Old No7
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2010
- Messages
- 140
- Reaction score
- 148
It seems I've had a love/hate relationship with the J-frame Model 63s...
First I had a 4" one, then sold that when someone made me a decent offer for it. Then I found a 3" one, which was really handy to carry in the woods, but someone else wanted it more than me, and I sold off that one too.
Even though I've got a nice vintage 6" Model 17 K22 and a slicked-up 4" Model 617 10-shot, both K frames of course, I've always kept my eyes open for the longer 5-inch barreled Model 63 J-frame -- as there was something about that different barrel length that appealed to me.
Well, I finally found one. But I couldn't leave it alone...
So I proceeded to "upgrade it" to match the 3 Ts that are on both of my other Smiths -- adding a target hammer, target trigger and target stocks.
Adding the J-frame target trigger was easy -- just found one on ebay, made the purchase and did the install. Done!
Adding "target style" stocks was easy too -- just go to Altamont and order the oversized rosewood finger-groove square J-frame grips -- and they fit right onto the round frame of the 63-4 and are full in the back, so you don't see it's really a round grip. Done!
Adding a J-frame Target Hammer??? Not so easy -- but it's now done! I got a Model 60-4 large-spur hammer and mainspring from S&W Customer Service for a ridiculously low price... I was told it was "just laying around on a bench and not a stock item any longer", so the CS Rep shipped it for the shipping cost. Not too shabby!
But as you can see below, comparing the hammer I got to the hammer of my Model 631, the Model 60-4 target hammer was made with an attached firing pin... Not any longer though! About 2.5 hours of careful measuring, filing and fitting took care of that, and the newly modified hammer with the large spur works perfectly! Now I can call this "done".
Here's an interesting thought and image... The 5" barrel of the Model 63-4 is 83% as long as the 6" K-frame barrel of my Model 17. The overall length of the 63-4 is about 85%, as are several other measurements such as frame height and length, and weight. So what I show here is basically a (-17%) down-sized stainless Target Revolver -- with 3 Ts -- shown next to the larger K22 Target Revolver.
I really like the heavier-than-the-4" barrel that S&W put on the 5" Model 63; it's not quite a bull barrel, but certainly heavier-for-caliber than it had to be. In fact, it's heavier than the barrel of my 631 in 32 Magnum. I'm really liking how this modified 5" 63-4 handles now! She's got the heavier barrel and the 3Ts that I added. All I need to do now is install the J-frame lock plug that's already been ordered. Oh, and try to find a decent 5" J-frame leather holster too -- that may take some work...
I know there are many who don't touch their S&Ws, but as for me, I enjoy the work and challenge to "Make a good gun even better".
To me, this modified 5" Model 63-4 is now the ultimate woods/carry gun, as it's got the lighter weight and smaller size of a J-frame, but the longer/heavier 5" barrel which is proportionately the equivalent of a bigger 6" K-frame. And with a decent trigger job already done, she shoots really well too -- better than any J-frame Model 63 I've had before.
Tight groups!
Old No7
First I had a 4" one, then sold that when someone made me a decent offer for it. Then I found a 3" one, which was really handy to carry in the woods, but someone else wanted it more than me, and I sold off that one too.
Even though I've got a nice vintage 6" Model 17 K22 and a slicked-up 4" Model 617 10-shot, both K frames of course, I've always kept my eyes open for the longer 5-inch barreled Model 63 J-frame -- as there was something about that different barrel length that appealed to me.
Well, I finally found one. But I couldn't leave it alone...
So I proceeded to "upgrade it" to match the 3 Ts that are on both of my other Smiths -- adding a target hammer, target trigger and target stocks.
Adding the J-frame target trigger was easy -- just found one on ebay, made the purchase and did the install. Done!
Adding "target style" stocks was easy too -- just go to Altamont and order the oversized rosewood finger-groove square J-frame grips -- and they fit right onto the round frame of the 63-4 and are full in the back, so you don't see it's really a round grip. Done!
Adding a J-frame Target Hammer??? Not so easy -- but it's now done! I got a Model 60-4 large-spur hammer and mainspring from S&W Customer Service for a ridiculously low price... I was told it was "just laying around on a bench and not a stock item any longer", so the CS Rep shipped it for the shipping cost. Not too shabby!
But as you can see below, comparing the hammer I got to the hammer of my Model 631, the Model 60-4 target hammer was made with an attached firing pin... Not any longer though! About 2.5 hours of careful measuring, filing and fitting took care of that, and the newly modified hammer with the large spur works perfectly! Now I can call this "done".
Here's an interesting thought and image... The 5" barrel of the Model 63-4 is 83% as long as the 6" K-frame barrel of my Model 17. The overall length of the 63-4 is about 85%, as are several other measurements such as frame height and length, and weight. So what I show here is basically a (-17%) down-sized stainless Target Revolver -- with 3 Ts -- shown next to the larger K22 Target Revolver.
I really like the heavier-than-the-4" barrel that S&W put on the 5" Model 63; it's not quite a bull barrel, but certainly heavier-for-caliber than it had to be. In fact, it's heavier than the barrel of my 631 in 32 Magnum. I'm really liking how this modified 5" 63-4 handles now! She's got the heavier barrel and the 3Ts that I added. All I need to do now is install the J-frame lock plug that's already been ordered. Oh, and try to find a decent 5" J-frame leather holster too -- that may take some work...
I know there are many who don't touch their S&Ws, but as for me, I enjoy the work and challenge to "Make a good gun even better".
To me, this modified 5" Model 63-4 is now the ultimate woods/carry gun, as it's got the lighter weight and smaller size of a J-frame, but the longer/heavier 5" barrel which is proportionately the equivalent of a bigger 6" K-frame. And with a decent trigger job already done, she shoots really well too -- better than any J-frame Model 63 I've had before.
Tight groups!
Old No7
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