I want to change my 4”, non-pinned barrel on my model 64-3, to a 3” barrel for easier carry. Did they make a 3” version, and if so are barrels available? I already round-butted it from the factory square butt; so originality is not a concern. With gunsmithing prices and wait times for a full cut/regrown/dovetail for a front sight, and barrel polish, a simple screw-in swap seems the best route. Or is it?
3” barrel for model 64?
- Thread starter becket
- Start date
- Status
Loner757
Member
Yes, there where several police agencies that special ordered the 64-3 with a 3" heavy barrel. Phoenix PD, NYPD, and Georgia Parole Board to name a few. How difficult would be to find a barrel? I'm not sure since I've never looked for one. Good luck.
halfmoonclip
Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2011
- Messages
- 2,755
You round butted it yourself? Wow.
My recollection is that 3" weren't common on 64s. What barrel profile do you have?
If you really want to carry it, a 3" M60 might be a better choice.
Moon
My recollection is that 3" weren't common on 64s. What barrel profile do you have?
If you really want to carry it, a 3" M60 might be a better choice.
Moon
I checked a couple of the normal parts places and found non available. Numrich price is $165 but they are out. If you can't find a barrel you can check with a couple gunsmiths to see what they would charge to cut the barrel back and remount a front sight.
Thanks all; it’s a heavy barrel police trade in from nypd. Before I polished out most of the duty wear the officer had scratched his badge number in the sideplate: ‘1180’ . It was made around mid eighties. I’ll monitor Numrich and see how a nod barrel and the labor for the swap (and down time) compared. I’ll update with any progress.
Wildbillz
Member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2010
- Messages
- 1,022
You might give Smith & Wesson a call and see if they still make and offer a 3" barrel.
How did you convert it to a round butt? How did it turn out and any chance you could post a picture of the finished conversion? I have been looking for a round butt, but if I can convert one of the cheap turn in's so much the better.
Thanks
WB
How did you convert it to a round butt? How did it turn out and any chance you could post a picture of the finished conversion? I have been looking for a round butt, but if I can convert one of the cheap turn in's so much the better.
Thanks
WB
bannockburn
Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
- Messages
- 26,294
becket
I don't know if this applies to the type of barrel you have on your Model 64 but it may be worth a read as to everything that's involved in doing a barrel swap.
I don't know if this applies to the type of barrel you have on your Model 64 but it may be worth a read as to everything that's involved in doing a barrel swap.
We'll see what the OP response is, but since I have done this modification I will say it is not all that difficult.
I cut an appropriate amount of material out of the butt with a Dremel and cutting disc, bent the backstrap to proper shape with the bottom of the backstrap now in the proper location on the modified butt , welded in place, and dresses off the excess weld. Then filed, sanded, and polished to match the contour, and surface polish of the rest of the gun. If a blued model you can either touch up the bluing, or have the frame hot blued. I did this mod on a Model 66 stainless so just dressed the weld down and polished to match the area.
Loner757
Member
halfmoonclip
Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2011
- Messages
- 2,755
Well, round butting is above shop capacity (and my personal courage). That is some serious gunsmithing.
Loner', that is one handsome Model 64, and another consideration for the OP.
They do show up used at not awful prices...tho' not as pretty as that one.
Moon
Loner', that is one handsome Model 64, and another consideration for the OP.
They do show up used at not awful prices...tho' not as pretty as that one.
Moon
wcwhitey
Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 2,814
Most of the Model 64’s in the NYPD were 4” square butt. However, the 3” round butt was an option. At the same time Rugers were available and authorized. Hard to say how many 3”’s were around butt I would guess a thousand or two. Off Duty there was a 2” 64 DAO authorized too, the only one I saw I bought when we transitioned to 9mm. At the time you could buy any Model 10 for $100 which was twice what the LGS would offer. This is 1995 or so. Nobody ever sold their Chiefs or Detective Specials though, tells you something
.This is my model 66 that had gone through the Katrina floods and some pitting in areas that made it a good candidate for round butting and shortening the barrel to 3 inches. I sold it some time ago. It shot well and all mechanics were excellent. The purchaser got a very good deal, and if he sees this I would buy it back for what he paid + some .
Last edited:
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
I went the other way 10 years ago I took a 3" 65 and put a 4" Standard(Pencil) barrel on it.
No pics from before but here is after
It also got a target trigger and hammer swap. It is built for a woods carry, potential messy/muddy/wet carry.
No pics from before but here is after
It also got a target trigger and hammer swap. It is built for a woods carry, potential messy/muddy/wet carry.
Biblethumpncop
Member
- Joined
- May 22, 2009
- Messages
- 402
I sent you a PM for a barrel.
Basically I looked at pics and templates of old instructions, and how others did it with deemed/files/diff finishing sandpaper’s etc over on S&W forum and other online info sites. Below is almost finished pics.
Attachments
This place I just found has steel jigs for square to round butt conversion:
https://pacifictoolandgauge.com/smi...tg-round-butt-fitting-guide-sw-k-l-frame.html
https://pacifictoolandgauge.com/smi...tg-round-butt-fitting-guide-sw-k-l-frame.html
Last edited:
Wildbillz
Member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2010
- Messages
- 1,022
I drew out the outline and used a fine stone
On the dreamel to slowly take it down to a shape still outside the line. Then by hand took it down into the final shape. Had to be extra careful on the bottom corner to get as close to the serial number as I could to get the correct curve, without damaging it. Slow flat sweeps along the whole shape. I was also careful to stay away from going crossways as it can remove too much in a small cross space; and the final curve will be wavy there. First one I’ve done so fear was a great motivator to go slowly! Others above with more experience will have the actually best way to do it; but this worked to my satisfaction.
On the dreamel to slowly take it down to a shape still outside the line. Then by hand took it down into the final shape. Had to be extra careful on the bottom corner to get as close to the serial number as I could to get the correct curve, without damaging it. Slow flat sweeps along the whole shape. I was also careful to stay away from going crossways as it can remove too much in a small cross space; and the final curve will be wavy there. First one I’ve done so fear was a great motivator to go slowly! Others above with more experience will have the actually best way to do it; but this worked to my satisfaction.
earlthegoat2
Member
There used to be a pinned thread in this forum or the gunsmithing forum of a member cutting the 4" barrel of a model 10 down to 3 inches as well as a recrown and front sight install.
Maybe someone can find it. I tried but cannot remember the member name. IIRC, it was a first name middle initial last name.
Maybe someone can find it. I tried but cannot remember the member name. IIRC, it was a first name middle initial last name.
Can a regular machine shop do the initial cut and/or dovetail I wonder? I can get hold of an old blued beater .38 to let em’ try I guess. A real smith can always trim it down a bit more
To snub it and erase a mistake; but the process, at least the initial barrel cut, seems pretty straightforward. An 11-degree forcing cone chamfer tool I imagine can do the crown, and I had plan to purchase one anyway. I want a 11-degree regardless so I can widen the cone chamfer up on the ones I shoot lead thru. I get that number from the Accurate revolver series by MannyCA on U-tube
To snub it and erase a mistake; but the process, at least the initial barrel cut, seems pretty straightforward. An 11-degree forcing cone chamfer tool I imagine can do the crown, and I had plan to purchase one anyway. I want a 11-degree regardless so I can widen the cone chamfer up on the ones I shoot lead thru. I get that number from the Accurate revolver series by MannyCA on U-tube
Last edited:
Homerboy
Member
I’m retired NYPD and carried a 64. Never saw or even heard of a cop scratching his shield number on a sideplate.
Since you already round butted the gun, the originality of the gun is lost, so do what you want. I just know that NY-1 revolvers are going for a premium lately since they haven’t been stamped that way since 1992.
Personally, cutting a barrel looks awful to me. The markings on the barrel won’t be centered and it just looks wrong to me.
I was watching an episode of The Blacklist a few years ago. Bad guy pulled a 3” revolver and pointed it at somebody. Something looked off in the scene so paused it. Sure enough, it was obviously a 4” barrel model 64 or 65 that had been cut to 3”. My eyes noticed it immediately in the quick flash of the scene. Just looks wrong to me. I’d scout around for a 3” barrel before I paid a gunsmith probably the same amount of money a 3” barrel would cost me.
Speedo66
Member
The only time I saw guns get scratched was when an arrest was made, the arresting officer would scratch his or her initials on it to show chain of custody when it went to and came back from the property clerk's office for court.
Homerboy
Member
we only had to do that in the absence of a serial number. The numbered voucher showed the custody, but maybe it was done that way before my time.
The revolver is a 64-3, mid-80s. That it was the badge number scratched into the side was from the description of the listing. So sounds like erroneous info now after getting the facts straight from you Leo’s. Now I wonder, since it is a serialized gun, what the significance of the 1180 number was. Prob just a civie revolver then as that was the only reference to
The nypd. Unless it was purchased by a retiring officer that wanted to commemorate
His duty revolver with his badge number?
Not why I bought it anyway; I just like heavy barreled models 10 and 64. I have a pencil barreled 1913 Hand Ejector, and that style barrel to me looks good on an old classic.
The nypd. Unless it was purchased by a retiring officer that wanted to commemorate
His duty revolver with his badge number?
Not why I bought it anyway; I just like heavy barreled models 10 and 64. I have a pencil barreled 1913 Hand Ejector, and that style barrel to me looks good on an old classic.
- Status
