I think I got back a different gun

[cardboardkiller]

She started life as a S&W 66-2 that looked like this:

http://www.hunt101.com/img/305211.jpg

After Marc Morganti (Gemini Customs) got his hands on it, I ended up with this:

http://www.hunt101.com/img/399430-big.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/img/399432-big.jpg

Specs:

Roundbutted
Moonclipped
Barrel shortened to 3", crowned and reprofiled
Ball detent lock up
New customized SDM front sight setup
SDM thumblatch
Action Job
Narrowed and rounded trigger
Polished screws
Hard chromed
Grips fitted

I'll try to get some better pics soon when it isn't so bright and hot outside.

Links to two pics off of Gemini Customs website (gun of the month):

www.geminicustoms.com/DSC02460.JPG (http://www.geminicustoms.com/DSC02460.JPG)

www.geminicustoms.com/DSC02458.JPG (http://www.geminicustoms.com/DSC02458.JPG)

[sloman]

that is gorgeous! You don't mind me asking, how much did that set you back?

[Brian Williams]

Nice setup. I really like 3"ers.

[SAWBONES]

I just had two SP101s done by Marc.
Sorry no pics, I'm digitally disadvantaged at present, but see www.geminicustoms.com.
He does excellent work and is really very nice to deal with. Very knowledgeable and courteous.

[cardboardkiller]

It cost over a grand not including the gun.

[armoredman]

A grand? Gah.... Very nice, sir - if it's worth it to you, then it's worth it, period.

[Just_a_dude_with_a_gun]

That's excellent work, right there!

[ARTiger]

Artistry in metal. Wow! Am I seeing things or did he reshape the trigger guard as well?

[cardboardkiller]

The trigger guard and the area in front of it has been smoothed and rounded some, it's hard to tell with the hard chrome but there is some difference between it and my 66-1.

As far as the price, for the amount of work that went into the gun and the finished product it's entirely worth it. I have a truely one of a kind firearm that I will see a lot of use out of and won't just languish in my safe.

If the threat of over a grand in work scares you, I won't discuss what else I have in my safe. :D

[Standing Wolf]

Mighty pretty!

[larry starling]

Nice looking piece......:D

[HighVelocity]

BEAutiful! I'm looking at the website now. How long did it take from the time it left your hands until you had the completed gun back in your posession?

[Shootcraps]

Holy Mother of Pearl!!! That's incredibly gorgeous.

[cardboardkiller]

It took Marc about 3 months, but the SHOT show held things up a good bit and there was some delay at the refinisher.

The last time I talked to Marc he was very quickly getting a year's worth of backlog because of the SHOT show. If you want in on his services I would give him a call and see where's he at as far as a wait.

[XavierBreath]

Gorgeous!

[sgt127]

I'm sure theres a good reason, why would you hard chrome a stainless gun? Unless its to make it virtually rust proof.

[cardboardkiller]

Living in ultra-humid south Florida a gun needs all the help it can get, especially one that's going to ride next to my sweaty skin all day, not to mention the salt air.

Hard chrome is also slicker than bare steel and aids in smoothing moving parts.

Plus, I like the way hard chrome looks and I'll take it over stainless any day of the week. A guns gotta look as good as it shoots. Right?

I didn't have this gun built to lay in the safe. Yeah, I have a bit of money in it, but once I get a chance to put this gun through its paces it's going to be an almost daily carry piece. I wanted this gun to be as tough as it can get, my life or someone else's may depend on it.

[XavierBreath]

It is indeed odd that people will drop $1000 into a 1911 without thinking but not do the same on a revolver. They will pay over $1000 for a Performance Center gun or almost as much for a whizbang sleeve barreled zit lock abomination with a fancy profile. Yet when it comes to making a true custom .357 magnum revolver, they balk at $1000 invested. Asking whether this gun is worth the cost is like holding up a Springfield Mil-Spec and asking if a Ted Yost gun is worth the cost.

I think as time goes by, you will see more pre-lock S&W guns customized in this fashion. Cardboardkiller, you are a pioneer! It's about time this began, it's it's great to see it done so beautifully!

[cardboardkiller]

I'm with you XB. If I would have posted up a Freedom Arms revolver or some such, no one would have batted an eye at the price. I've put up pics of my SV, Les Baer and STI's and got no comments on how much they cost.

One pic of a revolver that's had some work done it that still doesn't equal up to half or even a third of the price of some of the guns I own and some people go ballistic. I don't get it.

I won't put up any pics of my CT Brian commander when I get it, hopefully next year, someone will have a complete meltdown.

[tuckerdog1]

Cardboardkiller,

A grand is serious $$ to me. But looking is free. I'd like to see what's in your safe.

Tuckerdog1

[cardboardkiller]

A grand isn't serious money for a gun or even the gunsmithing bill, think about it.

You can have two Glocks or for just a little more take an old revolver have it turned into something that's not just an old revolver or a matte black hunk of plastic and steel that's just like every other Glock that has ever gone out the door.

I know a guy that has a lot of guns, we're talking hundreds, but he'd rather go out and spend $99 on a Makarov than buy something nice. He was trying to convince me the other day to carry a RIA because they're "cheap and do the job", I looked at him and asked him, "How much is your life worth?" He had no answer. This guy has money, he is by no means broke, has almost no bills and lives on $500,000 piece of property in a house that's paid for.

My life and my wife's life is worth more than a $99 Makarov or a $300 RIA.

I've posted pics in various forums of some of my guns, but I get tired of being asked how much they cost. I'll come over to your house and ask you how much you paid for the expensive items you own, gun or not, and see how you like it and how tired you get of it.

I'm 32, I just got married last year, I have a great job and I don't have any kids, that's what makes a grand a not so serious amount of money to me. I've kept my fiscal responsibilites low and focused on enjoying myself.

[JohnKSa]

Nice gun.

Don't sweat the negative replies--people rarely understand why custom gunsmithing is so expensive.My life and my wife's life is worth more than a $99 Makarov or a $300 RIA.Gotta comment on this one though. The worth of a firearm is not exclusively determined by price. A good quality, reliable firearm can be a fine defensive weapon even if it's cheap.

IMO, the comments about $1K being too much to spend are just as far off target as your implication that it's wrong to rely on something inexpensive--even if it's perfectly functional..

[atavuss]

forgive my ignorance, but why even respond to the questions about what the price was for the custom revolver? if it was worth it to you then that should be all that matters. FWIW I bought an ex military M274a5 mechanical mule at a military vehicle show last week. just about all my co-workers asked me what it cost and when I refused to answer they would start guessing, I just ignored them after that, clearly these are NOB type questions.

[dbarale]

When you think about it, a mechanic charges around 80$/ hour.
A grand would be about 12 hours of work, I'm sure there is more than 12 hours in that gun!
Besides, it's beautiful. If I had the money I would not hesitate a second about getting a true custom gun.
Thanks for sharing.

[tuckerdog1]

Jeeezz guys,

Nobody got a sense of humor? One guy asks what it costs & he thinks it's a lot. Big deal. Cardboardkiller replies we wouldn't want to see what's in his safe if a grand seems like a lot of money. Well guess what. The gun is well worth the money, but a grand is STILL a lot of money, even if to you, it's disposable level and you're getting good value for it. But I still appreciate fine handguns, and even though $1,000 is a lot of money, I still like to see nice things. Can't afford a Vette or Porsche, but still like looking.

Tuckerdog1