Barrel Chopping?

[Dave T]

Wondering about the wisdom & utility of chopping down a 6-1/2" barrel to a more balanced and handy 4" or 5"? The gun is a pre-Model 25 that shows some of what I call age speckling. Some might call it pitting although the speckles are smooth to the touch and don't clean up with oil and 0000 steel wool.

Some one here, in another thread, made the comment that any pitting ruins a gun for collecting and makes it a shooter...and should be priced accordingly. Well, I haven't found many things priced as shooters, but am willing to concede this pre-M25 is not clean enough to be considered a collectors item. Certainly not when compared to most of the gun shown here on the forum.

Dave

 

[handgunner356]

It's your gun and you can do anything you want to it, but barrel cutting will ruin any resale price. It would be best to try and locate a used barrel to install on the gun if you can. By the time you have a barrel cut, recrowned and sight set you usually are not far off the price of a used barrel and fit without a big hit on the guns' value.

 

[Dave T]

I probably should have posted some pictures with the original question. Belatedly here are some showing the pitting/speckling I'm talking about.

handgunner,

Are you saying a replaced, cut down barrel will be worth more than the original cut down barrel? Not sure I see that but you may be right. That's why I'm asking about it.

Dave

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
I have had several Model 25-2 barrels cut back to 4" which makes a better balanced and carry piece. Accuracy is not affected.
Jimmy

 

[handgunner356]

No I meant a shorter used barrel, I guess I'm not sure what barrel lengths were available for the pre-25. You can call it speckling, I'd refer to it as character, old people get age spots too.

 

[Class III]

Dave, what I believe Handgunner356 is saying, and I totally agree with him, is do not cut down your original barrel. If you want to have a shorter barrel, find a replacement barrel and have it installed. If a shorter barrel is not available get one longer than you want and have the new to you barrel cut, crowned and installed. By doing this your are able to return the M25 to it's original configuration with the original parts if you should ever decide to sell. Original configuration is generally worth more when comparing apples to apples. i.e. An ORIGINAL configuration M25 that is in 85% is worth $XXX.XX. An ALTER configuration M25 that is in 85% is worth a lot less.

Class III

 

[2Guns]

Barrel Chopping

Here is my .02 cents. This is collectors forum, so if you ask a group of collectors should I....cut a barrel, change the sights, refinish, etc... just about any S&W revolver, the typical answer will be, don't!

However, if you read posts on this same forum where owners who are the proud owners of a well executed customized revolvers, then there are generally an equal number of very positive comments from forum members who would loved to own just such a handgun.

I like to personalize my handguns to suit my tastes when my checkbook and wife will allow it! There is a certain amount of pride in ownership in changing a weapon to suit your given needs or wants at the time. If your desire is to own and shoot a unique weapon, then the trick is to decide what you want and make a determination if the cost of the modification is worth the end results to you, not what the weapon will be worth to some future purchaser. Generally, you are never going to recover the amount of money that you invest in customizing a gun, unless of course you are talented engough to do the work yourself. You can generally get some "bump up" on the price you paid, if you find the right purchaser, but a dollar for dollar increase, generally not and that should not be your goal.

In my mind, the goal when you customize a weapon, is to suit yourself. I guess the only thing I would never consider customizing would be truly rare ultra expensive weapons.

However if you are true collector and not an "acquirer", like me, then you are very likely thinking about the future resale of a weapon and the loss of inherent value that any customization will cause. Some folks also just gain pleasure in owning and collecting unaltered weapons.

Hey whatever floats your boat! Ultimately, it is your revolver and you should do whatever makes the most since to you.

2Guns

 

[Dave T]

Thanks for the opinions guys, and I mean that sincerely. I am not a collector in the sense of the SWCA. I think of myself as a collector of shooters. In my younger days, when I was packing a badge and shooting in competition when I could get the time off, I had a general rule that if I didn't shoot a gun for two or three years, then it was sold or traded for something I would shoot. I had a bunch of handguns go through my fingers that I wish I had back, but that's just life. Being older (over 60) and not competing (disability) I now tend to buy more carefully and plan to hang on, just for the joy of owning and occasionally shooting my guns. Being on that much talked about "fixed income" I generally can't afford the pristine, or nearly so, guns I so often see posted here. Still, I have a great appreciation for the 4 & 5 screw N-frames. I buy re-blued, re-barreled and restored guns now because it brings down the price and I can shoot them with a clear conscience.

I haven't made up my mind what to do with this pre-M25 but I do appreciate the feedback.

Dave

 

[hastings]

I'm an architectural designer/structural engineer working for a colonial revival design/build company. I design and engineer houses for a broad spectrum of clients, but they generally break down into two groups. The first group designs a fairly generic house. Tasteful, high-end, but with generic details and floor plans that are intended to appeal to a broad range of buyers. These clients fully intend to live in the house for a few years and then sell the house (hopefully for a profit). Their goal is to hold onto the house short-term and enjoy the house sparingly with an eye toward the profit they hope to make. The second group aim for a very specific, personalized home designed around their lifestyle and preferences. These clients tend to be older, and have fine-tuned their tastes over decades. They have no intention of selling the home once they have it built, and they generally seem to be the more satisfied customers.

Long story, but the point is that there are similar groups in the gun crowd. Some are gun collectors/investors who enjoy fine firearms, but are attracted to the value of the firearms as well as their potential shooting ability. Some are shooters who look for firearms that are ideally suited to them, or modify existing ones to suit them. I don't think either side is more valid, and the line between the two groups is often a very blurry one.

I fall into the second group. I'd rather have one firearm that fits me, and is customized to suit my needs and abilities than a safe full of beautiful models that I will never shoot. If I were you, I'd cut the barrel down to a length that feels right to you. If you feel squeamish about doing it, sell the gun and buy one with a shorter barrel, or one you can cut down without regrets. I know there are a limited number of older models, but they are just material possessions. You can't take them with you, and you should own them, not them own you. When I die, I hope to leave my son with a few firearms that are worn, carry tons of memories, and remind him of me because I used them constantly. Those are the type of items I find valuable, not ones I can hope to sell for a few hundred more than I paid for them if I live long enough to sell them, but not long enough to have them confiscated.

I appreciate those of you who collect, but it's just not in my nature. Each to his own. If you don't want to cut down the pre-25, pm me. I'd be happy to do a trade for may a sale so you could get something you like. But be warned, I'd probably cut the thing down to 3-1/2" and shoot the livin' daylights out of the thing, carry it in my pocket, get it wet while hunting, and generally add some character to the thing.