[blazermark]

a recent thread by @travelinbob showed a few examples of 45 ACP mods - shortened barrls, reformed grips, siight mods..

I have a pre model 28 in the project pile that i was thinking of 'customizing' - its already had a barrel chop and id like to cut it to 3" ish and maybe do some more work -
finish, target hammer, a grip profile change...

id like to see some interesting mods - maybe ones you own or have seen and booked marked as food for creativity ..

here is the project gun -- a 6" barrel chopped to roughly 4" , some issues with side plate corrosion that will require a new side plate and some frame fill ..

 

[OzarkMarine]

Looks great with the shorted barrel, very nice work.
Is the GSP on the frame for Georgia State Police?

 

[Boriqua]

Oh man ... am I going to be watching this thread!!!!

Ok so first stupid A$$ question .. when you cut the barrel .. well how! You saved the sight so I am assuming you cut it from the back end but isnt it threaded. Oh this thread can be dangerous to a born tinker!

 

[Abby'sDad]

Oh man ... am I going to be watching this thread!!!!

Ok so first stupid A$$ question .. when you cut the barrel .. well how! You saved the sight so I am assuming you cut it from the back end but isnt it threaded. Oh this thread can be dangerous to a born tinker!

You cut from the muzzle end and relay the front sight

 

[OzarkMarine]

Oh man ... am I going to be watching this thread!!!!

Ok so first stupid A$$ question .. when you cut the barrel .. well how! You saved the sight so I am assuming you cut it from the back end but isnt it threaded. Oh this thread can be dangerous to a born tinker!

I've only cut one barrel down and that was a Mosin-Nagant surplus.
Used a hacksaw and re-crowned it using a brass round head screw in a drill and Brasso for lapping compound.
Threaded the barrel for a compensator and a red dot optic.
Heck of a deer gun.

 

[series guy]

That chop job is so nice that I would be tempted to bolt it all together and hit the range. I'm great for coming up with ideas on how to modify/customize something then when the time comes I stay as stock as possible. I did this with an old BMW motorcycle that I restored then did it with my old Land Rover. I did manage to convert a Model 25-2 to .45 Colt and convert a Model 19 to .327 Federal Magnum and then did the same with a Model 15. Andy Horvath supplied the manpower.

 

[Boriqua]

There is a guy on my local board that has had a fair to good condition 6" 28 for sale for months. I might even have trade bait he is interested in. If I thought I could figure out how to change it to a 3.5" and still have a front sight .. oh .. a little plastic 9 might have to leave here!!

 

[StrawHat]

There is a guy on my local board that has had a fair to good condition 6" 28 for sale for months. I might even have trade bait he is interested in. If I thought I could figure out how to change it to a 3.5" and still have a front sight .. oh .. a little plastic 9 might have to leave here!!

The easiest way ay to accomplish what you do ant is to buy a 3 1/2” Model 27 barrel. They are out there. The harder way it to cut the existing barrel and crown it. You can not cut the threaded end as you would lose the tapered portion of the barrel. Take the cut barrel and cut off the ramp and sight portion of the barrel. Now, remove the cylindrical portion of the barrel but leave a “tab” that extends from the bottom of the ramp to the bottom of the rib. Make sure what you have left is level, straight and square. Now the fun part. Remove enough of the ribbed portion of your 3 1/2” barrel so the new front sight ramp and blade will sit where you want it. Create a socket for the tab under your ramp. Install the sight ramp etc and clamp it in place. Layout where the hole(s) will be for the pin(s) and drill from both sides to minimize the misalignment. Measure the thickness of the rib. Cut a pin slightly (1/32”) longer than the width of the rib and dome both ends. Install the pin to hold the ramped sight in place. Remove the clamp and marvel at your work.
Another method of securing the ramp uses a flat bottom on the ramp, a flat landing par for the sight on the barrel rib and some solder. Either way would work.

Good luck and let us know how you progress.

Kevin

 

[blazermark]

.... Is the GSP on the frame for Georgia State Police?

yes Georgia State Police - got it from the officers son - in the late '50s the GSP had contract for 6" Highway Patrolman.. the officer purchased his gun and later had work done , both at the factory and local. the chop is not factory..

 

[series guy]

The Model 28 is the easiest gun to modify. The front sight is currently held on by two pins, you can see them in the photos. Also the top rib is smooth so after cutting and crowning the barrel the sight install will look factory.

 

[azmick]

Cutting the barrel to 3" would require additional work on the lug and ejector spring and pin inside the lug. You could get away with 3 1/4.

 

[OzarkMarine]

This thread has got me wanting to modify a revolver I have now.
I've got a 3 inch 64-7 with that ugly Hillary hole I bought sight unseen from a re-import gun distributor.
Has anybody here ever had that hole Tig welded instead ?

 

[OzarkMarine]

EDIT
Tig welded instead of installing a plug?

 

[gearchecker]

I would change out the rear sight to an ALLCHIN mini STS mount, and then put a Red Dot on it. You will probably need to have holes bored and tapped fo the monut to the frame.. You can get this from Brownell's for around $50, or direct from ALLCHIN for $45 plus shipping

Smith & Wesson Mini STS Scope Mount

- Comes in black or silver-(Fits Buris Fast Fire Scope, JPoint, Optima 2000, Leopold Delta, & Most Other Small Dot Scopes)-gets the C-More STS and any of th...

allchingunparts.com

 

[blazermark]

Cutting the barrel to 3" would require additional work on the lug and ejector spring and pin inside the lug. You could get away with 3 1/4.

i agree mick - 3 1/2 probably best - dont want to cut into the lug..

 

[blazermark]

I would change out the rear sight to an ALLCHIN mini STS mount, and then put a Red Dot on it. You will probably need to have holes bored and tapped fo the monut to the frame.. You can get this from Brownell's for around $50, or direct from ALLCHIN for $45 plus shipping

thanks greg - i've run a fastfire setup on a 686 (factory pre drilled for mount) and it was great for these old eyes..

since i like the old style belly gun - im thinking on keeping the current rear sight unless i see something aftermarket.. aftermarket Kings anyone ?

i am wondering what to do with the front sight though - my current thought is a patridge with a gold bead..

 

[blazermark]

next question --

Steers or not steers ?

 

[gearchecker]

No Steers. Pardon the expression, but as my grand-daughter would say, they look gay.

 

[blazermark]

back to the barrel chop - this for example is a Jovino modified model 25 - great nose job..


ball-bearing detent for the ejector rod lock maybe..

2" chop - must of had to rework the shroud quite a bit - a model 25

 

[blazermark]

interesting hammer treatment .. i like it..