Cold chills

[Dave T]

Here's my "personal observation", which I've posted before so it's a little late to keep it to myself.

There are guns S&W never built or only produced in such limited numbers that mere mortals like me will never be able to afford them, particularly as shooters. A good example would be 5" barreled N-frames. A factory standard for the 357 Magnum and later for the M-27, few if any other calibers were given a 5" tube.

I found this pre-M25 that had some finish splotches, removing it from collector status, and had my gun smith cut it to 5" and change the patridge front to a more holster friendly ramp. He also added a more DA friendly narrow trigger.


Smith & Wesson never made a blue steel Mountain Gun in 45 ACP. Since that is one of my favorite revolver cartridges I snapped up a M25-2 on which someone had installed a Model of 1950 tapered 6.5" barrel. Had the same gun smith cut it to 4", round the butt (all MGs are round butts) and other wise set it up like a factory Mountain Gun (beveled cylinder, ramped front sight and fine bead blast finish).


Right now that same gun smith has a 681 that someone did a Magna Port job on. Because of the ports I got it fairly cheep. I've always thought an L-frame version of the 3", round butt K-frame (M10s, M64s, M13s & M65s) would be a dandy holster gun for a steady diet of full power Magnums, but S&W never built a gun like that. Talked to my friend yesterday and all he has left to do is test fire it and possibly regulate the sights a bit.

To the OP, if this gives you cold chills...too bad. I could really care less. (no offense of course)

Dave

 

[AveragEd]

Dave, I for one have absolutely no problem with what you had done to those guns. They weren't in pristine condition, weren't collector items and are not in ultra-high demand right now so you in effect rescued some good guns that had been somewhat neglected from becoming parts donors.

Ed

 

[shawn mccarver]

Folks, they're tools!! If you are going to use them, it is certainly worth your while to make them more useful. I don't suggest buying a pristine example of some older, discontinued model and randomly chopping it up, but with currently produced or less-than-perfect older examples that will actually be used, making thoughtful, utilitarian improvements can be a good thing. Then the remaining NIB or original configuration pristine examples will be worth even more because of their rarity. JMHO, YMMV.

Froggie

"Thoughtful" and is the key word here. Some of the mindless antics people do with perfectly good firearms are the result of either (1) not thinking it through; or, (2) not realizing that the owner's "new, good idea" was tried already forty years ago by others and found "wanting."

Most "action work" for example can be easily accomplished by the owner spending the same amount that would be spent on the "action job" and actually shooting the revolver. The action becomes smoother and better AND you actually get practice shooting.

Sort of reminds me of this new finish you can get on your "cowboy action" single action revolver that makes it look well-used. Why not just "well use" it? Hilarious. And people actually pay for this stuff?

Unfortunately, many people do not shoot. Instead they PHOTOGRAPH their revolvers in curious poses that evoke the "good old days" or make it look like they shoot a lot.

With almost 100% certainty, work done by even the most famous gunsmith will reduce the value of the firearm to everyone except the person who just paid for the work. Possible exceptions might be an ORIGINAL Pachmayr "Combat Special" or an Armand Swenson 1911, etc. You get the idea. And even then, you would be buying for collector value not as a carry piece.

If that is what happens with known gunsmith work, you know that the Bubba kitchen table job is going to result in the value of the firearm plunging like the neckline of one of those silly Kardashian girls.

Best to buy what you want or need and just shoot it a lot, in my opinion.

 

[ralph7]

Folks, they're tools!! If you are going to use them, it is certainly worth your while to make them more useful. I don't suggest buying a pristine example of some older, discontinued model and randomly chopping it up, but with currently produced or less-than-perfect older examples that will actually be used, making thoughtful, utilitarian improvements can be a good thing. Then the remaining NIB or original configuration pristine examples will be worth even more because of their rarity. JMHO, YMMV.

Froggie

Funny, when I first read that first sentence, I thought you were referring to the people that disfigure guns.

 

[Dave T]

Best to buy what you want or need and just shoot it a lot, in my opinion.

And if S&W doesn't make what you want? Guess we're supposed to sit on our hands and not touch the sacred relics.

Dave

 

[M3Stuart]

Well, in the 21st century with the internet and all, I'm sure you can take pretty much anything (car, motorcycle, gun), modify it, post pics on the internet, and find somebody who'll give you high-fives.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, taste is personal. To each their own, live and let live...blah blah blah. You get the idea. It doesn't bother me.

 

[blujax01]

Is it just me or are there some folks so worried about resale value that it appears they only buy guns to sell guns?

 

[AveragEd]

Not really. We buy guns we like as is and keep them that way so they are a valuable heirloom for our kids rather than have them have to tell a friend, "Now, here's a gun that would be worth a lot of money today if my dad hadn't really screwed it up."

If S&W doesn't make what you want, buy it from someone who does. And if no one else makes it, that ought to tell you something.

Ed

 

[AzRedleg]

I respect those who like to keep their firearms stock.

I also respect those who choose to make their firearms their own.

A collectible non-modified firearm is very nice to look at, but I can't deny that some of the modified/personalized pistols move me more. At least the ones where someone actually appreciated the gun enough to hire a professional to personalize it, or if they have the skill, invest the time in it themselves.

A much older friend of mine at the gun club was shooting an older Ruger Blackhawk. It was modified plenty. Jeweled hammer, custom sights, grips, trigger, cut down barrel, and probably some other things I can't remember. An old friend of his had passed away and left it to him. It wasn't my friend's gun, it was his old buddies gun. He shot it, I shot it, and we remembered his buddy together. I felt I got to know his buddy a little bit that day, even though I'd never met him, through his pistol. It was unique. Someday someone is going to own that Blackhawk and wonder about its story. I hope it finds a good home.

Sometimes I wonder if I should send off a few of mine for some "fine tuning." Maybe have some engraving done. Maybe have some cutting and polishing and general modifying done. It would devalue them immensely, sure, but they would be mine, and maybe someday, someone will come along who appreciated them, and wondered about their story.

 

[daveyc]

To each his own. But don't I bate to pick up a nice Smith only to see those ugly magnaports cut into the barrel

 

[Cal44]

There is a parallel with another of my interests -- collector cars.

Some people like to find an original example of a car with engine and transmission having matching serial numbers, and then making it a perfect original with every part correct right down to the last washer or bolt.

Others put electronic ignition and fuel pumps onto an old muscle car - plus headers, new carb etc.

The original car restorers think customizing is a travesty -- like painting a new smile on the mona lisa.

The custmomizers consider the collectors luddites stuck in the past.

To me guns are a hobby and tools and I'm not going to tell others how to practice their hobby or what tools they should have.

 

[Rick_A]

While I am one of those that will make what I want out of my firearms...value be damned...my Smith revolvers get little more than a set of grips.

 

[fyimo]

We are a good group up here and many including yours truly have bought multi S&W revolvers in one day as I personally bought 3 from one dealer on the same day.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Some people are good around guns , some are not..........

Back in the 70's I removed the bottom 3/4's of the trigger guard from my win 270, so I could shot it with gloves on in the heavy winter seasons back then. It was nothing to hunt in 2-3 foot deep snow and temperatures below 32 degrees, then.

40 years later and no problems.................but the range officer that I know very well, still walks away shaking his head.