The Cinderella Gun
From Beater To Beauty
A sorry sight indeed. The “before” picture of Peter’s woebegone S&W.
Several years ago, I was at a local gun show helping my shooting buddies offload a bunch of guns from departed friends. There were some pricey items, but at the end of the day all that was left were a few odds and ends — including a rather decrepit 1920s-vintage Smith & Wesson M&P .38 revolver. It had maybe 5–10 percent of its original blue finish. It appeared to be in working order, and had a nice old pair of stag grips. I felt sorry for it, and bought it for the grips.
I’ll readily admit I have a weakness for guns with character, guns having been around the block a few times, reeking of history. My friend Bill refers to them as “catfish anchors,” and claims I run a no-kill shelter for old junk. Now, that’s just cruel, but we’re still friends.
At the range, several days later, I fired the old Smith with some mild 148-gr. target wadcutters. The groups were decent, not tight, but nothing tumbled and the gun stayed in one piece. I retired it to my gunroom, where it shared a display wall with other dubious treasures.
Ta-Da! Tyler Gunworks does its magic, along with the Simply Rugged
holster and together turn an eyesore into eye candy!
A Door’s Opened
Last year, at Shootists Holiday at the NRA Whittington Center, I was introduced to a gentleman by the name of Bobby Tyler. Bobby is the proprietor of an enterprise called Tyler Gun Works in Friona, Texas. He turns ordinary — and some not-so-ordinary guns — into works of art. He does color casehardening and bluing, and has some highly talented engravers on call. He can even color caseharden stainless steel.
I saw a number of very impressive examples of his work, including some Ruger Shopkeeper .22’s, and Republic Forge 1911’s far beyond my budgetary constraints. Several months later, at a writers’ event at Gunsite, I had an opportunity to shoot a number of these guns — and I saw an opportunity.
In spite of, as Peter says, the “wretched” sights, the old gun shoots just fine with mild .38 Special wadcutters.
Change Is Afoot
When I attended the 2018 Shootists Holiday, I brought along my aesthetically challenged M&P and handed it to Bobby. I’ll have to give him credit, he didn’t even snicker. I opted for a color casehardened frame and a blued barrel and cylinder.
The Friday before the Labor Day weekend, I received a package from Friona, Texas. Inside, was my old beater — transformed. The vivid colors on the frame, trigger and hammer were amazing. The barrel and cylinder looked like they had just come out of the factory. In addition, Bobby had re-timed the gun and adjusted the SA trigger pull to a lovely, crisp 21/4 lbs. I cleaned up the old stag grips with some mineral oil and reinstalled them.
Despite the wretched, period-correct sights and my equally wretched, astigmatic marksmanship, it’s a very decent shooter. All it needed was a proper showcase for this treasure. I contacted Rob Leahy at Simply Rugged Holsters and ordered an appropriately decorated Shootist holster. Cinderella is now ready for the ball.
For more info:
www.tylergunworks.com, Ph: (806) 729-7292
www.simplyruggedholsters.com, Ph: (928) 227-0432
RELATED ARTICLES
A Birthyear Colt
Fire Watch: Smoke Gets in...
