Stophel
Member
Went to the big Louisville gun show yesterday. When I go, I have my list of priorities of what to get. I make my rounds all the way through, mentally checking off things in order. First, I was hoping maybe I'd find a flintlock gun that spoke to me...plus, I had to be able to afford it. Sometimes there's good stuff there. This time, not so much. Anyway, on my first pass through, I found a dealer that had a Model 24-3 and a 624. I thought that after I went through, if I didn't find priority #1, I was coming back to get that 24-3. Well, went through, and no flintlock, so I started back at the beginning, and missed the 24-3...but I got the 624! Only one at the show. I paid $625 for it. Don't tell me it was too much, because otherwise you just ain't gettin' one. (I did see one other 24-3 that someone else had...priced at $950!). Anyway, I like it! The gun hasn't been fired much, and has obviously been sitting for a long time, as when I first picked it up, it was hard to get the cylinder to open, or the action to cycle...the oil had sat and gummed up the works. After a few cycles and opening/closing, I got the oil broke loose, and determined that all was well. It has the box and paper. I packed 'er up, and stuck it in my bag and continued shopping.
Actually, I had not really anticipated finding one of these, and was really just looking for a M28 Highway Patrolman. Well, there weren't a whole lot of them there, actually. Most of them were of the 6" variety (which I didn't really want), but there were 3 or 4 4inchers. The cheapest one was $475! And it had an ugly apparently-wrench-induced gouge mark on the left side of the frame just above the trigger, which probably would have been fine, but I also saw, on someone else's table, a M27 6" with an almost identical mark... I wondered if some numnutz had changed the barrels and gouged up the frames? I passed on the 28's. I saw more M27's, and most were more reasonably priced, I thought, but most also were 6", and since I had just bought the 624, I didn't really want a 6 incher. Wanted a 4. Saw a couple of 3 1/2" m27-2's. One was mechanically nice, but lots of holster wear, which would have been fine for me. He wanted $750 for it. Eh, I still want a 4". To tell you the truth, I always found the 3 1/2" gun to be stubby and fat looking. Saw some fine Pre-War .357's. One was what I think would be the perfect gun. 4" with a red dot (as opposed to the gold dot...what's the red dot made out of anyway? Just plastic?) and the cool early grip adapter. This is basically what I'd like to make out of a M28...obviously much cheaper than a pre war 357!
Then I found my next little gem. I've been wanting something like this for some time. A nice 5 screw 2" M&P. I think it's just one of the coolest little things ever. 5 screw, stubby barrel, round sight, pretty hammer. It's a C16--- serial number, so I'd guess it's in the '48-'49-'50 time range.
I'm not crazy about Magna grips, but these are much better than the familiar later versions. Even without a filler behind the triggerguard, which I really could use, the grip is actually pretty comfortable. It is actually a bit "Coke bottle" shaped, and the upper part is nicely rounded around, rather than slab sided, and flat backed like the later grips. That little bit of shaping really makes a difference.
I only shot the 38 6 times...I am actually out of cheap 38 plinker ammo! How'd that happen? Fired the .44 a bit more with some relatively inexpensive ammo from small ammo mfgr's that I got at the show. It's a pussycat. Like shooting a .38. Of course, this isn't "hot" ammo...
Well, without further adieu...
Them fat, awful target grips have to go. Waaay to big around the bottom, even for my large hands. I think I'm fixin' to go out and polish it up shiny like nickel and then make myself some more useful grips.
I'm also thinkin' about a gold bead front, and does anyone know where I could get a white outline "U" groove rear to match the front?
Actually, I had not really anticipated finding one of these, and was really just looking for a M28 Highway Patrolman. Well, there weren't a whole lot of them there, actually. Most of them were of the 6" variety (which I didn't really want), but there were 3 or 4 4inchers. The cheapest one was $475! And it had an ugly apparently-wrench-induced gouge mark on the left side of the frame just above the trigger, which probably would have been fine, but I also saw, on someone else's table, a M27 6" with an almost identical mark... I wondered if some numnutz had changed the barrels and gouged up the frames? I passed on the 28's. I saw more M27's, and most were more reasonably priced, I thought, but most also were 6", and since I had just bought the 624, I didn't really want a 6 incher. Wanted a 4. Saw a couple of 3 1/2" m27-2's. One was mechanically nice, but lots of holster wear, which would have been fine for me. He wanted $750 for it. Eh, I still want a 4". To tell you the truth, I always found the 3 1/2" gun to be stubby and fat looking. Saw some fine Pre-War .357's. One was what I think would be the perfect gun. 4" with a red dot (as opposed to the gold dot...what's the red dot made out of anyway? Just plastic?) and the cool early grip adapter. This is basically what I'd like to make out of a M28...obviously much cheaper than a pre war 357!
Then I found my next little gem. I've been wanting something like this for some time. A nice 5 screw 2" M&P. I think it's just one of the coolest little things ever. 5 screw, stubby barrel, round sight, pretty hammer. It's a C16--- serial number, so I'd guess it's in the '48-'49-'50 time range.
I'm not crazy about Magna grips, but these are much better than the familiar later versions. Even without a filler behind the triggerguard, which I really could use, the grip is actually pretty comfortable. It is actually a bit "Coke bottle" shaped, and the upper part is nicely rounded around, rather than slab sided, and flat backed like the later grips. That little bit of shaping really makes a difference.
I only shot the 38 6 times...I am actually out of cheap 38 plinker ammo! How'd that happen? Fired the .44 a bit more with some relatively inexpensive ammo from small ammo mfgr's that I got at the show. It's a pussycat. Like shooting a .38. Of course, this isn't "hot" ammo...
Well, without further adieu...
Them fat, awful target grips have to go. Waaay to big around the bottom, even for my large hands. I think I'm fixin' to go out and polish it up shiny like nickel and then make myself some more useful grips.
