BillBro
Member
Both are pretty recent acquisitions. First I ran into a deal on a Performance Center 627 8 shot 357 that was really in like new condition. Me being me though I couldn't leave it alone and just be happy with a really sweet shooting wheelie, I've done a few things to it. The only parts I've replaced are the front sight and the grips, who doesnt swap these two out? The grips are mine. I've always been a woodworker so grips were no problem, they were my very first attempt though and I'm extremely pleased with the result. Met a fellow who lived on the Big Island for many years and this man loved collecting woods and has some of the MOST beautiful Koa I've ever laid my eyes on, I bought as much as I could afford at the time, with more to come. The other thing I replaced was the front partridge brass bead sight, didn't like it. The Dawson Precision FO unit is electric though, at least it looks that way. Nice sight.
Now, I'm pretty sure the gun had seen its share of rounds, it had quite a bit of cylinder end shake as well as a fair amount of radial play but otherwise the bore and rifling look great. I went ahead and reamed the yoke and stretched it to remove all but the slightest amount of fore and aft, probably about 1 thousandth or so, polished the ejector ( extractor) rod, fit an oversized cylinder stop from Pieer Custom, honed all the cylinders, lapped the crown and and did some minor polishing inside. I thought the Performance Center was supposed to do all of this.
I still plan to further radius the trigger and polish it, clean up the forcing cone, which looks like it was cut with a dull spoon. It's been fun. I like the big N frames.
My second purchase is a 29-3 which I bought from the original owner, he still had the receipt, serialized box, all paperwork etc. Better still, he said he never fired the gun and I have to say, I have to believe him. I dont care if you clean a gun in an ultrasonic cleaner 10 times there will still be baked on carbon somewhere and I have been in every book and cranny of this thing and I have found zero traces of any carbon, there is no sign of any copper in the grooves, nothing. So, like I said, I have to believe it's an unfired speciman. I know, I know, it's a-3 but it's a fine gun with a beautiful blued revolver with a 4" tube, 3Ts, flawless stocks and provenance. Big question, do I shoot it????? I tend not to have guns I dont shoot, it just doesnt make much sense. But, if anyone thinks that even a -3 will increase in desirability I'll hold onto it.
I gave $675 for the 627 and 1K for the 29. Those numbers dont reflect the real total with the shipping and ffl fees. Tack another $100 or so for each for that.
Probably overpaid for that 29 but what the hell.
Obviously I am not a professional photographer, in fact, I suck. Sorry.
The 29 has a turn line but it is nowhere near going through the bluing, happy about that. I have to make a conscious effort to not cycle the action everytime I pick it up.
Hope you enjoy the pics and sorry for being so circuitous.
Now, I'm pretty sure the gun had seen its share of rounds, it had quite a bit of cylinder end shake as well as a fair amount of radial play but otherwise the bore and rifling look great. I went ahead and reamed the yoke and stretched it to remove all but the slightest amount of fore and aft, probably about 1 thousandth or so, polished the ejector ( extractor) rod, fit an oversized cylinder stop from Pieer Custom, honed all the cylinders, lapped the crown and and did some minor polishing inside. I thought the Performance Center was supposed to do all of this.
I still plan to further radius the trigger and polish it, clean up the forcing cone, which looks like it was cut with a dull spoon. It's been fun. I like the big N frames.
My second purchase is a 29-3 which I bought from the original owner, he still had the receipt, serialized box, all paperwork etc. Better still, he said he never fired the gun and I have to say, I have to believe him. I dont care if you clean a gun in an ultrasonic cleaner 10 times there will still be baked on carbon somewhere and I have been in every book and cranny of this thing and I have found zero traces of any carbon, there is no sign of any copper in the grooves, nothing. So, like I said, I have to believe it's an unfired speciman. I know, I know, it's a-3 but it's a fine gun with a beautiful blued revolver with a 4" tube, 3Ts, flawless stocks and provenance. Big question, do I shoot it????? I tend not to have guns I dont shoot, it just doesnt make much sense. But, if anyone thinks that even a -3 will increase in desirability I'll hold onto it.
I gave $675 for the 627 and 1K for the 29. Those numbers dont reflect the real total with the shipping and ffl fees. Tack another $100 or so for each for that.
Probably overpaid for that 29 but what the hell.
Obviously I am not a professional photographer, in fact, I suck. Sorry.
The 29 has a turn line but it is nowhere near going through the bluing, happy about that. I have to make a conscious effort to not cycle the action everytime I pick it up.
Hope you enjoy the pics and sorry for being so circuitous.
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I'm not even gonna get into the shoot/don't shoot debate. That's a HUGE can 'o' worms around here. 
