Modified .455 HE followed me home

[awp101]

Won this on a popular auction site. I was the only bidder and the cost was reasonable to me even with the shipping and transfer fee.

S/N 27465, Royal Canadian Engineers issued, barrel later cut to 3.5" and the whole thing parkerized. .45 Colt doesn't fit but moonclipped ACPs are good to go.

There are two holes tapped into the top strap that I'll find some filler screws for and then I'll file them flush. I'd LIKE to strip the park but I don't know what condition the metal will be in afterwards to determine if I blue or nickle it. The N Frame Magnas are numbered in the 129K range and will go in favor of either the proper stocks or stag depending on which way I go with this.

 

[awp101]

Top strap holes:

 

[DWFAN]

There was a rear sight on that. I'd look into seeing if something S&W fits.
DW

 

[awp101]

I thought that might be the case but my knowledge of S&W adjustable sights is Slim and None. And Slim just took the last train out...

 

[H Richard]

I'm not so sure. The holes are not in the correct position for any S&W factory sight to have been on it. Probably drilled for a scope sight?

 

[Jack Flash]

Hard to believe someone would scope that revolver. Maybe a laser site?

 

[Watchdog]

I like the plain utilitarian look of the gun, and think the Parkerizing fits it well. You didn't ask, but if it were mine, I think I'd plug the top holes and leave it alone after that.

 

[Muley Gil]

Be aware that these .455s did not have heat treated cylinders like the 1917s chambered in .45ACP. .45 ACP pressures are much higher than those of the .455 cartridge.

 

[awp101]

Thanks for the reminder Muley Gil! I was thinking plinking ammo like Blazer FMJ or CAS level loads from Ultramax or the like. It's certainly not going to be pulling duty as home defense or CCW running +P or anything. Maybe rechamber for .45 Colt just to keep things safe(r)?

OTOH, IF there's a set of adjustable sights that fit (which I don't think there are), the 5.5" .45 barrel (marked S&W DA .45) on my stripped HE frame might end up on here to make it a wadcutter/plate match gun since the frame it's currently partially screwed into is probably going to become a .38/44 HD copy. No need for a lot of horsepower for that.

I'm not opposed to keeping the parkerizing but it will have to be redone as there are a few scratches that have gone through to the metal and the front sight has been filed flat and not touched up.

 

[Muley Gil]

"Maybe rechamber for .45 Colt just to keep things safe(r)"

You probably have to find another cylinder. A .45 ACP cylinder rechambered to .45 Colt would have excessive headspace and would probably misfire.

 

[awp101]

Yeah, I thought about that after I posted it but got distracted by food and didn't go back to change it. In fact, I'm going to blame being distracted by food for posing the idea in the first place.

Here's what I see (or don't see) on the cylinder:
a .45 Colt stops .25-.30" from fully seating due to the ridge in the cylinder.

There is no serial number on the cylinder face and the appearance leads me to think it's been shaved down to accommodate the AutoRim or clipped ACP.

Without removing the cylinder from the yoke, I get a measurement of roughly 1.55" measured front to back along the cylinder wall.

All of that makes me think it's a .455 cylinder that's been machined for the shorter ACP but not rebored for the .45 Colt. At least I think that's what I think.

I don't have a set of pin gages for the cylinder throats nor have I slugged the bore yet so I can't answer to those diameters.

As I already have a "S&W DA .45" marked barrel, I really don't have an issue swapping that barrel onto this frame and finding a proper ACP or .45 Colt cylinder to match. It will never be original again so I don't have any qualms on making something else out of it.

 

[H Richard]

Iggy, what brand of 2 rd. clips are those? I have a Brazilian in only fair condition (finish wise) that may wind up in this configuration.

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello 101, That is a neat old gunsmith modification. Along with the safe queens, and shooters , these old girls that were re-cycled belong in every collection. I sometimes think they are looked down on by a very few of the fraternity. Dont start a battle over my last statement, I said a very few. Their time will come and maybe all ready here as more of the original guns get harder to find. We all use to pass on the old Victory models and Mod10. Shoot, clean and appreciate. Mike 2796

 

[ironhead7544]

That does look like a scope mount was on there. And the frame was milled for it. Is there a rear sight notch?

I would have a pistol smith look at it. He might know what was on it and can recommend some kind of replacement rear sight.

 

[awp101]

Got a couple of pics of the "rear sight". Hog wallow is more like it... I kept thinking either the front blade was very narrow or the rear notch was very wide and this afternoon I got my .44 HE out and saw the difference. The holes measure roughly .70" CTC.

I still don't know why you'd want or need a scope or adjustable sight on a 3.5" barrel though. Of course I think that about J Frames with factory adjustable sights too.

Also, I contacted a local parts guy that I'd forgotten about. He has a NOS 25-5 cylinder assembly I'm going to look at next week when our schedules coincide. If it fits and works as it should, I'll have TK Custom set it up for moons later on so I can run either flavor as the mood hits me. I still need to slug the barrel as well.

Iggy, I like that set up! I might have to invest in the new Starline WM brass as well as some AR brass. I like having options. Are you loading the WM in .45 Colt dies or Win Mag dies?

gmborkovic several years ago I developed a soft spot for sporterized surplus rifles. Not the super fancy stuff, but the ones done soon after the war, say through the mid-50s. Something a returning GI either brought back home or bought through the DCM and had it set up to hunt with or maybe something out of the infamous "barrels of Mausers" that a Dad would have picked up as his son's first hunting rifle. I view these kinds of conversions the same way. Something the average Joe with some talent could personalize or if he had a little extra scratch saved up, could have a pro work over.

 

[awp101]

Got some pics of the stocks. Postwar N Frame Magnas?

 

[Muley Gil]

"He has a NOS 25-5 cylinder assembly I'm going to look at next week when our schedules coincide."

Be advised that a M25-5 cylinder is longer than a .455 cylinder. To make it fit, you will have to shorten the barrel shank and recut the forcing cone. The bright spot is that you can then use longer .45 Colt cartridges, like those loaded with Keith style bullets.

 

[awp101]

Got it and I'll take that into consideration. Just for giggles, are all of the M25 cylinders 1.67"? Don't have my book handy so I'm going by memory on the length.

Is there a more suitable model cylinder in .45 Colt to search out instead?

 

[Muley Gil]

Got it and I'll take that into consideration. Just for giggles, are all of the M25 cylinders 1.67"? Don't have my book handy so I'm going by memory on the length.

Is there a more suitable model cylinder in .45 Colt to search out instead?

Another .455 cylinder rechambered to .45 Colt would be your best bet. I had a .455 cylinder, but it's gone now. Or a pre-war .38/44 cylinder could also be rechambered.

Post your question about the M25 cylinder request and tennexplorer will probably reply. We went to college together and dual cylinder & caliber conversions used to fill a LOT of our conversations back in the '70s.

 

[awp101]

Another .455 cylinder rechambered to .45 Colt would be your best bet.

But then I'm back to the untreated cylinder and .45 ACP pressures.

It looks like if I want to run .45 ACP and .45 Colt I'll have to get the longer cylinder and take care of the barrel shank. If I just want a dedicated .45 ACP go with a 1917 cylinder.

I'll see what my parts guy has next week.