How To Ruin A Nice Revolver

[OK Corgi Rancher]

About 20 years ago a guy came into my shop with a paper bag. Inside it he had this revolver and another similar model in stainless...both were completely disassembled. If it came apart he'd taken it apart. He claimed all the parts for both guns were in the bag, said he was just trying to figure out how they worked but couldn't get them back together. He said he'd been reading about how some guy from the 50s or 60s liked to remove the trigger guard on his revolvers to make for a faster first shot. He wanted to know if I could reassemble the guns and how much I'd charge to do that.

I told him I'd reassemble the stainless gun but I wasn't going to reassemble the 442 because he'd removed the trigger guard. I didn't want him to shoot himself or someone else then blame me for giving the reassembled gun back to him. I told him I'd reassemble the other gun and the price was $50. He looked very indignant and said, "You're gonna charge me $50 just to put a gun back together?" Nope...I told him I was charging him $10 to reassemble the gun and $40 because I knew how.

He wasn't really happy but apparently wanted his gun back together. We made a deal...if all the parts for the 442 were, in fact, in the bag I'd take the gun in trade for putting the other gun back together. So, that's how I came to have this mangled revolver. It works fine...I've just held on to it for all this time because I don't feel comfortable selling it in this condition.

I've considered taking it to someone who can Tig a piece of aluminum in place and shaping it myself but don't really want to put that much $$ into it.

 

[TedKennedy]

That took a level of stupidity I can hardly fathom.

It'll be interesting to see if someone can fix it -unfortunately I knew a guy in Sand Springs that probably could have, but he's since passed. There's some really talented guys that like a challenge, I hope you post pics after it's done.

 

[dlbleak]

Gave it the ol Fitz treatment

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Gave it the ol Fitz treatment

Yep... Unfortunately, he wasn't quite that talented.

I doubt I'll ever have it fixed...it kinda just hangs out in case something's needed.

 

[Mr.Glock]

Easy for a good welder.

 

[trekrok]

A TIG and a dremel and you're GTG, lol.

I've done some not-so-brilliant things to guns, but, dang..

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Easy for a good welder.

Yeah...it seems like it would be easy for someone with even mediocre Tig skills. I have a machine that would handle it I just don't have the skills for that. The gun is usable now...might not be after I tried welding on it.

 

[ragsflh]

stupid

 

[trekrok]

Yeah...it seems like it would be easy for someone with even mediocre Tig skills. I have a machine that would handle it I just don't have the skills for that. The gun is usable now...might not be after I tried welding on it.

My vote would be try to fix it. The risk seems small. It's ruined now, so at least take a stab at it.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

I had a friend whose brother-in-law was an engineer. BiL brings in a semi-auto pistol (can't remember what it was...H&R or something similar). The slide was completely locked up.

I found a manual online that stated in big, bold letters "DO NOT DO SUCH AND SUCH DURING REASSEMBLY OR WITH PISTOL DISASSEMBLED". I can't remember what the warning was...it was in regards to reassembly of the gun if I recall correctly.

I asked BiL if he'd done that? Yep...he did. Said he was going to improve on the design. Well...the gun was strictly a paperweight after that. I recall it being a very valuable gun, too, in really good shape. People do some weird stuff...