# Ever personalize/customize a gun?



## Playboy Penguin (Jul 17, 2008)

Have you ever personalized or customized a gun?

Meaning have you ever engraved initials onto a grip, put a logo on the gun or grips, etc.

I have had initials engraved on many guns that I was giving as gifts, and had a Seecamp made for my father-n-law with his name as the serial number. The only onces I have done for myself are my CAS guns where I had my logo engraved onto it...and I engraved and painted the punisher logo on the grips of one of my Seecamps.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Never done one that way but it sure is sharp. Very well done. :smt023


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## niadhf (Jan 20, 2008)

i like the SAA's


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## gb6491 (May 5, 2008)

Nice looking firearms; I especially like the work you did on the "Punisher" grips.:smt023

Myself, I have inlaid some Combat Aircrew wings into a set 1911 grips for a friend that was retiring. If I ever get around to building my dream 45, I'd like to get a frame from Caspian with my own serial number on it.

Also, while it wasn't done on a semi-auto, I went the opposite direction and removed a logo. The S&W roll mark (below the cylinder release) was done so poorly on my Model 60 that I decided to take it off. That was over ten years ago. Here it is today (and many rounds later); I've bead blasted it, added a HI VIz sight, bobbed the hammer and polished the trigger:









Regards,
Greg


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

I used to carry a modestly customized Colt Commander. I changed grips on lots of revolvers, when I still owned revolvers. I had some custom guns when I shot competition back in the Dark Ages. Before I went to Afghanistan I had a mall ninja M4gery that had all sorts of semi-useful/semi-useless aftermarket gizmos on it.

Now I strongly prefer unmodified guns straight from the box. All my favored guns now - Glocks and KelTecs for pistols, an 870 and a Steyr Scout for long guns - are bone stock, and I have no intention of modifying any of them, since they all work fine.


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## Ptarmigan (Jul 4, 2008)

I owned a Colt 1991A1 once that I had work done on. I had Cylinder & Slide put a new trigger and grips on it. Nothing major but it was a one of a kind gun until, and I swear this is true, Colt began selling it with the same trigger and grips. 

I am not a huge 1911 fan (I know, I know, but I am just being honest), so I got rid of it.

I am now a big believer of shooting stock guns. I want to be able to pick up the same make and model anywhere and know what it will be like. The only thing I have changed on a few of my guns was a new rubber grip for a S&W K frame and night sights for my Glock 19.

All that being said, I kind of dig the pictures in the original post in the thread. The two single action revolvers look very nice. :smt023


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## tboone (Jan 25, 2008)

Playboy Penguin, how did you go about getting those custom serial numbers done? How much extra did it cost you?

Does anyone know if any other manufacturers offer similar programs?


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## Playboy Penguin (Jul 17, 2008)

I contacted Larry and he had the gun built. I do not think I paid more than like $30 for it.


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

How did you do the grip engraving? I'm thinking of getting and engraver's tool and doing some tinkering...

JeffWard


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## Playboy Penguin (Jul 17, 2008)

> How did you do the grip engraving? I'm thinking of getting and engraver's tool and doing some tinkering...


I know a guy with a laser plotter.


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## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

I made a set of custom grips for my ppk/s since I didn't like the feel of the original plastic ones. These extend fully to the backstrap where the stock grips fell short. The finger grooves help a bit too.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

Have I ever customized a gun? Well, let's see now..........

About 1960 or so I had a Colt New Service .45 Colt converted to .44 Special. Had installed a S&W rear sight, along with a Micro ramp front with a Patridge blade. Home made walnut target stocks completed the ensemble.

Then there was a Colt SAA .357 Magnum. This gun has a S&W rear sight, Ruger front sight, and backstrap from an 1851 Colt Navy, home made walnut grips:










And, these two Ruger Blackhawks, in .45 Colt, have been fitted with Super Blackhawk grip frames and case hardened by Doug Turnbull:









A three-screw Blackhawk .357 Magnum, converted to .44 Special by Dave Clements, and case hardened by Doug Turnbull:










And, my oldest gun, a Ruger flat top .357 Magnum, fitted with a steel Old Army grip frame and case hardened:









Some guns, I just have replaced fake rubber grips with grips of rosewood:










I had S & W fit a full lug 8 3/8" full lug barrel to my Model 29. This proved too awkward so had the barrel cut to 6" by Bob Mason, Memphis gunsmith. Liked the gun so much had a Model 29 made up with a 5" full lug barrel:










And Rugers, well a three-screw Super Blackhawk, cut to 5" and frame case-hardened by Doug Turnbull:










And once I changed out the mainspring housing on my Colt Gold Cup .45 to have an arched mainspring housing.

That's about it, except for changing a Ruger Blackhawk to a Bisley, then back to Blackhawk again.

Bob Wright


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Don't mess with them much do ya there Bob? :anim_lol::draw:

Darn good looking irons ya got there :smt023:drooling:


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## Playboy Penguin (Jul 17, 2008)

Bob,
Those are some beautiful single actions you got there. 

MLB,
Good job with the grips. The stock plastic ones are a pain.


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## NDB_MN (May 18, 2008)

I've put a lot into my XD, but I wouldn't say I've 'customized' it, just swapped out a lot of parts for aftermarket ones.

I'm planning on getting some nice Ace of Spades-styled grips made for my 1911 someday.


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## gb6491 (May 5, 2008)

Bob, 
That .357 Ruger flat top is really nice :smt023

Mlb,
Nice work on those grips!

Seeing these really nice pistols reminded me (in a round about way) that I do have a customized 1911. It's pretty much butt ugly; so much so, that most of the time I just think of it as being cobbled together rather than custom. However, it was purpose built and has always been accurate and reliable. 








Regards,
Greg


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## tekarra (May 16, 2007)

Changed the butt of my 65 4" to match the 3" as the round butt is more comfortable for me.


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## Dsig1 (Dec 23, 2007)

New "clear" Alumagrips on my Kimber CDP.


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## redrooster (Mar 24, 2007)

I don't own a gun that I haven't tinkered with.

Marlin 336 (.30-30 Winchester) - On my 16th birthday, my dad let me pick any one of his guns as a gift. When I got it from him it was a stock Marlin 336 with a Bushnell Scope. The first thing I did was strip the scope off of it as I hate to see a lever action with a scope on it (unless it's a scout scope). I left it alone for about 6 years and then I got the itch to shorten the barrel to 18.5". I cut and reworked the magazine tube, cap, and spring to accomodate the shorter barrel...interestingly enough, you don't lose any capacity. I worked up the nerve and cut the barrel back with a hacksaw and recrowned it. I'm a perfectionist, so I ended up letting a gunsmith re-recrown it so I would know it was perfect and had them drill and tap to relocate the front sight. I then added a set of XS Ghost Ring sights and replaced the original rear sight with a plug. I was satisfied with that for a while and decided the stock needed to be refinished...did that, enjoyed it...and was content for a while. Then came the big change. I really like straight grip stocks on lever action rifles. Once again, I took the saw to my rifle and cut the Pistol grip off of the stock, reshaped it with a rasp, sanded it smooth, and re-refinished the stock. Then I took the hacksaw to the lower tang, shaped it with a file, reblued it, and put everything back together...My rifle is now perfect. Short, light, and handy...and it looks sexy to boot.

Ruger 10/22 (.22 LR) - I bought the 10/22 and immediately switched the sights for williams aperture sights. Then I wanted more accuracy...so I removed the barrel band, cut the "step" out of the stock where the barrel band used to be, reshaped the front with a wood rasp, glass bedded the receiver and free floated the barrel. It definately improved the accuracy. I could have probably bought a nice aftermarket stock and achieved the same results...but that was more fun.

Mossberg 500 (12 Gauge) - Can't really claim much except for "parts swapping" on this one. It came as a field model with 28" vent rib barrel. I kept that but also added a 18.5" Cylinder bore. I swapped the stock for a Speedfeed I and the forend for a Hogue forend.

CZ P-01 (9mm) - Added a stainless steel guide rod. Purchased and fit a Kadet Kit.

Winchester 94 (.30-30 Winchester) - I bought this one for $100. When I got it I knew right off that the front sight needed to be replaced and the hammer would immediately drop when the lever was worked (think of the rifleman...not good). I started tearing the rifle down piece by piece, making a list of parts that needed to be replaced as I went. I ended up needing a front sight, front band screw, rear band, rear band screw, and sear. I put about $50 in parts in, refinished the stock and forearm, and touched up the bluing and it turned out to be a decent post-64, pre-safety winchester 94...all for $150

.50 Muzzleloader - Built from a kit

Springfield XD-9 Tactical (9mm) - Replaced the factory sights with XS Standard Dot express sights and stippled the grip. Stippling the grip could have single handedly been the most nerve racking work I've done so far. I practiced alot on the factory case and finally went for it. It turned out really well and If I were to ever buy another polymer framed pistol, it would be the first thing I would do as soon as I got it home. 

My next plan is to buy a some form a J-Frame Revolver and hone the chambers, replace the front sight with an XS tritium big dot, and most likely have an actual gunsmith do a trigger job.

I think I enjoy tinkering with guns more than shooting them.


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## D-Ric902 (Jul 19, 2006)

I had a couple guns played with.
M&P 9mm with stippling and milled for a j-point sight. refinished the slide and a sweet trigger job.








PX4 40 S&W with an Olhasso trigger job and a "G" model conversion, nicest DA/SA you ever saw and then Robar for NP3 on the slide and internals along with the stippling and big dot XS sights.








Ruger Super Blackhawk with a Mag-na-port predator package and a birdhead gripframe fitted.








SA lightweight champion operator with a bob job, front strap checkering, aluma grips and a nice 4 lbs trigger.


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## redrooster (Mar 24, 2007)

D-Ric902,

That 1911 is fantastic. That is just about the exact thing I would do if I were to buy one. I love the "commander" slide/barrel length. 

You have good taste!


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