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Post by 2 Dogs on Mar 18, 2010 20:30:22 GMT -5
I am considering building a way cool 45 acp Smith and Wesson. I have a Smith 5 screw Outdoorsman along with a 1955 barrel that need rescuing. Im not sure about the heat treating on the Outdoorsman so I plan to buy a take off cylinder to fit to the gun. The barrel will be 4 inches with a undercut front sight. Sights will be black on black. I am leaning toward a round butt, but still open on that....so
Should I just buy a 45 acp cylinder or start with a 357 cylinder so I can control the chambering and cylinder throats?
What kind of crown?
Should I polish and blue or go for something a bit more durable as to the finish?
Should I round butt to N frame or K frame specs?
Should I shorten the cylinder to reduce bullet jump?
Most importantly, who should do the work???
I know there are some really educated Smith guys on here.... so help me think this out. Pics would help....
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Post by blueroan on Mar 18, 2010 21:14:49 GMT -5
Jim Stroh of ALPHA PRECISION would be my choice for the project.
I'd ask his opinion on the crown and finish.
For a cylinder, get one from a 610...in case of extractor star modifications versus a rimmed cartridge. Obviously, full moon clips are the way to go.
The round butt could be converted to square with custom stocks if you feel the need.
I'd be more inclined to keep it a 6.5 or 5 inch barrel and square butt....with some exotic (stag, ivory or ?) magna style stocks for a retro/1930 Border Patrolman look. If my buying list wasn't heavy on 3 screw Rugers, Original Size 357 or 44 VAQUEROS and straight stock MARLINS, I'd be building what I described for me.
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revorg
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 12 
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Post by revorg on Mar 18, 2010 21:24:04 GMT -5
That sounds good... I have a smilier project on the back burner. Two issues I can think of... that 1955 barrel's rib is wider than a 1950 barrel, so the frame on that outdoorsman would have those relief cuts on either side to match.  What to do ? when you figure that out, let me know.  I am leaning toward re-boring a .357 barrel. Second issue, the cylinder... most if not all 25-2 cylinders are a bit oversize. I got a brand new one in my parts box better than most but not ideal.  I would go with the .357 cylinder. Bowens shop made me a real nice 4" 5 screw 1950 target in .44 special... beautiful work, but it cost me. David Clements has made a couple works of art for me... he may get my next S&W project. Round butts are silly... you will just need conversion stocks. ;D |
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Post by serialsolver on Mar 19, 2010 8:04:21 GMT -5
2 Dogs, I would think that the cylinder in the gun would handle the pressure of the 45. after all the outdoorsman used the 38/44 ammo. The only heat treatment problems I know of with the n frames are in the early triple locks. I think the bigger problem is in the cylinder stop on the side of the frame since the headspace on the 38 is different than the 45 acp. I think it would be easy to get a Brazilian contact gun to build what you want and have it bead blasted, round but in the little gun style with about a 3 or 3.5 in barrel. maybe bob the hammer then some stag grips. The outdoorsman would make a great 38-40 or a 45 schoflied.
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Post by 2 Dogs on Mar 19, 2010 9:04:39 GMT -5
I was considering that very thing SS....I wasnt sure if the gun could be modified to accept the rimmed case.......HMMM.
May have to relegate this Outdoorsman to the 44 special pile and start over....
I like your idea, but kinda want to stay with a 4 inch. The trouble is, I wanna be sure I have control over the cylinder throats...
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Post by AxeHandle on Mar 19, 2010 9:04:56 GMT -5
Short cylinder, round butt, and hard chrome it... Have some grips made that fit your hand... IMHO Those magna stocks are another thing that look good in the box but just don't fit my hand... I shot the little TR 45 ACP last summer and immediately traded that sucker off... I could not shoot it well and chose not to modify my method to adapt to it... Now in my time I have spent a lot of time with K, L and N frame revolvers... Lots of DA shooting with PPC and NRA Action guns. I have never shot a S&W revolver that looked so good and shot so bad... |
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Post by 2 Dogs on Mar 19, 2010 10:28:27 GMT -5
The issue for me will be the accuracy.
Stan, I considered the 325 too. Was it too light or what?
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Post by 2 Dogs on Mar 19, 2010 10:31:52 GMT -5
Revorg, oversize cylinders and too shallow rifling are what
I want to avoid. Hmmm a Dan Wesson barrel shroud on a
good Douglas barrel might work....
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Post by serialsolver on Mar 19, 2010 10:32:15 GMT -5
Then you would have a pined and recessed n frame 45. That may be the way to go. I don’t know about cost or gunsmith for the work. That is why I thought it would be easier to start out with a 1917 and fit a new minimum spec cylinder. If a current production cylinder would fit in a 80 year old gun. It should work but there is all ways the unforeseen.
I’m cool with the 4 in barrel. The first barrel I cut was on Brazilian contract 1917. I did not have any filing skills and no concept of soldering, so I got a banded ramp front sight from Numrich and put on it. Kind of primitive but I liked the end result. I called it Old Ugly. It had a pitted barrel and even more pitted exterior but with the right ammo it would cut one ragged hole. Sorry for rambling. I kinda like big bore n frames.
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Post by AxeHandle on Mar 19, 2010 10:34:52 GMT -5
I think it was just a grip thing... My big fat hand just couldn't grasp it properly... FWIW my TR gun was the original all steel M22 version... Dang thing looked so good! Could not believe how bad I shot it at 10 yards...
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Post by Heavy C on Mar 19, 2010 11:07:04 GMT -5
If you're talking the Ultimate; then you need to start with a cylinder where you can control throat sizes. The barrel shroud with a Douglas barrel sounds like a great idea. My preferred length is 5", but 4" would work nicely. Mine would wear a target hammer and trigger as well, but that's just me. Considering the all-purpose nature of the revolver I would go with a bead blasted stainless. Top it off with some custom grips in macassar ebony and then send it to me. ;-)
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Post by 2 Dogs on Mar 19, 2010 12:44:00 GMT -5
I remember Jim Cirillo used to talk about Smiths with DW barrels on them, but not who did the work.....anyone?
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Post by brionic on Mar 19, 2010 12:55:36 GMT -5
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Len
.30 Stingray
Posts: 358
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Post by Len on Mar 19, 2010 12:58:09 GMT -5
Andy Horvath is re working a 625-2 1988 to be completed later this month.
I toyed with the idea of shortening the cylinder and bullet jump but finally concluded the cost did not justify the questionable accuracy improvement. I was also told that the unsupported barrel sticking inside of the frame wasn't a good idea from a safety standpoint? BUT IT SURE LOOKS COOL.
Andy is:
1. full action job.
2. Bowen rear sight.
3. Chamfer cylinder
4. Narrow and polish trigger
5. Jewel trigger and hammer
6. Deep crown
7. Hi polish accent ring around bolt stops
8. Refinish balance of gun
9 Has round butt Ahrends finger groove grips
10. 5" barrel
11. At his discretion he may re shape or put some accent cuts in barrel lug.
An interesting site:www.pinnacle-guns.com/revolver
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Post by 2 Dogs on Mar 19, 2010 14:00:22 GMT -5
Wasn't Crawford a big 1911 Smith back in the 80's?
Is he still in business?
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What to do ? when you figure that out, let me know. 
I am leaning toward re-boring a .357 barrel. Second issue, the cylinder... most if not all 25-2 cylinders are a bit oversize. I got a brand new one in my parts box better than most but not ideal. 
I would go with the .357 cylinder. 
