Bill Nesbitt Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 I have an old S&W Model 15 with a square butt. I'd like to make it a round butt. I have a Dremel. It looks like there might be a problem with the strain screw. Has anybody done this and what should I look out for? I plan to use rubber Hogue grips so the front strap will be covered if it looks funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vrmn1 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 I never figured out what the problem is with the strain screw. Brownells sells some little templates to do this. Doing it with a dremel will take some time, a belt sander would be much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Trace the round butt outline (use grips as a template) before you do this. Look closely at the serial number on the butt. If rounding it will remove any of the serial number, don't do it. The ATFE takes seriously any removal or disfigurement of serial numbers, even when there are more than one set on a gun and you're only changing one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldchar Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Frank Glenn who owns Accuracy Unlimited in Phoenix does this job. His webb site includes a price list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 What I want to do is duplicate the feel and size of the Hogue rubber round butt grips. It looks like I might be able to do this by cutting the corner off the back strap and maybe not removing much from the front strap. Patrick, I just checked and the serial # will remain OK. vrmn1, the strain screw is longer on the square butt than it is on the round butt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COF Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Bill, I round butted my 686 and it was simple. I just used the grip frame of my 646 as a template and then created a pattern out of some tablet backer. Then I traced this pattern onto the grip frame with a fine point sharpie. I used my dremel and a coarse file to take down most of it since I didn't have a belt sander. Finished it off with a fine tooth file, dremel wheel and emery cloth. It ain't real pretty, but it works which was the plan when I started. If you want it to look pretty you just have to put that much more time into the polishing and finishing stage. I didn't have to take much off the front to where it interfered with the serial number, but I had to grnd down the head of the strain screw at little. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 coldchar, I want to do this on the cheap. Sending it away would exceed the value of the gun. I am feeling the power of the Dremel. I have recently bobbed 2 hammers in the style of Carmoney. Jerry, thanks for the info. I'm going to cover most of the work with Hogue grips so it doesn't have to be pretty. What kind of grips did you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 If you have one, a bench grinder works better than a Dremel. Strip the gun. Bolt on the wooden round butt grips you're using as a pattern, keep a bucket of water handy, and have at it. I practiced on a couple of busted guns headed for the smelter, before doing the R-B dance with a faux 25-2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted March 18, 2008 Author Share Posted March 18, 2008 Thanks, Patrick. I don't have a belt sander or a bench grinder, so I was going to use a Dremel cut off wheel to cut most of the corner off then use a sanding drum. I have a set of factory round butt grips to use as a pattern. Maybe I should buy a bench grinder?? Then I could use it to sharpen lawn mower blades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Maybe I should buy a bench grinder?? You should definitely buy a bench grinder --- you'll find other uses for one, esp. if you can get a buffer or wire wheel on the other side.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenTX Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 I have an old S&W Model 15 with a square butt. I'd like to make it a round butt. I have a Dremel. It looks like there might be a problem with the strain screw. Has anybody done this and what should I look out for? I plan to use rubber Hogue grips so the front strap will be covered if it looks funny. I had three done by Earl Long in Houston, TX about 30 years ago, a model 66, model 67 and model 13. Still have the first two, no problems at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COF Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 coldchar, I want to do this on the cheap. Sending it away would exceed the value of the gun. I am feeling the power of the Dremel. I have recently bobbed 2 hammers in the style of Carmoney. Jerry, thanks for the info. I'm going to cover most of the work with Hogue grips so it doesn't have to be pretty. What kind of grips did you use? I use the Miculek grip on 646, 686, 625 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I purchased a S&W Model 27 which someone had previously converted to a round but. At $300 it's a great shooter and I prefer the slightly smaller grip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted March 19, 2008 Author Share Posted March 19, 2008 Yesterday I bought a bench grinder. Today I build a bench to put it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allgoodhits Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I have an old S&W Model 15 with a square butt. I'd like to make it a round butt. I have a Dremel. It looks like there might be a problem with the strain screw. Has anybody done this and what should I look out for? I plan to use rubber Hogue grips so the front strap will be covered if it looks funny. If you have an "old" M-15 in very good condition, it may pay to sell it. Then buy a later version, or a rougher gun to use a less than professional approach on. Functionality is great, but some older guns have value that you may want to redeem, before you modify it. NVGW in Springfield, VA modified an old sq Butt 4"HB Model 65 and made into a beautiful 3" round butt Model 65 which was not made by S&W until decades later if at all. NVGW - Sandy Garrett 703-644-6504 Good luck, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted March 19, 2008 Author Share Posted March 19, 2008 Martin, thanks. However this gun has no collector value. Aside from the fact that it is very blue worn, the dovetail front sight modification removes all value other than a shooter. It still locks up tight and is very accurate. It will be one of my SSR revolvers this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherryriver Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I did my old Model 19 with a stationary belt sander in less than a half-hour, including slapping some 44-40 cold blue on it. Apart from the lack of serrations, it still looks good years later, even though I sold it to a friend. I will say, though, that the Hogue Miculek grip thing has good merit. Putting these on a square-butt gun feels an awful lot like a round-butt, without the sanding dust. If you're after the rubbers, I get it. The front of the grip frame on my older gun needed a bit of buffing off as well, in order for the front of the grip to clear the inside shape of the grip routing. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 Well, I did it. First I had to buy a bench grinder. Then I had to build a work bench to mount it on. This morning I round butted the old Model 15. This afternoon I put around 300 rounds through it. I like it. It's not pretty but it does the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherryriver Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Ta- DAAA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikey357 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 WHO SAYS it's NOT PRETTY?!?! Them's FIGHTIN' WORDS!!!...or, as Clint Smith is fond of saying, "Wheel Guns are REAL Guns"!!!... ....mikey357 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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