Baltimoreed11754
Member
I think it’s just the vent rib of the Colt that makes them look better than the solid rib Smith. There was a gunsmith who was milling vents in Model 41 .22 barrels which really made them sharp looking.
Finally, a Smolt!
- Thread starter Rodan
- Start date
RMFnLA
Member
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is the lack of the lock at the front of the ejector rod.
That alone would cause me sleepless nights…
That alone would cause me sleepless nights…
OP
Rodan
Member
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is the lack of the lock at the front of the ejector rod.
That alone would cause me sleepless nights…
A ball detent lock has been added to the crane, and this is common to most of these conversions. It was also the way most bull barrel PPC guns were built. Well proven.
Mine both have the ball detent lock
A 4" made with a J&G gunsmith special frame, milled for adjustable sights and a recessed model 19 cylinder fit to it
A bead blasted model 15 frame, with a recessed nickle 19 cylinder and 6" nickle Python Barrel
A 4" made with a J&G gunsmith special frame, milled for adjustable sights and a recessed model 19 cylinder fit to it
A bead blasted model 15 frame, with a recessed nickle 19 cylinder and 6" nickle Python Barrel
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Green Frog
Member
Awwwww...Fred Schmit...a name from the past. I grew up in Mechanicsville, and Fred Schmidt was a legend in the shooting community. The closest I ever came to him having anything to do with me, was seeing his flyers at DeGoff's and Green Top. I didn't dare go into his shop. Me? A mere mortal who hardly knew which end of a gun the bullets came out of? His name was whispered in awe among the IPSC shooters I was with for a year or so over at Issac Walton Park. Revolver or 1911...he was THE MAN. Oh my goodness, that short cylinder conversion? It would even make ME a good shooter.
A Smolt is one of my "grail" guns. No idea why. I've got Pythons, and I've got a Model 19. I have no "need" for a Smolt but that doesn't stop me from "wanting" one. Still, it will no doubt stay a "want". Heck, we gotta have "wants" to keep the dream alive.
To the OP. Congratulations...I'm officially "jealous". Your gun is the very gun I've always imagined when I dreamed of "my" own Smolt. A 4" Python barrel, on a Model 19 frame. Enjoy a few rounds for me.
Ummmm Maybe a Nickel Python Barrel on a blue Model 19...too gaudy?
CB,
Fred's shop was not Mount Olympus. We mere mortals were welcome there as well. Over the years I had him slick up a 70 Series nickel plated Commander for me and demonstrated how well by feeding empty cases into it through the mag. One of the great regrets of my life is selling that gun. He also did a barrel switch for me, a Model 29-2 I had gotten with a 4" barrel. He fitted an 8 3/8" barrel I'd found at a gun show. Both of these jobs were done for a snot nosed VCU grad student.
After his passing my friend Alan was tasked by Mrs Schmidt with selling off his stuff and I got one of his basic PPC street type guns, a 4" HB Model 10 with Bomar cover-up rib, and a full house short cylinder gun. Both were built as samples made to take to matches etc to show off his skill, and as you would imagine were very nice indeed! Both got sold to collectors after I drifted away from PPC shooting. Of the four guns, the Model 29-2 is the only one still in my safe.
Froggie
Looks very nice ...but I have to ask . Why would anyone want to put a Colt barrel on to a S&W frame ? I just don't see the purpose of it.
She's a beauty, welcome to the club. Smolts are great!
Green Frog
Member
At one time, rightly or wrongly, many PPC aficionados felt that the action of a S&W was smoother and stronger than that of a Colt, but that the barrel of the Colt was superior. Since the serious competitors wanted the greatest possible potential from their guns, the Smolt was born.
Of course some smiths such as Fred Schmidt, Bill Davis, Frank Glenn and others also built S&Ws with all custom features such as barrels by Douglas and others. I do know of a couple of Smolts Fred built, though.
What an interesting trip down memory lane!
Froggie
I did it because I came across the python barrels, found the frames cheap, had 357 cylinders and had the time and tools and thought it was interesting
ezoutes
Member
OP, congratulations on your Smolt and welcome to the club!
Around 1979 I saw my first Smolt in a gun magazine and knew that would be the ticket. All the benefits of S&W lockwork plus the marvelous Python barrel. I was fortunate to have available to me the services of a Mr. Jim Fish, 30+ years working on (primarily) revolvers at S&W in MA and later running the Tampa, FL S&W repair center. Jim built three of them for me; two 4" duty guns and one 6" for PPC. The two 4 inchers are round butts and the 6 inch a square butt. The grips were made to my hand size by Aaron Hogue and another local smith did the e-nickle work.
The PPC gun didn't get nearly as much use as the duty guns, which in total have about 19-20k rounds through them. All .38 special, about a third of that +P. My carry load of choice was 125gr JSP +P. That round would do what I needed without excessively abusing the revolver or the shooter. The accuracy and reliability of these gems was nothing short of phenomenal and left a smile on my face every time. One or the other rode on my hip until my agency authorized 1911s, at which point they went into semi-retirement.
One of the "wonder twins" and the PPC gun now live with my best friend who still (along with his sons) shoots them on a regular basis - a testament to how well they were built.
Around 1979 I saw my first Smolt in a gun magazine and knew that would be the ticket. All the benefits of S&W lockwork plus the marvelous Python barrel. I was fortunate to have available to me the services of a Mr. Jim Fish, 30+ years working on (primarily) revolvers at S&W in MA and later running the Tampa, FL S&W repair center. Jim built three of them for me; two 4" duty guns and one 6" for PPC. The two 4 inchers are round butts and the 6 inch a square butt. The grips were made to my hand size by Aaron Hogue and another local smith did the e-nickle work.
The PPC gun didn't get nearly as much use as the duty guns, which in total have about 19-20k rounds through them. All .38 special, about a third of that +P. My carry load of choice was 125gr JSP +P. That round would do what I needed without excessively abusing the revolver or the shooter. The accuracy and reliability of these gems was nothing short of phenomenal and left a smile on my face every time. One or the other rode on my hip until my agency authorized 1911s, at which point they went into semi-retirement.
One of the "wonder twins" and the PPC gun now live with my best friend who still (along with his sons) shoots them on a regular basis - a testament to how well they were built.
OP
Rodan
Member
Range report:
Shot the Smolt this morning... LOVE it! It definitely has less muzzle flip than my standard 4" M19-3. Frank's action work is smooth, and reliable.
10 yard rapid fire D/A target, 12 rounds. The flyer high right is what I get for putting smooth wood grips on it. They're pretty, but I think I'm going to need something checkered for shooting grips.
Shot the Smolt this morning... LOVE it! It definitely has less muzzle flip than my standard 4" M19-3. Frank's action work is smooth, and reliable.
10 yard rapid fire D/A target, 12 rounds. The flyer high right is what I get for putting smooth wood grips on it. They're pretty, but I think I'm going to need something checkered for shooting grips.
Green Frog
Member
Don’t give up on those grips yet! If they fit your hand, they will work! I campaigned those same grips on my Schmidt Short cylinder gun and with its slab sided bull barrel, heavy barrel weight, and Aristocrat rib, it would make that Smolt seem petite by comparison. Make sure your hands are dry and you might even need a bit of powdered rosin on your hands. If that doesn’t work, just send those grips to me for proper disposal! I’ve got just the place for them.
Froggie
OP
Rodan
Member
On a full PPC gun, shooting .38WC, the smooth grips would be fine. Personally, I preferred the old Davis grips on a PPC gun, though.
My standard .357 range load is a 158gr at ~1000fps, not a full magnum load, but enough recoil to require a little more traction in the grips for fast shooting.
My standard .357 range load is a 158gr at ~1000fps, not a full magnum load, but enough recoil to require a little more traction in the grips for fast shooting.
Re: Rosin
I used this in the PPC matches. My grips of choice were Rogers (later Safariland). But even with the molded in checkering, they got slippery during the summer matches in the central valley of CA, where temps normally exceed 100 degrees.
So my rosin bag went out on the line with me.
FWIW, the molded stippling on the nylon Hogue Monogrip is, to me, the ideal gripping service. Neither the Rogers nor the nylon (or rubber if that is one's preference) Hogue will win any beauty contests, but for duty or competition, function is what counts.
I used this in the PPC matches. My grips of choice were Rogers (later Safariland). But even with the molded in checkering, they got slippery during the summer matches in the central valley of CA, where temps normally exceed 100 degrees.
So my rosin bag went out on the line with me.
FWIW, the molded stippling on the nylon Hogue Monogrip is, to me, the ideal gripping service. Neither the Rogers nor the nylon (or rubber if that is one's preference) Hogue will win any beauty contests, but for duty or competition, function is what counts.
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OP
Rodan
Member
Quick update...
I ordered another set of Hogues in Cocobolo, this time checkered. Unfortunately, I ran into two problems. First, they were nowhere near as pretty. Second, the radius of the top finger groove was much smaller and didn't fit me at all.
I ended up sending the original set back to Hogue and had them stippled. Now I have fit, grip, and looks...
I ordered another set of Hogues in Cocobolo, this time checkered. Unfortunately, I ran into two problems. First, they were nowhere near as pretty. Second, the radius of the top finger groove was much smaller and didn't fit me at all.
I ended up sending the original set back to Hogue and had them stippled. Now I have fit, grip, and looks...
Ain't that the truth? At my LGS recently the subject of Smolts came up...I think I had joked for the young fellow behind the counter to look out for one for me. He looked at me like I was from Mars. A WHAT? Then I had to tell him the story, at least as much as I knew about them. He listened intently, he's one of the good one's who want to learn. Said he'd never heard of such, but he'd keep an eye out for me.
Quick update...
I ended up sending the original set back to Hogue and had them stippled. Now I have fit, grip, and looks...
Beautiful!!! Love the look.
SWEEeeeeeet... always wanted one!
A couple of 4" 586s filled the void for me. My favorite is a the -5, factory round butt w/ Spegel extended Boot grips in Birdseye maple!
A couple of 4" 586s filled the void for me. My favorite is a the -5, factory round butt w/ Spegel extended Boot grips in Birdseye maple!
A later model Python barrel with only one pin on front sight should thread right into a L frame Smith. Still need to make it time to the frame, adjust Barrel to cylinder gap, but that goes with most barrel installs even S&W to S&W. You also need to open up part of the ejector rod slot as S&W rods are thicker than Colts. Then install a ball detent in the yoke. You could machine a hole and cross pin for a tooth to engage end of rod.
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