New revolver already at the gunsmith for some fun!

[Fitz]

So, I got that nice GP100, and immediately set to doing things to it. Aside from the grip, I decided I wanted it worked over by a smith.

Here at Microsoft, there's a gunsmith next door who does some great work. He fixed my grandpa's garand after grandpa died and it's been great ever since. I asked him about the GP100, and he said he loves workin on wheelguns and he'd be happy to do it.

He brought one of his to compare, and it felt great. The gun I have is just fine, but i can't describe the difference. everything felt smoother and tighter, and there was no perceptible creep in SA mode. once it's cocked, it's not any lighter significantly than mine, but there's no creep.

He saw mine and you can tell he just likes working on guns.

"Ohhhh, it's stainless. You didn't tell me that!"

"There's a little pitting here and some rash on the trigger guard. I can't let that stay."

"See these lines on the top of the barrel? we're gonna extend these all the way back to the sight."



He's going to do a nice trigger job and a bunch of other things.

And he refuses to take my money.

"You work at microsoft. I'll let you know how much i spend on parts and test-fire ammo"

I insisted that when we meet up again, we do so at his favorite steakhouse.

[Fitz]

Current pic

[Bob F.]

you have huge hands?? Love the Rugers!

[Fitz]

you have huge hands?? Love the Rugers!

Yep. Big hands. I wanted wood and that was the only one i found that was big enough

[lee n. field]

Current pic

"Before"

show us "After" when it comes

(Trying to figre out if there's any way I can carry my Model 19.  It's pretty (nickel) but probably the biggest handgun I own)

[Perd Hapley]

Is he going to be able to fix the stainless part?

[freakazoid]

Yep. Big hands. I wanted wood and that was the only one i found that was big enough

Teehee.

[wmenorr67]

Yep. Big hands. I wanted wood and that was the only one i found that was big enough

Teehee.

Beat me to it.

[mtnbkr]

Beat me to it.

Yeah, my inner 13yo was all in a twitter too.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

If the gun he showed you was a S&W, you'll probably not get the exact same trigger.  The internal linkage is completely different.   You may get nearly as light (or just as...), but it'll still feel "different".  On my GP100, the DA trigger was lighter than any S&W I've owned or shot, but it had a different "feel" as well.  Same for my Redhawk compared to N-frame Smiths.  Just something to be aware of if you're new to wheelguns...

Also, keep your factory grips.  Those particular ones are no longer being made (source company shut down due to owner retirement) and they are in demand.  They're quite good for factory grips.

When you get it back, do you best to wear it out.  Your daughter may have to inherit that task after you're gone though.  I tried and ended up selling it to a friend so he could continue the attempt.

Chris

[brimic]

Beat me to it.

X2

[Grebnaws]

I'd like to see how your revolver turns out after smithing. Those grips looks huge and I'm still trying to track down a reasonable replacement for the factory Ruger compact grips which are NOLA. Mine is  a fixed sight 3" model and I would like grips to match because it's currently wearing full size rosewood Altamonts, which are really quite nice. Unfortunately mine has an unnerving amount of side play in the trigger and hammer. Even after swapping springs and polishing the trigger stacks badly in the last 1/3 of the range. It's light enough but it sure ain't smooth and crisp like my Smiths. I am now using a Wolff 12 pound mainspring but returned to the factory trigger return spring. It felt really slack and highlighted the stacking.

[230RN]

1)  Can you see the serial number under those grips?  Is that a problem?  I have a Sec-Six with Hogue or Pachmyr(?) grips which covered the S/N.
 2)  I've got an S&W nickeled 19 I shot the 6" barrel out of, replaced it with a 4" barrel.  Took a year to find that replacement.  Beautiful gun.

[Fitz]

If the gun he showed you was a S&W, you'll probably not get the exact same trigger.  The internal linkage is completely different.   You may get nearly as light (or just as...), but it'll still feel "different".  On my GP100, the DA trigger was lighter than any S&W I've owned or shot, but it had a different "feel" as well.  Same for my Redhawk compared to N-frame Smiths.  Just something to be aware of if you're new to wheelguns...

Also, keep your factory grips.  Those particular ones are no longer being made (source company shut down due to owner retirement) and they are in demand.  They're quite good for factory grips.

When you get it back, do you best to wear it out.  Your daughter may have to inherit that task after you're gone though.  I tried and ended up selling it to a friend so he could continue the attempt.

Chris

Keepin the factory ones.

The ones in the pic look huger than they really are, i think, because of the angle of the photo.

Anyways, he showed me a ruger also. I'll make sure to post up when i get it back. He said it may take a few weeks depending on his paying workload. FOr the price, I don't care if i spend some time on the "low pri" list.

[MechAg94]

I was going to mention that Ruger makes a match grade GP100, but sounds like you have a good contact for upgrades.  I like the looks of those grips. 

[dogmush]

I gotta say I was disappointing in the fabled Smith and Wesson trigger when I finally got one.  Yes it was better then the GP100, but not all that much.  That Ruger, tuned up, I expect will be pretty sweet.

[MechAg94]

I have S&W 625 JM in 45 ACP and an 8 shot performance center in 357.  I think they have good triggers, but I wouldn't call myself any sort of expert on revolvers.

If I ever had the money, I would love to try Ruger's match grade GP100.  I don't own a Ruger revolver.

[Hutch]

<snip>
 2)  I've got an S&W nickeled 19 I shot the 6" barrel out of, replaced it with a 4" barrel.  Took a year to find that replacement.  Beautiful gun.

Wow, Terry, I've never seen or heard tell of a barrel shot out like that.  I perzoom the forcing cone cracked or something?  I woulda guessed it would gone out of time or battered the bolt cuts in the cylinder first.  Hot 125gr loads?  Proud of you or anybody that gets that much trigger time on a Smif.  I loves them, laws yes, I do.

[230RN]

^ "Wow, Terry, I've never seen or heard tell of a barrel shot out like that.  I perzoom the forcing cone cracked or something?"

Well, yeah, that's what happened --forcing cone --but it was easier to put it as "shot out" than explain it more.  Known defect with S&W .357 K(?)- frame revolvers.  (I keep losing track of frame size designations.)

Had my own range, was shooting 50rd full-house loads per day just about every day practicing for the factory class in handgun metallic silhouette matches.  First noticed the split a couple of years later when the cylinder started to bind up on the opened forcing cone. 

Son2 and I searched for a replacement (nickeled) bbl for a year, found one, replaced bbl per George Nonte's Pistol (Revolver) Smithing book instructions.  Shot to almost exactly the same point of aim.

Have a closeup of the split bbl somewhere.  Will post when found.

Terry

[mtnbkr]

I gotta say I was disappointing in the fabled Smith and Wesson trigger when I finally got one.  Yes it was better then the GP100, but not all that much.  That Ruger, tuned up, I expect will be pretty sweet.

The "fame" came from the earlier, large frame, revolvers.  If you based you opinion on examples made after the 60s or small guns, especially the j-frames or smaller, you wouldn't be impressed.  Even still, lightly fired examples weren't as smooth as those that had seen a lot of use.  They slick up nicely with use and proper lubrication.

My 90's vintage 629 trigger needs some work.  It's gritty at the end of the DA trigger pull and heavy throughout.  However, the DA triggers on my 50s era K38 and slightly newer K32 are much nicer. 

Well, yeah, that's what happened --forcing cone --but it was easier to put it as "shot out" than explain it more.  Known defect with S&W .357 K(?)- frame revolvers.

Had my own range, was shooting 50rd full-house loads per day just about every day

I wouldn't call it a defect.  The K357 wasn't designed for a lot of full power loads.  It was designed as a carry gun that could handle full power loads for "real" work.  It was expected you would practice with 38s, but load it with 357 when you stuck it in your holster.

Chris

[dogmush]

The "fame" came from the earlier, large frame, revolvers.  If you based you opinion on examples made after the 60s or small guns, especially the j-frames or smaller, you wouldn't be impressed.  Even still, lightly fired examples weren't as smooth as those that had seen a lot of use.  They slick up nicely with use and proper lubrication.

I don't rightly know how old it is.  It came to me through the Wife's family.  How does one check for that on smith's? 

[lee n. field]

StandardCatalog ofSmith & Wesson, I think.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=372213

[230RN]

I wouldn't call it a defect.  The K357 wasn't designed for a lot of full power loads.  It was designed as a carry gun that could handle full power loads for "real" work.  It was expected you would practice with 38s, but load it with 357 when you stuck it in your holster.

Sorry, but I call it a design defect.  Ruger doesn't have that clearance cutout for the cylinder hinge pin, neither does Colt.  

The Smith Model 10. after which the 19 was patterned, has that cutout. SO merely beefing up the cylinder on that pattern without eliminating that weak spot was indeed a design defect.

"Intentions" aside, any limitation on cartridges used was not apparent in the days when I was doing my practice with full confidence that a revolver which says ".357 Magnum" on it could shoot .357 Magnums.  

It was only after the cone split at that weak point and research on the net was available that I found out it was a known problem with the 19.

Design defect.  That's my last word on it.  Let others be warned.

Terry

[lee n. field]

Sorry, but I call it a design defect.  Ruger doesn't have that clearance cutout for the cylinder hinge pin, neither does Colt. 

My old Taurus 66 was a close copy size-wise of the Model 19.  It does  not have the flat spot on the bottom of the forcing cone.

(Mine got traded off a decade ago, so I can't at this point compare the two.)

[Brad Johnson]

If the 'smith is gonna slick up the internals, might as well ice the cake by installing a Wolff 10# mainspring and reduced power trigger return spring. Those alone will make a factory gun feel like it's had plenty of work done. In conjunction with a full internal polishing the results are downright impressive.

Brad