My Latest N Frame Project.. The beginning---Update: May 23rd, 2018!!

Nice day out for a little function test. I have some of my .45 Auto Rim reloads here, which I load light in deference to my aging Webley MK VI, which has been shaved to use .45 ACP. Thought I'd try those, and then, if all went well, half a dozen standard Federal .45 ACP rounds.

All the rough fitting is done, and just a few final details left, and a couple of minor cosmetic issues to deal with....

les-b-albums-some-of-my-s-and-w-n-frame-project-guns-picture18514-ready-function-test.jpeg


Here's the six shot target at 10 yds:

les-b-albums-some-of-my-s-and-w-n-frame-project-guns-picture18515-ten-yard-target-45-ar-reloads.jpeg


I'm pretty pleased with that one!! Yes, I didn't realize that I had posted the target upside down until after I had shot it...the important thing is, that the gun shoots, and that it does so with decent accuracy.

I am pretty pleased with this group. The recipe is on the target. Very light, easy shooting load, and I really like it for older guns.

And finally, here is another (upside down) 10 yard target fired with 6 standard Federal FMJ 240 gr factory .45 ACP. Not quite as tight as the AR reloads, but I'll take it, and most important...the gun performed just like it was supposed to. Very happy with it.

les-b-albums-some-of-my-s-and-w-n-frame-project-guns-picture18516-test-target-standard-45-acp-rounds.jpeg


Best Regards, Les
 
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How about one more pic? The Auto Rim reloads I used to test fire are themselves "vintage"...sort of. I stumbled on a trove of the old "balloon head" Auto Rim brass about five years ago, and the load that I worked up is based on that case. Of course, modern cases are stronger, as the have considerably more brass in the head than the older ones, but I thought that it was appropriate for these older guns to use old brass for the (very moderate) loads. Here is a shot showing some of these vintage cases in use:

les-b-albums-some-of-my-s-and-w-n-frame-project-guns-picture18520-after-firing-auto-rims.jpeg


I also have quite a hoard of regular modern AR cases, and am careful not to mix them up.

By the way...Roy says that this Brazillian was shipped in July of 1938, so come the 4th of July, we'll have to be having an 80th Birthday Party for the old girl!!

Best Regards, Les
 
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les.b said:
....
I agree that this is a fairly nice specimen of the 1937 Brazilian, and I'm aware that at the most there were only about 25,000 of them made...which is why I'm not really "Bubbaing" it. ....I plan to keep the original numbered to the gun barrel with the original numbered to the gun stocks, and may even have the stocks cleaned up and restored. Changing out a barrel is a relatively simple affair, and is not irreversible, so that I can change back to the original configuration at any time.
Click to expand...


les.b said:
....
Then screwed in the barrel hand tight, and then unscrewed it, and noted where the contact area was, and used the file to remove stock in that area. Thus, I was able to keep the frame square and flat.

And here's what it looked like after the barrel had been screwed in and removed:

les-b-albums-some-of-my-s-and-w-n-frame-project-guns-picture18501-smoke-showing-contact-points.jpeg


Then I would file down the high spots, and thus keep the work flat and square. ....
Click to expand...


So you've modified the frame to fit the new barrel (rather than modifying the non-original barrel). Can you still easily change back to the original configuration? Or do you now have to rework the original barrel in some manner, or modify the frame again?
 
Tom K said:
Can you still easily change back to the original configuration? Or do you now have to rework the original barrel in some manner, or modify the frame again?
Click to expand...

Welll, Tom, that seems to be the case. I removed probably less than Hondo's estimate of .007" from the face of the frame. To be honest, I don't plan to ever change back to the longer barrel, as I don't particularly like long barreled handguns. I do plan to keep all of the original parts, just in case someone in the future wishes to reinstall to original barrel for whatever reason.

I thought about your original dissent as I was following through on my long planned and publicly posted project. Not that I need permission to do what I wish with my own property, but in a sprit of trying to gain some consensus among fellow collectors and lovers of Smith and Wessons as to the ethics and practicality of the project. And the consensus seems to be that my project was successful, and not something that has destroyed a priceless treasure. I am happy with my decision, and I am extremely happy with the resulting gun. As a matter of fact, it may shoot better now, than it did before. I just noticed my target from before I did the conversion, but it was shot at a different distance.

One view of this subject would be that I rescued an uncared for revolver and gave it a new life!

But thank you for your honesty and your critique of my project. I don't expect everyone to agree with me on every subject, or approve of everything that I do.

Best Regards, Les
 
keith44spl said:
Les,

I'm really liking it for sure !!!

Dave


.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Dave, coming from you, that is high praise indeed!! You were the guy that made Iggy's gun, that served as an inspiration for my project. I also have long admired your creation of so many other one of a kind masterpieces all of which appeal to my particular tastes.

Best Regards, Les
 
Hondo44 said:
Les,

Excellent work, bravo!

Great thought to relieve the back face of the barrel lug instead of making the ext rod a non-standard length!

Here'e another thought: shorten the back end of the front locking lug bolt so it doesn't stick out the front so far. That way the little spring won't be compressed so tightly when the cyl is closed, which is 99% of the time.

I used to use the soot method method and the blue machinist ink, now I use a black Sharpy felt tip pen.
Click to expand...

Jim:

Thanks for your help and encouragement along the way!! I am extremely pleased with the gun that has emerged from this long process. Your advice and encouragement have meant a lot!!

Today when I shot it for the first time, I was just tIckled to death!! I now know that I can just shoot standard 45 ACP loads, which I have thousands of, but what I really like is that it does so well with my pet 45 AR load, which I can crank out in the shop whenever I like. I really like the AR best anyway.

Best Regards, Les
 
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She's a beauty, les.b, and beyond serviceable. If I'm ever lucky enough to collect the parts I need to cobble together something similar, I hope I can even come close to your efforts. Very nice. Maybe if I keep after my wife (and my son decides to try to lateral to San Antonio PD), I'll get to Texas before I'm too damned old and get a project started before I'm too old to make it happen.
 
Iggy said:
That one shoots as well as the one that started all of this.
You definitely built yourself a winner.


You can pack that rascal with confidence and pride.
Click to expand...

Iggy:

Thanks to you for getting the ball rolling by posting your short snouted.45, and for your encouragement along the way!! I'm very pleased with the result!!

Best Regards, Les
 
Great project and the results speak for themselves. This is just upping the excitement factor for my own 45 snub project I'm looking to kick off soon.

les.b said:
One view of this subject would be that I rescued an uncared for revolver and gave it a new life!
Click to expand...

That's a big part of it right there. Plenty of guns with character sit unused for various reasons. Why not turn them into permanent residents of the range bag/carry rotation?
 
I should have bought two of the Brazilian 1917s when they were cheap.
I got one, intending to have a .45 ACP snubnose made. Started
shooting it and decided I liked it the way it was too much to have it
worked over. Added an Evans Wondersight and called it good.
 
Wow! This is the type of thread that keeps me coming back time after time to this forum. Outstanding work! The gun was cool before but you cranked the coolness factor up to ten with the mods.
Way beyond my abilities at this time but maybe in the future I can be as cool as you lol.
 
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