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Post by neilbedwell on Nov 18, 2009 8:48:27 GMT -5
I admit it, occasionally I cross over to the "dark side" and shoot one of my S&W model 29's. There, I've said it.
Like I've said before, the .44 magnum bug bit me VERY hard years ago. Many maxed out credit cards later, I've got several of them sitting in my safe. While my all-time favorite "go-to" gun is my 7.5" Vaquero, I've got a serious soft spot for S&W model 29s. Last night I pulled out one I had bought several years ago at a local gun show. It's a 4" model 29-2. I got it at a good price because it looks to have been carried a lot but it's obvious it has not been shot all that much. There's a lot of bluing wear on the gun but very little, if any, pitting. It locks up tight and seemed to shoot good, but I've really only put about 10 rounds through it before parking it in the safe for the last eight or ten years. Last night I noticed that it had a little rust spot just inside the crane. Nothing major, but enough to make me cringe.
Scrubbing on the little rust spot got me thinking. I've NEVER had a gun customized before. From my perspective, this would be a good candidate to customize. I'm thinking something simple, just an action job and a refinish. Any suggestions? Who would you guys recommend to do it?
Any and all ideas are welcome and sincerely appreciated. Thanks all for such a wonderful forum.
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Post by boatswainsmate on Nov 18, 2009 9:21:08 GMT -5
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Post by boxhead on Nov 18, 2009 10:37:25 GMT -5
Jim Stroh is doing a custom 45 Colt for me based upon a M29-2.
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Post by bogusbill on Nov 18, 2009 11:42:59 GMT -5
Outside of fancy ivory or stag grips, a fine carved holster and belt, leave it alone unless it needs action work. I have a highly sought after 5" model 29-2 myself. Customiseing was far cheaper 45 years ago. In those days I had a handfull done. Its a loseing proposetion in EVERY case. You might spend huge money and literaly the gun might be worth a small percentage of what it was worth before you started! I had my name engraved in gold on a model 27-2. Probley no one but a grandkid would want it. Dont do anything that you cant put back original, like grips. Hey, over the last 50 years I probley owned several hundred handguns and maybe had 5 or 6 customised, for what its worth.
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Len
.30 Stingray
Posts: 358
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Post by Len on Nov 18, 2009 14:01:19 GMT -5
I have had a number of N frames worked on by Andy Horvath in fact I have a 625-2 that is next in line. He is reasonable and does excellent work. Tuning smoothing and re-finishing is no problem his phone number is (440) 458-4369. One of my Horvath's Len
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Post by targetshootr on Nov 19, 2009 8:57:32 GMT -5
Andy Horvath can make a gun so deep blue it almost looks black.
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Post by taffin on Nov 26, 2009 11:12:50 GMT -5
I admit it, occasionally I cross over to the "dark side" and shoot one of my S&W model 29's. There, I've said it. Like I've said before, the .44 magnum bug bit me VERY hard years ago. Many maxed out credit cards later, I've got several of them sitting in my safe. While my all-time favorite "go-to" gun is my 7.5" Vaquero, I've got a serious soft spot for S&W model 29s. Last night I pulled out one I had bought several years ago at a local gun show. It's a 4" model 29-2. I got it at a good price because it looks to have been carried a lot but it's obvious it has not been shot all that much. There's a lot of bluing wear on the gun but very little, if any, pitting. It locks up tight and seemed to shoot good, but I've really only put about 10 rounds through it before parking it in the safe for the last eight or ten years. Last night I noticed that it had a little rust spot just inside the crane. Nothing major, but enough to make me cringe. Scrubbing on the little rust spot got me thinking. I've NEVER had a gun customized before. From my perspective, this would be a good candidate to customize. I'm thinking something simple, just an action job and a refinish. Any suggestions? Who would you guys recommend to do it? Any and all ideas are welcome and sincerely appreciated. Thanks all for such a wonderful forum. THE S&W MODEL 29 IS ALREADY PERFECTION. I SEE VERY LITTLE REASON TO CUSTOMIZE IT ANY FURTHER THAN A SMOOTH ACTION JOB AND/OR CUSTOM STOCKS. I HAVE HAD ONE ROUND BUTTED IN THE 1970s BEFORE RD BUTTS WERE AVAILABLE AND ALSO MAG-NA-PORTED AND RE-FINISHED. I WISH NOW IT WAS STILL A SQ BUTT. I ALSO HAVE A PAIR OF 4" NICKELED GUNS THAT I HADTHE TRIGGERS SMOOTHED AND THE SHARP CORNERS ON THE BUTTS ROUNDED EVER SO SLIGHTLY ALONG WITH STAG STOCKS. I DEFINITELY CANNOT SEE FITTING A NEW BARREL OR RE-CHAMBERING TO .45 COLT. GOOD SHOOTIN' AND GOD BLESS,JOHN PS IF YOU HAVE A THING FOR 29s WHY HAS THIS ONE BEEN DORMANT FOR SO LONG??
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Post by bigmuddy on Dec 3, 2009 12:12:24 GMT -5
I agree that a Model 29 is near perfection, and the 4" even more so.
I had a little bit of work done to my 4" 29-2 several years ago. I had a very slight, barely noticeable recessed crown on the muzzle, smoothed the grooved trigger and installed a trigger stop, and a crane lock installed. Also had the action smoothed up a bit. All work was done by Ron Power. It made a great gun just a little bit better.
I also added a set of grips (unknown maker) that are a little smaller than the factory target stocks.
My "44 Magnum bug" has lately recessed back to a "44 Special" bug and this gun sees a lot more of those rounds these days.
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Post by Frank V on Dec 3, 2009 19:13:02 GMT -5
I don't think I'd change it either, maybe an action job? It's great just as it is I think. Frank
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Post by serialsolver on Dec 4, 2009 8:46:15 GMT -5
Barbecue gun.
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Post by MackaySagebrush on Dec 11, 2009 13:28:23 GMT -5
Perhaps add some fancy wood grips, smooth up the trigger, maybe narrow it, if it is too wide to your liking. The top it off with a practical belt holster and call it good.
I am more interested in wearing out the ones I currently have, than doing too much more customizing.
A 5 gallon bucket load of 240 grain hardcast/8.5 grains Unique loads and a good weekend jumpshooting desert jackrabbits sound like the proper course of action to me.
Cheers
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dtrain
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 83
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Post by dtrain on Dec 16, 2009 18:52:29 GMT -5
I have had a number of N frames worked on by Andy Horvath in fact I have a 625-2 that is next in line. He is reasonable and does excellent work. Tuning smoothing and re-finishing is no problem his phone number is (440) 458-4369. One of my Horvath's Len Wow...I will definetely talk to him about my Model 28..If he can do that I am sure he can freshen up my 357.. Dtrain
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akray
.30 Stingray
"Alaska is what the Wild West was"
Posts: 388
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Post by akray on Dec 21, 2009 16:06:16 GMT -5
Who made the grips, Len? They really look good.
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Len
.30 Stingray
Posts: 358
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Post by Len on Dec 21, 2009 19:01:12 GMT -5
Who made the grips, Len? They really look good. Andy did everything including grips and a cross draw holster out of elephant hide
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