Guy on Armslist posted up a 13-2 for trade for a lower receiver or $200, and it just so happens that I have a spare PSA with some goodies in it.  SO I got in touch with him, and sure enough, liked my trade and we meet tonight.  

So that's the good.  The ugly is, it's in pieces.  The side plate is missing the screws, the hammer has a rough spot, and the cylinder doesn't lock in place.  I should have some pictures up tonight to show off but I think I did ok.

It'll add to the Model 28-2, and the 1905 Hand Ejector (1914~ second change).  Depending on condition I'm open to suggestions as to what to do with her.

Sounds like a fun project to me! I won a like-new 13-4 3 inch, round butt off gunbroker a couple days ago. I paid for it, too, but I'm excited.

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Well - what does the new baby look like?

Red

Yeah!

there it be

I was able to locate the screws, which was a feat in and of itself, and she's at the gun smith right now so he can work it over really well and polish up some burrs.  I'll keep this updated as I go!  

So now the question is whether or not to locate some wood grips or keep the pachmayers?

And honestly I'm torn on it.  I never really liked them until I had the pachs on this one and a 10-9.  Once I get it back, I'll compare it next to another k-frame and see what I think.

I'm sure you did!  That's what will be on my watchlist in the future is a 3'' S&W something.  I'm partial to the Mod 36.

Here is a picture of mine from the GB ad:

That looks awesome!  How soon do you get it or do you have it already?

I got it Wednesday. Haven't had the opportunity to shoot it yet, but it is very nice. I was thinking about using some sort of 80s style grips on it for carry, but I don't know which.

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The Pachmyers for shooting. Wood grips for show. I have that same gun. It was a re-import from Canada LE I think.

I have to say, I am jealous of you for that find.  There's just something about an older smith like that.  What sort of grips were you thinking?

Nice!  Right now I'm thinking of getting some K-frame grips direct from S&W, or just try to find some on GB.  I'm torn.  It'll be used for a carry gun until I can get something more XDs like, so I agree with exactly what you're saying.

I hear heavenly music.......  That is nice.

Popped in on my smith, and turns out the guy that took it apart did a really good job of taking it apart.

It's slipping my mind but we're still missing the three screws.
The springs fell victim to a custom "trigger job" and are out of spec
Hammer block (?) is missing
And other internals are well worn and could stand replacement.


So since the screws are missing, well, we know how easy it is to find side plate screws, springs are easy, and everything else is relatively easy.  So on the upside, I'll have my CCW before I get my gun back

It's always something.   Ugh.  

I hope you can find the parts you need.  It's great revolver.

I was pretty bummed myself, but it's understandable.  I'd much rather have it done right than have me get in there and bubba something up.  I really really want to shoot it though.  It's horrible owning something you won't be able to shoot for a while.  

On the upside, I have a mod 10 that'll do the trick for a while

NICE.  I want one.  Have I seen pics of yours?

How hard can it be to get Model 10 parts? Pretty much the same gun.

It pretty much just is a M10.





IIRC the M10-6 or -8 or something had a few guns prototyped in .357 that because the M13.



 

I got a LNIB M13, that I'm in the process of shooting till the wheels fall off.

 

Did I telly you yet that I hate you????  LOL.  Just kidding.  I'm sure you're enjoying that.   A M13 would probably lost on me as I doubt I'd put .357's through one much.  I think I need  a model 10 though.  Along with a 36 2".,  A 3" 10, A 686 4",a .22 of some sort or another and maybe a .45 of some sort.  I've got a long way to go.  LOL.  

How much did you pay for yours?

I picked up a Model 13-3 years ago at a gun show for $200.  It was one of the Canadian Mounty imports.  There were 3 more on that table and I really wish I had bought them all.

I would love a 13 with a 3 inch barrel. Had a 19 with a 2.5 but would have preferred the 13 for carry because of the smooth rear sight. The 13's are quite hard to come by.

HIndsight is always 20/20.  I wish I would've bought some more wheelguns when they were more prevalent.  I remember one store I used to frequent used to have loads of them.  Good ones too.

Kind of the point I was making............

Not the model 10 yet!  I think I have a couple pics of that one somewhere.  Just need to find them.  I took her out this weekend and put some rounds down range.

One would think it's easy to find parts for these things!  It sure would have been nice to take out this weekend!

So all internals are finally polished up and back in working order, now we just need springs and side plate screws

Hopefully we will have this complete by October or so!

Do you have any nearby older gunsmiths? They usually have random boxes of parts. My old boss lent me a few thousand dollars worth of long action, victory, newer hammers, triggers, springs, etc, for a week to learn how to do trigger jobs, heh. None of what he has is for sale fit now, but other gunsmiths will sell stuff.

I've actually got it with an older gunsmith now

I'll probably make my way down to Colorado Springs this weekend.  I know a few older gents there too!  

I'm really excited for you.  Looking forward to hearing about the end results.

Latest and greatest!

Getting really close, waiting on two more parts.  

I brought some donuts to my smiths and their shop just to show some appreciation.  I should be getting a call in the next month or to get it out of jail!

Wooohooooooo!

Turn it into a good carry gun. Back when I turned 21, a long time ago, Karl Sokol of Chestnut Mountain Sports built me my first carry gun, a 3" M65. Being young and stupid, I shot nothing but full power .357 Mag reloads out of it and shot it extremely loose with flame cutting in about five years. I've matured some since then and now know that every round fired doesn't have to be a max reload. Actually, 99% of my reloads are .38 Special now. Anyway........

I had Karl build me a few K-Frame carry guns a few years ago, a P&R 2-1/2" M66 and a 3" Model 13. The 13 is a Century Arms re-import with French St. Anne's proof marks on it. The condition of mine when I got it made yours look like NIB. Since surrendering is the national sport of France, it was obvious my 13 was dropped a lot more than it was ever fired. It was like new mechanically but it was an absolute disaster cosmetically. Even the front sight was not salvageable, being bent in two different directions and crushed. I bought it right so off to Karl it went to build a replacement for that M65 I ruined.

Here are the specs of the build:
-Damaged front sight milled off and a new sight fabbed from a Novak blank.
-Hammer bobbed with single action notch removed for liability purposes.
-Trigger rounded with overtravel stop installed.
-Chambers chamfered.
-Action smoothed without lightening trigger pull weight.
-All sharp edges lightly dehorned.
-Bead blasted and Parkerized.
-Precision Gun Specialties grips. Rubber just doesn't belong on a CCW piece.

As you can see in the pic the parkerized finish is showing its age from constant carrying, training and IDPA matches. I am having my 13 refinished hopefully within the next few weeks inside and out with Nickel Teflon. The finish is extremely durable and self lubricating. It will make the outstanding Sokol trigger even better. Nickel Teflon is the same finish Ruger uses on the cylinder and internals.

I like shooting my 4" barrelled K-Frames, but 3" barrels are my favorite for carry. You still have a full length ejector but a more easily concealable barrel length. They balance just about perfectly, too. It would be an easy job for a gunsmith to convert yours to a 3". Just shorten, recrown, cut a dovetail for a new front sight and slab-side the barrel to eliminate the off-center markings left over on the barrel.

Time to turn that basket case into your ultimate carry gun!

My God, I do like those grips, a lot!  Once I get her out of Limbo, I'll probably be deciding on what is next!  The parkerizing looks awesome on it!

Hopefully my next update will be pictures of ragged holes on paper!




ETA: Just saw that Numrichs has 3'' barrels here.  Tempting.....

13-1 4" here.  It's my favorite handgun to shoot.  The very first cylinder through it, I shot a better group than I ever did with any of my other handguns.  Feels great, great trigger, points naturally and looks like a revolver should look, IMO.

I was so excited when I picked that thing up. It just points so naturally for me.

My current living situation is with two roommates and I unfortunately don't have any utility bills in my name, so I'm going to have to figure out what my sheriff needs from me so I can put in for my CCW. Next move is an IWB holster for it

Not to mention bigger pants so I can stash it. And maybe a shoulder holster.

Too many ideas!
I've been working with my dad on some reloads for it and my Mod 28, so as soon as it gets free I plan a range trip with both. I haven't shot my 28 in... Way too long.

An thanks to Hawgleg44 I'm thinking I might get another 13 frame so I can throw a 3" barrel on it

I'd love to shoot a Model 13. Something tells me a 160 gr. FN at 1150 or 1200 would be a fun load out of this gun.

I shoot mostly .38s now, especially out of my K-Frames. My favorite load is a close to max .38 Special loading (I use whatever powder I get the best deal on so the specific charge varies) using an out-of-production Lyman truncated cone bullet, mould #356634. The bullet was actually designed for the 9mm, but it casts a little oversized so I run it through my Star luber/sizer in a .358 sizing die so it's sized correctly for my .38 Special reloads. It throws a bullet weighing about 130 grains using wheelweight alloy and has a nice wide flat point which cuts clean holes in paper but also hits the occasional sick raccoon or possum wandering around the property hard. The wide flat nose makes it effective on the sick animals that need dispatching, but the slight taper makes reloads using speedloaders as easy as reloading with round nose ammo.

Here's a pic of the bullet loaded in .38 Special brass. Although it was designed for the 9mm it casts a little oversized. Running it through my Star a .358 sizing die just touches the bullet. But using straight wheelweight alloy with some range lead mixed in results in softer bullets than hard cast commercial bullets which prevents leading at non-magnum velocities. Being a little softer the bullet will deform and expand to fit the bore for a tight gas seal.

This is one of my favorite bullet profiles.

Reviving this from the depths.  

Anyone remember those S&W model 10 parts kits from JG Sales that they had back in 2010?  Can anyone point me in the best direction of that?  Not that I'm impatient and want my revolver back or anything, but I really really really really want my revolver.  

Newest update, is no update.  It is still stuck in limbo due to parts being out of stock

I have a set of grips something like those gathering dust in my parts drawer.  IM if your interested.

Gratuitous pics of my 3" M65
Latest grips


Here it is a my Galco FLETCH holster (great holster BTW)  with original Pach grips.

Try a WTB ad on the Smith & Wesson Forum.

OP, what parts do you need exactly? Have you tried ebay?

Well, now I suppose this is where it's getting slightly tricky.

I asked the gun smith for a list of the parts, and he says they've got it all written down.  They are making progress but they really aren't giving me updates as to when parts are arriving and such.  So as of right now I haven't the slightest of clue as to what parts are needed.  I'm giving them till the first of the year and I'm popping in again to pick it up unless there is significant progress.  If there isn't, she's coming home and I suppose I'll be learning how to do it myself.