Green Frog
Member
Here’s a perfect example of my philosophy on custom guns. When was the last time you saw a Model 16-3 (32 S&W L) for sale, much less at an affordable price?
I had such a project maturing (festering) in my mind for a couple of years and as a result of mentioning it here was contacted by a forum member offering me a NOS Model 16-3 barrel, and it was off to the races!
I had already stashed a Model 17 cylinder to rebore, so I jumped on Gone Broker and found a Model 14-3 priced cheaply because it had blue wear on the barrel and cylinder.. Success! I found a gunsmith to share my vision and 8 months later my faux 16-3 arrived.
BTW, When the 16 series was current but sorta slow moving, the folks @ Smith would pull a finished Model 14 off the shelf and rebuild it as a 16, even over stamping the 4 with a 6. Mine isn’t stamped, but is otherwise identical. See the “before and after” pictures below.
Now remember, Model 16s are nearly impossible to find (and very expensive when found). Model 14s are pretty common and this was a less than prime example. I did follow my own “rules”. When those Model 28 conversions were being done, the same was true of target grade big bore N frames, and you could even go to the old J&G ads and find barrel-less model 28s for peanuts!
Froggie
I had such a project maturing (festering) in my mind for a couple of years and as a result of mentioning it here was contacted by a forum member offering me a NOS Model 16-3 barrel, and it was off to the races!
I had already stashed a Model 17 cylinder to rebore, so I jumped on Gone Broker and found a Model 14-3 priced cheaply because it had blue wear on the barrel and cylinder.. Success! I found a gunsmith to share my vision and 8 months later my faux 16-3 arrived.
BTW, When the 16 series was current but sorta slow moving, the folks @ Smith would pull a finished Model 14 off the shelf and rebuild it as a 16, even over stamping the 4 with a 6. Mine isn’t stamped, but is otherwise identical. See the “before and after” pictures below.
Now remember, Model 16s are nearly impossible to find (and very expensive when found). Model 14s are pretty common and this was a less than prime example. I did follow my own “rules”. When those Model 28 conversions were being done, the same was true of target grade big bore N frames, and you could even go to the old J&G ads and find barrel-less model 28s for peanuts!
Froggie
Attachments
Last edited:
