Hawgleg44
Member
Nice Sokol revolver. I currenty own 4 S&W revolvers worked over by Karl to different levels. One 5" 625 that I had him just chamfer the chambers and slick out the action a little. Also an early 6" 686 that was one of the first handguns he ever built when he began doing gunsmithing work that my father had built as a pin and plate gun.
The other two are carry K-frames. I had him build me a 3" M13 and a P&R 2-1/2" M66.
The M13 was an ex-French police trade-in reimported by Century Arms. It was definately dropped more than fired (it is French) and the front sight was bent in a few directions. I had him mill off the sight and dovetail in a Millet blank. I tried an Ashley sight on a Glock one time and really didn't warm up to it. Karl also chamfered the chambers, rounded the trigger and installed an overtravel stop, bobbed the hammer, slicked the action without lightening it (per my request) and dehorned every sharp edge. It was extremely beat up so I had Karl bead blast and parkerize it. My friend just bought a Sokol M10 that has his "Mountain Tuff" finish. It's an epoxy finish baked on over parkerization, and I'm thinking about sending my M13 back for that treatment since it's really showing it's time spent in a holster.
The P&R M66, no dash, was bought from a local cop and had some honest finish wear, but not abused at all. I had Karl do pretty much the same mods to that one as the M13, but since it's recessed, he didn't do anything to the chambers. The front sight wasn't damaged, so I just had him run a dovetail mill through it and add an orange inlay. For a finish, I had him bead blast it after a full dehorning treatment. Both of them wear hard nylon grips.
I've known Karl since before he opened his first shop. We both grew up in the same small farm town in W. MA. Back when I was younger, we could get our LTC's in MA at 18, but we couldn't buy a handgun until 21 per federal law. So I was carrying one of my father's handguns from 18 until I turned 21. On my 21's birthday, Karl built me my first handgun that I personally owned. It was a 3" M65 that I bought new from him. Karl chamfered the chambers, slicked the action, bobbed the hammer, installed the orange inlay in the front sight and put on the same hard nylon grips I still use. I can't even guess how many rounds of my max cast bullet .357mag reloads I fired out of it (in my younger days, I felt that every round I fired had to be max. I've "matured" out of that) and I really shot it loose. It had some flame cutting on the face of the cylinder and on the topstrap. I traded it away in a weak moment and still regret it. If someone has a custom 3" M65, fairly worn, SN BPS 1861, I'd like to buy it back!
Anyway, here are my two current Sokol K's. Nice buy in yours, but you need to start wearing that finish by carrying and shooting the hell out of it! I can't believe someone would have Karl build a nice carry gun like that and just put it away. Guns are meant to be shot, not looked at. Don't worry, if you wear it out, Karl will build you another. It feels good shooting enough to wear a gun out!
The other two are carry K-frames. I had him build me a 3" M13 and a P&R 2-1/2" M66.
The M13 was an ex-French police trade-in reimported by Century Arms. It was definately dropped more than fired (it is French) and the front sight was bent in a few directions. I had him mill off the sight and dovetail in a Millet blank. I tried an Ashley sight on a Glock one time and really didn't warm up to it. Karl also chamfered the chambers, rounded the trigger and installed an overtravel stop, bobbed the hammer, slicked the action without lightening it (per my request) and dehorned every sharp edge. It was extremely beat up so I had Karl bead blast and parkerize it. My friend just bought a Sokol M10 that has his "Mountain Tuff" finish. It's an epoxy finish baked on over parkerization, and I'm thinking about sending my M13 back for that treatment since it's really showing it's time spent in a holster.
The P&R M66, no dash, was bought from a local cop and had some honest finish wear, but not abused at all. I had Karl do pretty much the same mods to that one as the M13, but since it's recessed, he didn't do anything to the chambers. The front sight wasn't damaged, so I just had him run a dovetail mill through it and add an orange inlay. For a finish, I had him bead blast it after a full dehorning treatment. Both of them wear hard nylon grips.
I've known Karl since before he opened his first shop. We both grew up in the same small farm town in W. MA. Back when I was younger, we could get our LTC's in MA at 18, but we couldn't buy a handgun until 21 per federal law. So I was carrying one of my father's handguns from 18 until I turned 21. On my 21's birthday, Karl built me my first handgun that I personally owned. It was a 3" M65 that I bought new from him. Karl chamfered the chambers, slicked the action, bobbed the hammer, installed the orange inlay in the front sight and put on the same hard nylon grips I still use. I can't even guess how many rounds of my max cast bullet .357mag reloads I fired out of it (in my younger days, I felt that every round I fired had to be max. I've "matured" out of that) and I really shot it loose. It had some flame cutting on the face of the cylinder and on the topstrap. I traded it away in a weak moment and still regret it. If someone has a custom 3" M65, fairly worn, SN BPS 1861, I'd like to buy it back!
Anyway, here are my two current Sokol K's. Nice buy in yours, but you need to start wearing that finish by carrying and shooting the hell out of it! I can't believe someone would have Karl build a nice carry gun like that and just put it away. Guns are meant to be shot, not looked at. Don't worry, if you wear it out, Karl will build you another. It feels good shooting enough to wear a gun out!
