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Old March 16, 2018, 05:11 PM   #1
arquebus357
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My Modified S&W 64-3 ,4" barrel

Finished with this one.



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Old March 16, 2018, 05:34 PM   #2
pete950
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Nice
Who did the work?
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Old March 16, 2018, 05:35 PM   #3
Carmady
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That looks really nice. How did you round off the top of the barrel?
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Old March 16, 2018, 05:44 PM   #4
arquebus357
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I did the modification. The barrel was rounded off using various files finishing with wet/dry sandpaper down to 400 grit.
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Old March 16, 2018, 06:07 PM   #5
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That must have taken a long time. I like the front sight too. Everything about it looks good. You even got the writing off the barrel.
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Old March 16, 2018, 07:55 PM   #6
arquebus357
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Yep..that writing had to go because after loping off 1" of barrel it was no longer centered and would have looked stupid.

The sight was the most difficult part of the project. I made the blade from a thick(.11") stainless washer. It was silver brazed (.56% silver content 1200 deg F) into this trench carved into the barrel.

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Old March 16, 2018, 08:15 PM   #7
Bill DeShivs
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It's actually a 3 inch barrel, not a 4".
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Old March 16, 2018, 08:29 PM   #8
arquebus357
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Sorry to confuse Bill. It started out as a 4" barrel and I made it into a 3" barrel.
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Old March 16, 2018, 10:09 PM   #9
HighValleyRanch
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What tool did you use to carve the trench into the barrel.
Bet that took alot of nerve!
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Old March 16, 2018, 10:25 PM   #10
Model12Win
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Would prefer a heavy hitting 357 to the lowly 38, but good job regardless very sharp gun.
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Old March 16, 2018, 10:49 PM   #11
arquebus357
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Quote:
What tool did you use to carve the trench into the barrel.
Bet that took alot of nerve!
Before I filed off the top ridge, I drilled three small holes where the sight should be. This gave me the center when the ridge got filed off, Drilled the holes a bit larger and then attacked with my rotary tool. (my Dremel is a Black & Decker) I went through 3 diamond coated bits. Not the ball type, the longer type burr. It was nerve wracking even with Gorilla tape used to protect the surrounding areas.
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Old March 17, 2018, 11:26 AM   #12
reteach
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Very nice. Seems to me a 3 inch barrel is just about perfect on a carry gun. You did a great job.
What's next?
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Old March 17, 2018, 02:19 PM   #13
arquebus357
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Not sure what's next. My method is to visit local gun shops and pawn shops scouting for quality revolvers down on their luck.

Here's model 15 that I recently refinished. I know, I know, I shouldn't destroy that lovely patina. Obviously, I'm not a collector. Can't afford to be.





Except for that outside rust this was in very good condition. Nice and tight.

Last edited by arquebus357; March 17, 2018 at 02:24 PM.
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Old March 17, 2018, 03:53 PM   #14
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Beautiful work. Time, care and craftsmanship. You could never afford that pistol if you had to pay someone to take all the time you did on it, yet the reward of making it makes it doubly valuable. You know what I mean.

It’s a work of art!
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Old March 17, 2018, 04:32 PM   #15
arquebus357
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Many thanks..

No..I couldn't afford to HAVE that done I've been looking for a 3" barrel revolver for quite some time. They do not stay for sale very long. People just scoop them up when they see them.

Proportion wise, they seem to be the perfect revolver.

I never cared for those grips on any other K frame S&W's but they just seem to fit this one perfectly. I think I will leave them on there.
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Old March 17, 2018, 04:59 PM   #16
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what was you method for squaring and crowning the barrel?
Did you use a jig or by hand?

Still thinking about cutting my Security six down to 3 inch barrel from four.
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Old March 17, 2018, 08:39 PM   #17
arquebus357
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For squaring I came up with this:

I have a approx. 6" length of rifle barrel cut from a Swedish Mauser (not by me) after sawing 1" off the revolver I clamped it in my big vice pointing straight up. I then placed the rifle barrel piece, crown end down, on top of the revolver barrel and adjusted the revolver barrel end with a large file until the two barrels were perfectly square with each other. Hope that makes sense.

For crowning I used my hi-tech crowning tools mounted in my cordless drill. There is also a white ball shaped stone that seems to have gone walkabout.

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Old March 17, 2018, 09:14 PM   #18
HighValleyRanch
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Love it!

So simple, even a caveman could do it technology!
Thanks for the writeup. Shows what can be done with a little ingenuity and gumption! Now if we can only get up the courage.....
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Old March 19, 2018, 07:36 PM   #19
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I happen to have a SW M64 in 3" factory. What you have done with your 4" is to be admired. FWIW the balance of the 3" M64 is close to perfect. My M64 is my "Jeep Gun." Accurate plus can handle "sporty" loads -- quite a piece ! Good luck with your modified M64.

.02

David.

Ps -- pretty too !
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Old March 19, 2018, 11:19 PM   #20
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Thanks for the kind words.

Yes, 3" revolvers are perfectly proportioned and they don't languish very long at gun stores and pawn shops. I gave up trying to find one, So I just made one .
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Old March 20, 2018, 05:47 AM   #21
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That is a beauty for sure, well done!
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