Show-N-Tell - The Modified S&Ws

[BlackAgnes]

Here's a 1955 Model 25-2 I sent back to the Factory many moons ago and had the barrel shortened to 4 1/2"--why, I cannot remember! Keith Brown Ropers complete the package!


This is one I pretty much built when I was messing with such things--a Model 28-2 which I had bored to .45 Colt, cylinder reamed, and round-butted. It sports a 3 3/4" barrel.


A Second Model .44 Special which may or may not have been a target model--which I believe was returned to the Factory for a later-model rear sight:


My Centennial Airweight which had a cracked frame--I returned it to the Factory and they installed a steel frame replacement, same serial number, and the barrel still says "Airweight"!

 

[old&slow]

Not as cool as some of the others,, but a S&W 1917 /1937 Brazilian I had a gunsmith friend rework for me..

 

[Modified]

I amended my narrative to "King style" as you gentlemen are correct. I also have another hammer that I got off of ebay that is identical that I am going to be installed on another military style fourth change I shoot a lot. The blade rear sight on this one is adjustable.

DW

Oh, I don't mean to talk the gun down at all.

As a matter of fact I am extremely interested to have seen yours. It seems to join two different jobs that I have on my guns. That rear sight + that crazy short action hammer job. I suspected it was the same person/shop who did both on mine, but yours is the first that I have seen that seems to have both of them.

Whoever did those knew what they were doing and when we can figure out what shop did it I think it's going to prove to be very interesting.

 

[schutzen-jager]

one piece at a time

1907 M+P frame - vintage wonder sight - Tyler T grip - 60'S model 10 grips - 60'S model 15 barrel - lock work + cylinder from 40'S british .38S+W victory model , cylinder converted to .38 special by Cogswell + Harrison in England -

 

[Warren Sear]

This thread makes me want to weep...

Someone; get a rope!!!

The weak link in almost all of these "custom-i-zations" is a front sight that looks like ****.

 

[weatherby]

This thread makes me want to weep...

Someone; get a rope!!!

The weak link in almost all of these "custom-i-zations" is a front sight that looks like ****.

Well you probably won't like the front or rear one on my favorite K 22 then but they do help make it my most precise.
The Colonel if he were still around may find them interesting though I suppose.

 

[crsides]

This thread makes me want to weep...

Someone; get a rope!!!

The weak link in almost all of these "custom-i-zations" is a front sight that looks like ****.

We need a boo !!! button.

 

[NMPinNYC]

Please post photos of your chopped, trimmed, scoped, and otherwise modified revolvers (even the "Bubba jobs" have a place in this thread) .

Like most of you, I love a vintage mint in the box S&W. But, over the past several years, I have loved discovering ones that were modified by some previous owner to more closely meet their needs. I also think the pre-war 38-44 Outdoorsmans are some of the most beautiful handguns to ever roll off the factory line. So, recently finding this well-used July 1934 shipped 4" OD with a very unique front sight modification was right up my cool alley.

She has obviously spent a lot of time in a holster and the trigger is as smooth as butter in the AZ sun, but she holds her heritage well and boldly sports her modification like she owns the world...

















...and a few "glamour" photos on/in an extra OD box that was lying around in the safe...









I would love your thoughts on the sight/rib and would also love to see your modified guns.

Thanks for letting me share,

A beauty all around. About the front sight, for some reason reminded me of a man from NYC named Jim Cirillo who when asked how he was so successful in surviving his chosen profession, he replied "my front sight has eight striations on it"... how many in this case...

 

[WCCPHD]

Modified Guns

Model 25-2 Jovino 45ACP

This gun began life as a 6 inch, square butt, Model 25-2. Barrel shortened to 2 1/2 inch and grip modified to round butt.









.455 First Model (Triple Lock). Modified to 45 Colt. "Wonder Sight" added at some time. (I left it on because the fifth screw is missing).

 

[BC38]

My HE44 with a barrel shortened to 4-1/2", a modified Patridge sight, and a trigger shoe.

 

[younggun22]

This is great! I find the vintage modifications incredibly interesting.

 

[Russell Cottle]

I still own this 1917, but it's no longer in this configuration. In this photo the barrel's been cut to 4.25" and a Williams 'shorty' ramp silver soldered on.


I've since removed the 4" barrel and replaced it with a factory 3". It also sports a second cylinder in .45 Colt.

 

[Xfuzz]

Here is a 1922 vintage 44 special
Half/Breed I picked up a few weeks ago.
Second model frame with a Third model barrel.
Went back to the factory in Sept of 1946.
Letter ordered.

 

[Green Frog]

This one has appeared here before and actually by date of manufacture (original) doesn't actually fit the 1896-1961 category, but I still love "Project 616" my custom 327 Fed Mag stainless K-frame built for me by Andy Horvath.

Froggie

 

[crsides]

629 no dash, chopped on both ends, 2 5/8" bbl, action job, radiused trigger favoring the right side, rounded hammer, magna ported, yellow insert front sight, RB combats. Its all I could think of to do. Actually, I bought it this way, except replacing the red insert with the yellow. The red one went away on its own.

Charlie

 

[series guy]

Well here's another .327 Federal done by Andy. This is one of my favorite shooters.

 

[Hondo44]

Hi,
Great collection!
Could you please tell me where you had the Pre-43 modified?

I have one that is showing some finish wear, not enough to refinish yet, but when I have asked around I hear it is impossible to refinish the airweight frames or remove the barrel without cracking the aluminum frame.

Very nice to see it's possible to have these worked on too!

Thank you Silversnake.

My son did all the work. Removing barrels from alloy frames is not as difficult as we've all heard. Both of us have done a few and never had an issue. Just use the usual precautions and common sense:

1. The barrel was a drop in. A liberal shot of some type of quality penetrant/lubricant like Breakfree, Kroil, even WD-40 (the only legitimate use for it on guns in my opinion), etc.

2. Care in driving out barrel pin so barrel threads are not upset.

3. Cautious force applied to break barrel loose to turn out. If it doesn't go, don't over apply force. Soak over night. Dry barrels will "crack" when broken loose. Soaked barrels take less force and have a much more subtle 'crack' sound indicating the penetrant makes a difference!

He glass beaded it in his home bead blasting unit with very fine media. Otherwise the alloy can be overly pitted and worn away with coarse media.

 

[Hondo44]

I forgot a couple:
296 with SS cyl from a 696 to replace TI cyl. It came with extractor rod and star all fitted and assembled. Pull the yoke, slip it in and check timing. It was a drop in installation. Wanted the extra strength and I barely notice the additional weight. Older style thumb piece.

Another of my son's: 686 with 4" slender Mtn Gun barrel replacing full lug barrel. See post #1 here:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...eight-barrel-l-frame-357-a.html#post136329613

 

[delta-419]

Rogue S&Ws

I love old mods that go back to a time when folks did stuff to guns that made them personal and very practical because they usually had to work with what they had. Here is a WWI .455 that had a cut barrel (2.5") and donated a frame, yoke, and side plate to a .44 spl I wanted. My best friend helped me with this one:


Or maybe a 44 Triple Lock with cut barrel, and target sights!


Or maybe a 2nd model with a cut barrel with rifle sight!

I do have a number of mods, I too, love'em!

 

[Nedroe]

I Got This......

13-3 with a 3" 19 barrel

17 round butt with a 2.5" 19 barrel

17-8 3" barrel

19-7 3" barrel

3" & 2.5" fixed sight 44 mag snubbies

Pre-War 3844 HD 3.5" barrel

53 round butt 22LR it may become a 3"

a 3" 681 round butt

a 3" 617-1

another shot of the 3" 44 mag fixed sight round butt

Hope you enjoy 'em.

Ned