doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com S&W Single Shots

Joe, Thanks for the good information, seems a lot of us like the SAA, must have been John Wayne. My problem is that if I ever did what I wanted it would cost more than an original G&H rifle.

Even the ones that have been messed up are now rare "Fitz Specials"

http://www.gunsinternational.com/COLT-SI...un_id=100088626

For you folks who may not know what a Patton holster is, Still made by the folks who made the original one!

http://www.epsaddlery.com/pc-97-12-5-patton-holster.aspx

Joe, I had a Spokane, WA smith ("Spokehandguns" I think) put an S&W sight on a Colt New Service .45 that had its topstrap defaced by a small, sloppy dovetail already. He also used the "J-frame" sight from an S&W "Kit Gun." Worked slick. When a gun is too far gone for the collectors (i.e. a junker), I don't have any problem with "experimentation".

Remington 40X, dunno what happened to Bob Gullone. He has missed the last few Allentown shows. Last time I saw him he had tripped somehow at the show, fell and was in the A'town hospital, I dropped by on the Sunday and he was in pretty good shape and cheerful, that is about a year or so ago. There is an A'town show in mid July and I will ask them. I have his phone number but can wait a couple weeks for the show.

Mike, that's why I never bothered to refinish that old SA, it had already been butchered so much that it looked kinda appropriate as-was, so to speak. I've rebuilt and used lots of SAs over the years but keep coming back to this one. Maybe because I've had it for so long and used it so much, it's definitely become an old friend now.

I bet that J frame sight DID look good on your Colt! I possess the special tooling for the larger K and N sight base but IMO the smaller J sight is often the better choice.
Regards, Joe

Have been paying more attention to my S&W accumulation of late and after whining about how long it takes to make a set of grips... These are for my bulged barreled Beakert .22 Target transformed into an Early-Pre-Kit Gun, with the Single Shot in the background because it has the same rare First Model .32 hand Ejector frame (ya aint hip if you aint got the lingo!)
The English walnut has been book matched, slabbed and milled for the frame recess. These are not slab grips, they overlap and mate on the bottom, another degree of difficulty. (Note walnut holding fixture, it works both in an out of vise.
I post more when further down the road. BTW: I started this project about a decade ago with chopping the brl and welding the sight base back on at 3 1/2".)

Steve,
Interesting stuff thanks for sharing. I got a call from a friend who read this thread a suggested that I not reinvent the wheel. He pointed out the US Fire Arms Company makes a single-action in 44-special with 4 ¾” barrel and target sights. Made like the Colt flattop with a blued frame. I did some checking and seems they are well respected so that looks like what I may start with. Anyone have a set of Roper Grips for a SAA?

I agree Michael, if one wanted a single action these days the US Arms would be the way to go. I recently had a Freedom Arms 5 shot .45 Colt in the shop and it was without a doubt the finest single action revolver I've ever handled, and I hate stainless steel! Smaller than you might think, very well balanced and exquisitly detailed.

The second go-round with the grips has both fit to the frame, peg holes drilled, rough profiled and belt sanded with a taper. Got an almost perfect grain match on the bottom which isn't a given because they are blind fit on the inside to the frame. Took about 1 1/2 hours to inlet the first half circle, then about half that time for the second.
About 8 bench hours so far... They will have to wait till new escutcheons and grip screw arrive next week.
Oh. and measure carefully for the half depth of the frame when milling, after both grips had been fitted, I had to set it back up and remove another .020" to get them to seat flush and together!

I bit the bullet (pun intended) and have a USFA flattop 44-Special on order and should have it in about three weeks. Would anyone care to share their paper-punching loads? I have 210 GC, 235 and 245 plain base moulds but can lay my hands on about any .44 mould to try.

Let the fun begin, I'm very impress with the fit, finish and workmanship on this pistol. It needs a wider front sight, and bigger grips but I like it. Thanks for your advice on this Gary!

This CAN"T be your special order Delivered already!
It's very cool, and I might have a set of one-piece grips for you... if 1st Gen. would fit?