Gunsmith recommendations for custom revolver

J

JohnnyMac

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Just picked up a S&W m19 and thinking of the following work:

Action job
Chop barrel to 106mm
Smooth and contour trigger
Bevel front and rear of cylinder
Crane ball lock
Moonclip conversion
Chamfer/polish charge holes
Round butt
Re-blue or durakote


Who would you recommend?
 
Gunnar @ ARMco, is doing all sorts for custom revolver work these days including shortening bbls. He did a great job tuning up my 29 and I plan to send him a revolver for re-blueing this winter.
 
Murray Charlton is one of the best S&W 'smiths in Canada. Contact information can be found at murraycharltonenterprises.com.
 
Look into the issues using .38's and .357's in moonclips. Most that have tried it don't like them for those cartridges. It's related to the length of the cases and type of rim which allows them to easily be displaced in the clips and not just "fall into" the cylinder like shorter semi auto rounds held in moon clips do so naturally.

Not sure what a crane ball lock is. Links? I feel like I'm missing out on something for my own K frame guns... :D

Square to round butt is pretty serious. But I must admit that I'm beginning to lean in that direction. I reshaped one of my K frame gripsets which came to me badly marked and chipped. I made it into a semi round butt like shape as much as I could and must admit to really liking it.

Sorry, no suggestions for smiths to work on them.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I have asked Gunnar in the past to do a model 19 of mine and he said it would take forever so I thought I'd look for someone else. I have also considered MD Charlton and Murray is top of my list for now just wondering if there's anyone else out there? Would anyone recommend Wortner Gun Works?

BCRider - Thanks for the heads up on using moon clips with a 38/357. I owned a 625 and loved the concept of the moonclips. I imagined with the 357 it wouldn't be quite as slick as the 45 considering the length of the round and the smaller charge holes but it's still got to be better then speedloaders no?

As for the ball crane lock I tried to find pictures but haven't had any luck. Some people call it a ball detent lock but basically it's just a ball and spring intalled on the crane that tightens up the lock up and gives you a more consistent lock up for improved accuracy. It's not a real costly mod but just a matter of finding someone in Canada to do it (I know MD Charlton will do it not sure who else).

For round butt I like the smaller profile of the grip and you can always get the square butt grip for round butt guns if you want to go back.

BCRider what do you have for a K frame revolver and if there's anyone else out there with advice for me or pictures of custom revolvers please share.
 
Dan Wesson revolvers used to have a crane detent lock (wonder why they -crane detents- aren't more popular? they worked like a hot damn on the DW guns) Joe Dlask can do very nice revolver work.
 
I'm real happy with the work Jo Dlask has done on my 1911's but didn't even know he worked on revolvers too anyone else with experience with Jo?
 
BCRider said:
Look into the issues using .38's and .357's in moonclips. Most that have tried it don't like them for those cartridges. It's related to the length of the cases and type of rim which allows them to easily be displaced in the clips and not just "fall into" the cylinder like shorter semi auto rounds held in moon clips do so naturally.
Click to expand...

Very true for the stock moon clips and a lot of the aftermarket offerings as well. There are however, thicker moon clips out there that work much better and keep the rounds tighter and less floppy.

They don't work with Winchester ammo as the groove in the brass is too narrow but work with pretty much all other available brass (think it was the Winnie stuff). Additionally, you really need a loader/unloader for those clips.

Just more info for the OP
 
JohnnyMac said:
Any recommendations for brand type? I always used TK Custom moonclips for my 625, I wonder if they have good ones for 38/357?
Click to expand...

Bingo, TK Customs carries the ones you want, 0.025 thick and they won't fit Winnie brass. Think the 6-shot are the TK Custom Match. Pretty much solves the wobble problem with 357Mag shells.

w w w.moonclips.com/cart/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=196&cat=%2E38+Special%2F%2E357+Magnum+%2D+6+%26+8+Shot%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3ELarge+N++%2D+Frame+Models%3C%2FP%3E
 
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