Modified or altered Firearms............

[lawandorder]

...........I know that serious collectors will cringe when they see some of these guns but know that there are others on the forum that share an interest in guns that have been altered in some way by a previous or a present owner.

Folks have been on an eternal search since the dawn of firearms to find one that "fits" or is just perfect for their needs.

It may involve barrel shortening, grip modification, sight improvement, or a multitude of alterations.

Please post images of altered guns so those of us who do so can enjoy them, of course with apologies to the purists among us.



This one has been posted before but it is one that has extensive modifications done at some point in the past. A Third model HE .44 Special that has gone back to the factory for work. The letter did not indicate the return trip and what took place but I suspect at least some of the work was done there. Barrel cut to 3 & 1/2 inches and a very unusual grip modification placed on the revolver very similar in style to one in Lee's Albums depicting the most rare grip adapter.

The revolver was sent to Oshman's for Houston P.D.

and from a friend's collection a Second Model H.E. .44 Special with a Fitz modification......

 

[JayCeeNC]

Interesting gun. Which company made that holster?

 

[lawandorder]

John that was made by Sterling Leather in St. Joseph Mo.

 

[keith44spl]

Now we're talkin'

Built to suit the end user.......The handgun man.

Tony,

Ya know I'm liken that one of yours.


.
I'll try to load a pic of my latest creation here in bit

Found it! In .44 Special

Sumtimes a feller has jest gotta build one to suit himself.

Su Amigo,
Dave


.

 

[turnerriver]

John, you beat me to it.
This Colt Official Police had Micro sights added. I bought it for the Ropers it wore. The gun shoots as well as any I own & the big Micro sights are visible to my aging eyes.

This Combat Magnum has been factory reblued & the red insert looks like Bubba did it. It was purchased from a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent. I think all of my other S&W revolvers are as they left the factory.

Good thread, Tony.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[lawandorder]

Dave I was hopping you would post some of your treasures.

Sorry I didn't make T Town, would loved to have sat down and visited with you.

 

[keith44spl]

Dave I was hopping you would post some of your treasures.

Sorry I didn't make T Town, would loved to have sat down and visited with you.

.

If the Good Lord's willing I'm gonna try to make it back in the fall.

I jest happen to be in that neck of the wood this past week
so it kinda just worked out.

I was my first time....And a good one it was!

.

 

[truckemup97]

Dave I was hopping you would post some of your treasures.

Sorry I didn't make T Town, would loved to have sat down and visited with you.

I met Dave this weekend. I think the opportunity to hear a genuine Keith story firsthand would be worth your trip. Good meeting you, Dave. Hope to see you in the fall.

My only "modified" Smith & Wessons are a Victory and a M-14. Someone put a BoMar winged sight on the 14. The Victory was shortened to 2". Someone told me that a bunch of them were. I just like K frame snubbys, and the price was right, so I added it to the accumulation.

 

[Hillbilly77]

I've posted this before.
My AAA serial number 586 no-dash.

Before:

After:

Different grips, but a better picture of the re-blue:

The story:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...y-done-warning-s-w-purists-may-want-skip.html

 

[Alpo]

Not Smith, but - the blue one started out a 7 1/2". Both of 'em were New Models, but as you can see, they are on half-cock, which can't be done with New Models. They've been converted to the old "4-click" system.

This appears to be a plain-Jane Model 28, unless you look at it from the front. 38/40. Cost more to convert than the gun cost.

The bottom one. 1917. That was done before I got it, but I like it. 3 1/2" and a Wondersight.

 

[BubbaBlades]

4" M66-5 now a slabside 3" M66-5.

Mark

 

[Alnamvet68]

In order for one to modify, and/or refinish a handgun, one should want to keep that gun forever. I have a few refinished Colt M1911's that I had re-blued in Carbonia Blue, and they look as new or better then the day they were issued to WW II GI's. They're not for sale at any price. There are several "heirloom" gunsmiths who do up 1911's that end up costing most owners $3-4K, and perhaps they have a market for re-sale to specific deep pocket collectors. That's my take.

 

[feralmerril]

I have had at least three handguns extensivly altered and maybe another four that I bought that were already done. My first and biggest project was a s&w 1917 that I found a .455 clyinder for and had rechambered to .45 colt. I also found another yoke for it, had s&w target sights put on it with a ramp colt looking front sight with a red insert. It was a true .45 colt/.45 acp convertable and done so well it looked like the factory had done it. My next one was a ruger .357 converted to .44 special. Top picture. Next one was a HD that I found a .44 special barrel for from a model 21. Had the clyinder reamed out to .44 special and it works well. Some day I may also get it reblued but as is I carry it a lot on the trails. Thats the secound picture. I have several more, a refinshed original remington new model army that was refinished and work done to it before I bought it. It had the hog wallow squared up and a king red post front sight installed. The last one is a 1911 remington rand with micro sight, bushing and a lot of other work done by pachmyer many years ago. Another I had done in the early 70s was a s&w model 51 that I bought a .22 lr clyinder for from the company. Right after I ordered the clyinder from smith they made it a option for a short while in the next catalog. I would like to think I gave them the idea but I obvisely got the idea from ruger. Another is a colt saa that was sent to the copper queen mine in bisbee az in 1906 as a 4 3/4" .44 wcf. It was given a 7 1/2" 44 spec barrel and clyinder by tommy bish a old gun writer and al capone owner of king gun works. For awhile I once put on a short crysty barrel and short ejector rod but later put the 7 1/2" barrel back on. The jast picture is NOT my gun but was a close friends. It is a colt saa that probley al capone did. The clyinder was cut, made into a .22 lr. A .22 barrel was in the 45 barrel and extended back through the front of the .45 clyinder. The gun "looks" 45 but is .22 lr. Also they used the long extended grip frame. My buddy duke owned it and capone was his brother in law that owned king gun works. Duke also worked with him off and on polishing guns to reblue.

 

[625smith]

10-8 PPC

Bill Davis modified 10-8 DAO....smooth

 

[keith44spl]

Ah, one more.......

A pre-27 now in .45 Long Colt

.

 

[Sprefix]

Nice!!

I have had at least three handguns extensivly altered and maybe another four that I bought that were already done. My first and biggest project was a s&w 1917 that I found a .455 clyinder for and had rechambered to .45 colt. I also found another yoke for it, had s&w target sights put on it with a ramp colt looking front sight with a red insert. It was a true .45 colt/.45 acp convertable and done so well it looked like the factory had done it. My next one was a ruger .357 converted to .44 special. Top picture. Next one was a HD that I found a .44 special barrel for from a model 21. Had the clyinder reamed out to .44 special and it works well. Some day I may also get it reblued but as is I carry it a lot on the trails. Thats the secound picture. I have several more, a refinshed original remington new model army that was refinished and work done to it before I bought it. It had the hog wallow squared up and a king red post front sight installed. The last one is a 1911 remington rand with micro sight, bushing and a lot of other work done by pachmyer many years ago. Another I had done in the early 70s was a s&w model 51 that I bought a .22 lr clyinder for from the company. Right after I ordered the clyinder from smith they made it a option for a short while in the next catalog. I would like to think I gave them the idea but I obvisely got the idea from ruger. Another is a colt saa that was sent to the copper queen mine in bisbee az in 1906 as a 4 3/4" .44 wcf. It was given a 7 1/2" 44 spec barrel and clyinder by tommy bish a old gun writer and al capone owner of king gun works. For awhile I once put on a short crysty barrel and short ejector rod but later put the 7 1/2" barrel back on. The jast picture is NOT my gun but was a close friends. It is a colt saa that probley al capone did. The clyinder was cut, made into a .22 lr. A .22 barrel was in the 45 barrel and extended back through the front of the .45 clyinder. The gun "looks" 45 but is .22 lr. Also they used the long extended grip frame. My buddy duke owned it and capone was his brother in law that owned king gun works. Duke also worked with him off and on polishing guns to reblue.

Cool Lakota also, Feral....

 

[O2Guy]

Does my shortened Bulldog .44 Special count?

 

[alwslate]

I bought this 25-2 45 ACP in 1970. It was new or as new, really can't
remember now. I took it to a gun shop that had a working gun smith
and told him I wanted the barrel cut down from the original 6 1/2"
length to 4". He hesitated and asked me if I realized that cutting the
barrel would hurt the resale value. I told him the gun had no resale
value because I intended to keep it forever. When I went to pick it
up I spotted an old pair of stag grips under the glass counter top.
I asked if they were N frame and the owner said yes. I still have both
now forty three years later.

 

[jaykellogg]

The Victory was shortened to 2". Someone told me that a bunch of them were. I just like K frame snubbys, and the price was right, so I added it to the accumulation.

If I am not mistaken, Lee Harvey Oswald's Victory had a 2" barrel.

 

[feralmerril]

People have customised guns forever. Here is a s&w american that was built about 1871. The 8" barrel has been cut back to about 4 1/2"s. It was found in a barne being tore down at a old stage coach stop in montanna.