Big Bore Snub - Frankengun?

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Fat Boy

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I visited a gun show today and saw a gun that I almost bought- Sorry, no pics...I know, I know "This thread is worthless without pics!"

Anyway, it is an N-frame S&W- the frame is almost steel colored due to the blue being pretty much gone

The hammer is "de-horned", although it can be cocked single action by catching it as it starts up out of the frame.

No rear sight at all, it has been removed

The barrel/shroud is blue, and the barrel has been cut off just ahead of the ejector rod housing- the front end of the barrel has not been crowned in the traditional sense, but it is "concave?" and hasn't been re-blued...no front sight at all

Grips are aftermarket, one piece fingergroove wood or laminate-

Lock-up/function appears good- the owner was asking $350 and wouldn't come down

I really like this gun; at its best it is an all-steel revolver similar to a nightguard in size, etc. really a tough-looking, big bore snubby, that if function is reasonably good would be a neat addition to my collection

Should I have bought it and hoped for the best?

Worst case, (the show is going on tomorrow afternoon as well, all is not totally lost:) what could be wrong with this gun?

Thanks!
 
In the late 70's/early 80's Jovino's gunshop in NYC, and others, chopped the 25-2 to snubbie dimensions. S&W at that time was making nothing comparable. The barrel was shortened to 2 3/4 or 3 inches, square butt ground to a round butt profile, ball detent added for the yoke, trigger narrowed and smoothed, and hammer spur narrowed. Sights were retained. The guns were reblued. Fantastic carry guns, and shooters. Going price is in the $500 range, depending on condition. I'd much rather have one of those than the gun you're describing. Here's mine.
IMG_1761a.jpg
 
what could be wrong with this gun?
Click to expand...

- The guy who bobbed the hammer could have also done a Bubba job on the hammer and trigger. It could be unsafe to fire. Did you test for push-off with the hammer cocked?

- The clearly bubba chop job could give very poor accuracy and performance. If the attitude of the person modifying it was, "hey, who needs sights and a crowned barrel?," then you need to wonder what else was treated that way.

- The clear signs of poor maintenance and storage on the finish could well be replicated inside with rust or other problems.

Basically, I price these kinda things like parts - you just don't know what it's going to take to make it reliable and safe. It sounds like the seller would do well to take $200 and stop pretending he's got something valuable. But some fool might pay that. It happens. I notice you didn't mention what model it was or caliber. Since you said it had a shroud it must likely be a 27, 28, or 29 that met a cruel and undeserved fate.

pinkymingeo said:
Going price is in the $500 range, depending on condition. I'd much rather have one of those
Click to expand...

Those were widely marketed as "Effector" models by Jovino. S&W and Lew Horton copied them pretty soon with the 3" models within a few years. If I saw an Effector for $500, I'd snap that up in a heartbeat. I've seen them do $750 and $800, like a "Lew Horton," to the right crowd.

And I totally agree with him. If you want a big-bore snubbie N frame (and who doesn't? We love them!), keep the $350 in your pocket, then save a little more and find a slightly used Trail Boss or Backpacker 3". Until 2007/8, S&W also catalogued a model "Bounty Hunter" that was a 29 in 3", matte blue, and it retailed on the street at $575. This was for a NEW gun with a lifetime warranty. I think you'd be better off with one of these newer, non-Franken guns in the $500 to $550 range. Or save some more money and hunt up an older Effector or Lew Horton special.
 
It sounds like the gun you saw may have been a work-in-progess that came to a hat. I like big snub guns! :cool:

customized Colt New Service 1917 .45 ACP

332993796.jpg

330374854.jpg

S&W 629-5 .44 magnum

145236207.gif

145236204.gif

S&W 627-PC .357 magnum

366701644.gif

366701640.gif

S&W 27-2 .357 magnum

145236217.gif
 
C&L... those are gorgeous!

Especially the old "FBI snubby." I've always loved the look of the 3 1/2 inch 27.

And the 1917 "semi-Fitz" - if Colt made .45 ACP revolvers on CNC machines that looked like their classic New Armys (let alone .38/.357's like their Troopers or Official Police's), they might draw some of the blue steel and walnut crowd back to them.
 
If you're talking ready-made guns, this 625-10 is my regular acp carry. Weighs 23oz, and you forget you're wearing it in a good IWB.
IMG_1320a.jpg
 
Cocked and Locked, what kind of grips are those on your 627? I hav a 325NG wearing boot grips off a 625-10 ( Eagles, I think?). They carry great, but hurt like hell to shoot. I qual'd with the gun last month; gun ate a nice bloody hole on the inside of my thumb. The Pachs that came with it are nice, but way too big for my medium sized hands. Need something with an open back strap> Don't mind taking a thwack from recoil, but I'd rather not have a gun that eats me alive!
 
pinkymingeo, nice revolver.

C&L... those are gorgeous!
Click to expand...
I really like the Colt and the 27. The 629-5 and 627 ... not so much.

Especially the old "FBI snubby." I've always loved the look of the 3 1/2 inch 27.
Click to expand...
The same as G. Gordon Liddy used to carry, described in his book Will:

"... the finest .357 magnum revolver made. I had mentioned to Fran that I was uncomfortable sitting in a car wearing a five-inch barreled gun because the barrel protruded down into the seat and forced the gun up too high. The big framed Smith that was my present had a three-and-a-half-inch barrel. The top strap had been crosshatched by a skilled craftsman to prevent reflection along the barrel, which would interfere with sighting. The grip was of checkered walnut and the finish blued steel with the brightness and perfection of a mirror. It was, simply, the best handgun in the world."​
 
"...the front end of the barrel has not been crowned in the traditional sense, but it is "concave?" and hasn't been re-blued...no front sight at all..."

11 degree "concave" muzzle crowns usually have the best accuracy traits. perpindicular "stepped" crowns work well also.

"...The clearly bubba chop job..."hey, who needs sights and a crowned barrel?," ..."

charles askins tried one of these out while serving as a border patrol officer, also. the thinking was fast presentation, and close range. according to a mas ayoob review of his book "unrepentant sinner"..."He point-fired because he had to: his gun that night was a Colt New Service .45 sixgun, its barrel chopped to two inches with no front sight." after a dismal performace at close range, he dropped the idea.


charles askins was not my definition of what makes a bubba. just trying a new idea out.

gunnie
 
Price seems fair - I see no reason to just dismiss the gun because there are modifications.
 
Hey - I'm new here - this is my first post.

The largest snubnose I've ever shot was a .38 & it wanted to jump back out of my hands.

I'm saving up for a .44 mag snubnose to use as a backpacking/bear gun that I can conceal.
Forgive me for asking, but is it a bad idea to get something in that large a caliber with such a short barrel? Is it going to be punishing to shoot?

-BigWoolyBanjo
 
The short answer is YES ! It will be punishing to shoot with full magnum loads. You can however shoot .44 Spl loads through the gun, and that will tame the recoil and muzzle blast to a level that should be just fine.

A few rounds of your carry load can be fired periodicaly to let you know what that is like - just hang on to it. When, and if ,you ever need it on the trail, the more sever muzzle blast and recoil will not be noticed.
 
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