Your thoughts on modifying a mini revolver.

[Tom]

Many years ago, I had a freedom arms mini revolver in 22 magnum. I used it one time to deliver the coup de gras on a poorly shot deer. Muzzle contact to the forehead. It worked.
Now, I'm wanting to buy one of the naa mini revolvers and have a stainless steel washer welded to the butt to basically make it a pendant on a necklace. Pretty much a super easily concealed back up revolver. I know getting it into action would be awkward. Any gunsmith types who could tell me why this wouldn't work?

 

[Pistolero]

Just be careful of heat getting to the hammer spring when welding. Remove the spring(s) in that area,
and strip to the frame, wrap in a wet rag and have a good welder TIG your loop on.

Why not do it like a lanyard ring on any other pistol? They have a pin with a narrow groove. Drill
a blind hole in the edge of the frame at the bottom, say 3/16 or so diam, if that is possible given
the materials. Then a crossing hole at 90 degrees to the original for a roll pin to hold in the lanyard
pin. Disconnecting the pistol from the lanyard may be problematic.

How about this for the quick disconnect of the lanyard ring. The other advantage to the lanyard is that
it is a swivel, too.

Welding would work, but has to be done carefully, will not swivel or quick disconnect.

Here is a lanyard ring, but may be too big for your application. making something like it to
fit the tiny gun wouldn't be a hard lathe project. I might do it if you wanted. Then the ring
must be welded after the wire is threaded through the hole, and then ground and filed to
be pretty.

Bill

 

[Pistolero]

Here you go. Nothing new under the sun.

 

[Tom]

Bill, other than placement that is what I had in mind. I had envisioned the attachment point being more towards the rear of the frame, but the tiny size, I think, makes that not a big deal. Because of the small size, I'd figured welding was the only way to go.

 

[Tom]

Bill, PM me with your contact info and maybe we can make a deal on this mod.

 

[Uncle Grinch]

You may want to check the washer for it’s ability to stick to the magnet. 18-8 stainless is somewhat attracted to magnets, but as the level of carbon decreases in higher quality stainless it loses its magnetic attraction.

 

[fiver]

I'd pull the grips.
you might be able to just run a good key ring through the wood and around the frame.

 

[david s]

Instead of welding a washer on could you mill or file a slot on the grip strap and then drill for a cross pin to hold the necklace in place? The grips would hold the pin in place. This is what S&W did on their model 329 44 magnums. Same idea different approach.

 

[Intheshop]

Yup,look at how Hogue grips use,I believe they call it a stirrup,for affixing their one pce grips. Basically what's being posted above.

 

[Tom]

Thanks for opening my eyes to simpler ways to do this. For some reason I was stuck on the welding approach.

 

[CZ93X62]

These NAA revolvers were quite popular as "Onion Field Insurance" for deputies when I first started at the old shop in 1977. Most of them went into trouser pockets, a few were suspended on neck chains from small lanyards that were drill-attached at the "lowest" point of the grip. These arms were totally unauthorized at the time, as were any second sidearm in an authorized caliber (38 Special only). In the early 1980s at a labor group meeting, the Sheriff quite unexpectedly authorized deputies to "Carry as many sidearms of the proper caliber as you wanted to". You could have knocked us all over with a feather. The NAA revolvers kinda evaporated after that occurred, and I started carting around a Model 10 x 2" for a second gun on patrol. It and my primary Model 64 x 4" HB could be fed from the same set of HKS loaders. One of my stupider moves was to sell off that Model 10 x 2" not long after we added autopistols to the sidearm options. My views have softened a bit with the passage of time, I don't hold revolvers in the same distaste I once did as defensive tools. Short version--bottom-feeders aren't the huge uptick in defensive ability that I once thought they were, and revolvers are not the antedeluvian artifacts of a by-gone time that I considered them to be, either. The key to the question is to use enough diameter, weight, and velocity to accomplish the goals intended by going armed in the first place--delivery media doesn't matter if the rounds connect well.

 

[Ian]

antedeluvian

Had to look that one up. Thanks for adding to my vocabulary. I too used to view revolvers the way you did, but after attending a few training sessions and observing people in the CC world in general, I keep coming back to the small-frame DA revolver in .38 +P with a concealed hammer as the most universally practical, reliable, usable, concealable, effective self-defense arm one could have. Point and squeeze, it gives you five or six more chances to live and virtually no chance of a malfunction.

 

[Ian]

Forgot to add, a sail clevis might be just the thing if there's a non-interfering part of the grip frame where you could just drill through both stock scales.

 

[CZ93X62]

No doubt about it, Ian--the small-frame 38 Special snubbies do a lot of things very well for self-defenders. Even after 32+ years of autopistol authorization at my old shop, the J-frame S&Ws remain VERY popular as back-up/off-duty/detective sidearms.

 

[popper]

Hammer spring is at the front of the grip, sorry. Get the better stirrup grip, carve (2 notches) out the grip to take a ring. Pocket holster is better. IMHO I would not use a lanyard, they are a little tricky to get on safe and the hammer, trigger is exposed. They used to have one that attached to a big belt buckle the gals wore. They are darned accurate! They were effectively included in the saturday nite special leg. years ago, intending to eliminate cheap pistols. Somebody bought them and improved quality so they are back.

 

[KeithB]

A J frame w/CT laser grips is my choice for summertime wear.

 

[Pistolero]

Keith, I have been thinking of adding a laser to my ultralight Ti cyl S&W J.
What model do you have? My pistol is 10 oz so I want rubbery grips, recoil is
pretty harsh. The only ones I have seen said hard plastic grips which seem uncomfortable.
Also, how is the activation? I have some on a 1911 with a button on the front strap
just below the trigger guard. That is ideal.
This one rides in my front jeans pocket fairly often with a speed loader in the other pocket.

Bill

 

[Tom]

I carry a ruger lc9s in the summer and it is a very easy to conceal pistol. I was mainly thinking of a get off me backup.
How many times have I had to produce a weapon? Only 3 or 4. How many times have I needed to fire it? 0.
I think fiver's idea is the simplest. Times have changed for the better. I remember when an amt backup was considered a good choice for deep concealment. I'd probably never have use for the mini revolver, but it would be nice to carry in this way. Now to get the debit card out and spend more money. That's the hardest part, my friends say I use both side of the toilet paper.

 

[popper]

I just use a soft glasses case, into pocket. Do get the stirrup grips, easier to shoot, well really hold on to.

 

[fiver]

I regret trading off the folder NAA I had.
it looked just like a folding cell phone in the top/back pocket when it did print.
I think they called it the pager gun or something like that at the time.
the one thing I recall about shooting it was it might be a 7 yard 22lr gun, but it would make them think you were shooting a 357 mag at them, it was that loud.