard for it since other projects were in line in front of it.

2152hq, the donor gun looks looks pretty good at first glance... certainly a high end shooter grade example. Upon closer inspection, the barrel is a replacement installed by Billy Bob with guidance from Harlow Parkenfarker. It came from Smith with no relief cut for the mushroom head LERK, so Billy went after it with a dull horseshoe rasp. The clearance is there, but not a single line of the cuts are straight or true. Therefore, I don't have any regrets about changing the "hinkie" barrel and while I'm at it adding the adjustable sights while I'm at it. I love me some original Regulation Police stocks and these are real nice... a light rubdown with some boiled linseed oil or tung oil and they'll be good to go.

Reblue? Maybe yes, maybe no... as somebody once said, "We'll burn that bridge when we get to it!"

Froggie

 

[reccpd101]

Froggie, you always come up with the most interesting projects, like your 616.

They are an inspiration to the rest of us, much to the dismay of my bank account. Go for it.

 

[Green Frog]

Injunbro, there's no way I could build one of my projects for somebody else. I'd lose my @$$ by the time I hunted up parts and had them fitted, then finished it up to make it look like it should. If I were more of a gunsmith myself, I might be able to do enough myself to bring costs under control, but I'm not, so I can't!

Froggie

 

[Green Frog]

It looks like the logical (what's logic got to do with anything?) next step is to find a ruined 303 Brit barrel from which I can salvage 6-8" with a good bore to use as my "barrel blank." I've got a couple of feelers out now. About the other step I need to accomplish now is to design/decide on an appropriate front sight.

Froggie

 

[Mercury]

lawandorder, not wanting to drift this thread, I'll just include a couple of photos here.

 

[Green Frog]

I started this thread Mercury, and I'm more than willing to have constructive drift like yours. Any other creative small frame project reports, especially with pictures, will be warmly welcomed.

Froggie

 

[lawandorder]

Thanks to both of you Gentlemen for contributing to the subject of custom built S&W revolvers.
Tony

 

[Mercury]

Because you're being so gracious Green Frog, here's another J-frame conversion.
It was a .38 that had some finish issues from a previous owner trying to scratch the rust off of it. I got it cheap many years ago and now it's a 3" .32 SWL.

 

[Hondo44]

It looks like the logical (what's logic got to do with anything?) next step is to find a ruined 303 Brit barrel from which I can salvage 6-8" with a good bore to use as my "barrel blank." I've got a couple of feelers out now. About the other step I need to accomplish now is to design/decide on an appropriate front sight.

Froggie

BRAVO MY INTREPID AMPHIBIAN S&W COLLEAGUE!!

I like your plan! I think your initial Baughman front sight blade on factory style ramp can't be beat. As well as the Heavy barrel reminiscent of the matching Models, 15, 16, and 17 would be perfect. Something on the order of this heavy Barreled Mod 36 Target:

And as you'll notice, due to the thick barrel above, the front sight won't need to be as high as my 30-1 with tapered barrel:

Since I know the retention of the leaf mainspring is a must for the pre war trigger pull, you might consider a post war target hammer: as I've just finished designing a fairly simple modification to the target hammer allowing it to work with a pre war/leaf spring. And a small frame post war target trigger as well.

Does the 303 barrel have the right twist? And are you planning for a barrel rib?

 

[Hondo44]

Because you're being so gracious Green Frog, here's another J-frame conversion.
It was a .38 that had some finish issues from a previous owner trying to scratch the rust off of it. I got it cheap many years ago and now it's a 3" .32 SWL.

After about 10 minutes with a .32 H&R Mag finish reamer, that would make a dandy dual cartridge gun!

 

[Green Frog]

Because you're being so gracious Green Frog, here's another J-frame conversion.
It was a .38 that had some finish issues from a previous owner trying to scratch the rust off of it. I got it cheap many years ago and now it's a 3" .32 SWL.

Did you have to change (or replace) the hand on that 38 five shooter when you converted it to a 32 six shooter?

Froggie