# Thoughts on custom revolvers.......



## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

Nuclearpanduh's thread "need a Custom Revolver to be made......." has caused me to do some thinking and reflecting. Rather than tread upon that thread, thought I'd start a brand new one.

I've built/had built several custom revovlers in my time.

My first was about 1960 or so, an started out with a very old Colt New Service in .45 Colt. My gun started out life as a .455 Eley and was rechambered to .45 Colt. Further, the gun was pretty old and in need of repair. I wanted two things on this gun, adjustable sights and .44 Special chambering. The .44 Special conversion was fairly easy, changed out the barrel and cylinder. For a rear sight I had the frame milled out for a S&W rear sight. This required a higher front sight, so had a Micro ramp and sight installed. Then had the gun reblued and new stocks made. So when I had this done, I had a very fine .44 Special with accurately adjustable sights and thus began my love affair for the .44 Special. True, the .44 Magnum had been introduced, but they had yet to make their way into my area.

My true love was the Single Action revolver, so began my interest in the Ruger Blackhawk. I found that I preferred the high spur of the Blackhawk, so fitted each of my Super Blackhawks with those. Also found that the Super Blackhawk handled my heaviest handloads best, so most were so fitted. Liked the looks of case hardened SA frames, so had this done. Most of my revolvers already shoot much better than I can hold, so I don't do much in the way of accurizing. My favorite .44 Magnum did get a Millett rear sight for a better sight picture, and it is this gun with which I've done most of my hunting. I did use my brass butted Three Screw Super for some long range ground hog hunting. Without any special tuning, I was able to take ground hogs out to about 100 yards or so.

I elected to carry as my daily companion a .44 Special Ruger. But I wanted the smaller frame of the early Blackhawks, not the .44 Magnum frame. So I found a three screw .357 Magnum Blackhawk, but it had had the retrofit transfer bar added. Took some doing, but finally rounded up the necessary parts, and a Ruger Old Army steel grip frame. I sent the gun to Dave Clements and he returned to me a beautiful .44 Special, which has become my "American Express" (Never leave home without it) gun.

I did build up two Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnums. I had one fitted with an 8 3/8" full lug barrel, another with a 5" full lug barrel. The 8 3/8" shot like a rifle out to 200 meters, but was just too unhandy to pack around, so I had it cut back to 6" and relocated the front sight.

I have always held the opinion that the only thing that counts in a handgun is its ability to place my bullet where I want it, and to do the job I sent it there for, and to digest a steady diet of my handloads with a fair amount of reliability. And the gun I carry daily to exceed my expections of reliability and performance. And so the the better if I find my gun attractive.

That's my opinions from my experience.

Bob Wright


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

*Bob*, you're much too practical. You're just not the dreamer that Nuclearpanduh is. :mrgreen: :smt083

But if you were writing about semi-autos, instead of revolvers, you and I would be thinking the very same thoughts.


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## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

Bob Wright said:


> Nuclearpanduh's thread "need a Custom Revolver to be made......."
> has caused me to do some thinking and reflecting.
> . . .
> 
> ...


Thanks Bob, it's always great to hear history from the "man who's been in the arena". :smt1099


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## Nuclearpanduh (Mar 12, 2013)

Bob Wright said:


> Nuclearpanduh's thread "need a Custom Revolver to be made......." has caused me to do some thinking and reflecting. Rather than tread upon that thread, thought I'd start a brand new one.
> 
> I've built/had built several custom revovlers in my time.
> 
> ...


Wow First I would like to say I'm flattered. 2nd thank you for sharing your experience on the forum. My opinion of guns and most things in life is if you love it then that's what matters. seems you know allot more about guns then I do and I think that's great as I have been able to pull allot of great info from that so thank you for your help getting my custom piece made  p.s do you have pics of your two S&W guns? also do you have a pic of the full lug barrel? I would love to see them


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

This is my Model 29 with the 8 3/8" full lug barrel:










And here after being cut to a more portable 6" length:










And here is what turned out to be my favorite, the 5" length:










And, just for comparison, here is my 6" with the standard heavy barrel:










Bob Wright


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