Smolt conversion

[Mule88]

I’m thinking about putting a python Bbl on a 686. I assume it would be necessary to put a ball detention in the crane since your losing the front locking lug. Who would be a good gunsmith to do the Bbl swap and the ball detent.

 

[colt_saa]

My first call would be to Cylinder & Slide

Then Ron Powers

And if necessary Clark Custom Guns

All three of those did the work back in the 70s/80s/90s

 

[garbler]

Ronnie Power did a lot of these back when it was the rage. Power Custom is all about revolvers and tooling. However Bill Laughridge of Cylinder Slide always has a good hand with a revolver and first class machine shop. Either is the answer

Rick

 

[Jebus35745]

Hey Steve, was wondering about you the other night. Hope everything is great with you and the family. Have a gun at Andy Horvath right now, remember when I left the first gun with him. He had a Ruger GP 100 that was converted to 41 mag and the barrel was a Python. It was Just finished and being sent to the owner and he showed it to me. He is good but getting older. He is capable of doing this.
I have stumbled on Smythons on GB but they end up going for high prices.
Finding a Python barrel is tough and expensive. Good luck with the project, hope it works out. Larry

 

[Hondo44]

The most difficult part of this conversion is the flush mating at the front of the topstrap and rear of the barrel rib which is higher.

Whomever you choose to do the work, confirm what their method looks like. I've seen good flush joints at that spot and some ugly ones.

 

[CH4]

The most difficult part of this conversion is the flush mating at the front of the topstrap and rear of the barrel rib which is higher.
Yes
Whomever you choose to do the work, confirm what their method looks like. I've seen good flush joints at that spot and some ugly ones.

To make the top strap/barrel rib transition as clean as possible you need a snub nose 19/66/15, because the sight base goes to the end to of the top strap. Sight bases on longer barrels stop short, leaving about a 1/4” gap.

 

[mmande]

Several years ago I had Alex Hamilton of Ten Ring Precision in Texas do my model 19 Smolt. I was very happy with his work. When he was finished I had Fords in Florida reblue it with their highest polish blue. It is one of my favorite "Smiths".
Mike