In what ways do S&W's get "Bubba'd"

[bushmaster1313]

WARNING: This thread is not for the squeamish

Otherwise collectable shotguns get their stocks cut.

Pre-war Model 70's get drilled and tapped for scopes.

What sort of bad things happen to great S&W's.

 

[Laketime]

Action jobs,where reliability is a factor

 

[Drm50]

The most common Bubba jobs on S&Ws is the cut down barrel.
Done with hardware store hacksaw. Some of the higher class
guys even try to square up muzzle with a horse shoe rasp. Then
the real artists willbraze a front sight on. Usually a coin of some
type. You run into these at shows and guy will tell you his grand
dad had it special ordered from S&W. Sometimes you will get
lucky a run onto a Fitz special. Front of trigger guard sawed off
and hammer spur groun off.

 

[A10]

Electropencil..............Curse you PJ Anderson, wherever you are!

 

[GB]

Square butt to round ( NO flames, I know that several people on this forum think that is the greatest mod. you can do and maybe it was when the guns were still being manufactured but not now!) Fact is that if a S&W or any gun can be Bubba'd it has been done and will be again.

As a side note, I was in a shop one time and good customer came in with a Ruger flat top .44 mag. three screw and wanted a bunch of custom work done. Included was a barrel cut and milling of the top strap from flat to roundish and drilling some holes. Gun was minty. Owner of the shop told the guy that the gun was way to nice and to valuable to cut up. The guy said he didn't care, that is what he wanted done. Owner offered to trade for a new model Super Blackhawk and do the work requested for free. The guy said no, I want the work on this gun. Owner of the shop told the guy that he would have to take the gun some place else because he wouldn't do the work. The guy left and I don't think I ever saw him in the shop again.

 

[alwslate]

Victory models and 1917s get chrome or nickel plated.

 

[-db-]

Sideplate screws in the wrong locations, buggered screws, crinkled area at top of sideplate due to improper reinstallation, mashed knurling on ejector rods, all of which are easily avoidable.

 

[bearman49709]

Polished stainless steel, you never know what else bubba got his hands on.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Bobbed hammers, filed down strain screws and cut down rebound springs.

 

[wbraswell]

Cold blue...I know, I've done it.

 

[Fishslayer]

Jewelled hammers & triggers.

 

[A10]

Jewelled hammers & triggers.

Just plain ugly........

 

[NYlakesider]

"In what ways do S&W's get "Bubba'd""

I would hazard a guess and say any way possible and in some cases almost impossible, there are people out there that could Bubbisise<SP> a pet rock. What mischief they could do to fine firearms would and has blown my mind.

 

[kaveman]

My favorite(least)is probably the SS# electro-penciled into the frame. So senseless,..........I can at least appreciate the thought behind some of the other customization when taking into account the time period when it was 'accomplished' but scratching your claim into it is unpardonable.

I'll eventually get around to posting pics of my 'custom' Triple Lock,...........but I haven't worked up the courage just yet and I'm still trying to get it into a condition that doesn't embarrass me(ftr I did NOT do the customizing). Oh,............I know guys like pictures; I'm just not sure anyone's going to like this one,..........

I actually have quite a collection of these unfortunate disasters. Most painful for me personally is a decent condition WC Scott Premier 12ga with the barrels cut back to about 20". In its defense, it may well have been cut back due to barrel damage and not just to satisfy someone's inner cowboy,...........but that's NOT the proper way to fix it! When I see and handle it I do cry a bit, but then I realize that it would not be mine if it hadn't been altered. Cutting 8" off the tubes is what put that $7000 shotgun in my hands for the princely sum of $200,...........and since I don't hunt it I can still appreciate 99% of the workmanship that went into it. Guess I could take it into the deer woods and appreciate it 100% but I don't know any deer that would enjoy getting busted with a gun covered with birdie engraving. Found a pic of this one too,......

If I was to have this birdie stuff rubbed off and replaced it with some critter scratching I guess it'd be OK in the woods. Would that be considered Bubba?

 

[Doug627]

I had a beat up four inch Model 29 which needed to be re-blued. It had a good looking trigger and hammer. I explained I just wanted the gun re-blued and nothing else. I was going to carry it while hiking. The gunsmith called and said it was ready. I walked in and there was one nice re-blued Model 29 WITH JEWELLED HAMMER AND TRIGGER! I just held it and looked at it speechless. The gunsmith said: "I notice you are looking at the trigger and hammer. No extra charge. Sure sets off the gun doesn't it?" I wanted to cry.

 

[BubbaBlades]

As an actual "Bubba", I need to point out that not ALL home modifications are bad. This 4" M66-5 was cut down to 3" with a hacksaw. The sight from a M686 was brazed to the shortened barrel. The new barrel crown was done with hand tools as was the slab siding (to remove the now off-centered S&W markings).
An action job was done to reduce the double action pull to 8 pounds.

I have 2 1/2", 3", 4" and 6" M66s, however, this is the last M66 that I would ever sell.



Mark

 

[cmort666]

I've got a police surplus 3" Smith 65 that I got through CDNN.

I decided I'd put a few boxes of ammunition through it before starting to carry it. Good thing too.

Officer Bubba decided that he'd "lighten" the trigger pull by cutting off the strain screw so that it would press in on the mainspring less, but could still be screwed all the way in. I'd get at least two misfires out of six in every cylinder.

My smith and I finally figured it out, replacing the strain screw with a stock item. It's been 100% ever since.

 

[Arik]

I consider only physical modifications to be Bubba'd. Although I'm sure there are visual ones that are bad as well but generally electropencils bad bluing don't bother me as long as mechanically it's straight and sound. In fact I'd rather save money on a solid gun with chicken scratch all over it than pay actual price.

There are few things to butcher on a revolver. What really gets me are Bubba'd rifles. Way to much for them to "customize"

 

[357-RevolverGuy]

Gold lettering the S&W logo on the sideplate and caliber markings on the barrel.

 

[fiasconva]

My favorite was the pic posted of a M&P FS with the grip shortened to fit a M&PC mag. I still can't figure that one out.