Just thought I'd show off a successful project.
I picked up this Bulldog .44spl at a local gun shop for $165 a few years ago. It looked like it had been stuck in a leather holster and left there. There was some fine pitting on the barrel and a little rust in a few other spots, I assume from moisture in the holster, but the bore was clean and shiny and it locked up tight so I bought it. I cleaned it up and shot it and it worked fine and was accurate enough so I've kept it around, mostly as a truck gun. I did send it back to Charter Arms to have them make sure everything was in good shape. I also asked if they could install a bobbed hammer and and cut the grip frame down to fit the short boot grips that come on their OffDuty .38. Well, they did what I asked and gave it a clean bill of health but the job on the grip frame was very rough, as though whoever did the work just eye balled it and then took a grinder to the gun! It was functional and they didn't charge me so I didn't complain but I wasn't pleased with the job and just left it the way since I wasn't carrying it. Then, a couple of months ago I heard about a gunsmith near me that does custom work and I thought that the Bulldog would be the perfect guinea pig to try them out on before letting them work on my more expensive guns.
Anyway, I took the gun to them (Dietrich Gunsmithy in Otis, ME) and asked them to clean up the grip frame as best they could, smooth some sharp edges around the trigger guard, smooth and polish the trigger and polish the hammer, shave the front sight and install a fiber optic, bead blast the whole thing, and do an action job. I got it back about 6 weeks later and they did a terrific job. It is a completely different gun and looks better than new! The fiber optic sight is nicely dovetailed in place, the grip frame looks like the gun was made that way to begin with, and the action is much improved - the SA pull is clean and crisp with no grittiness or creep and the DA pull is a couple of pounds lighter than it was and much smoother. The entire job was just under $200 so now I'm into the gun for just $400 total (including the $35 to ship it to C.A.) and I couldn't be happier with it. It shoots great and is easier to carry and conceal with the smaller grip.
Here's some pics:
I picked up this Bulldog .44spl at a local gun shop for $165 a few years ago. It looked like it had been stuck in a leather holster and left there. There was some fine pitting on the barrel and a little rust in a few other spots, I assume from moisture in the holster, but the bore was clean and shiny and it locked up tight so I bought it. I cleaned it up and shot it and it worked fine and was accurate enough so I've kept it around, mostly as a truck gun. I did send it back to Charter Arms to have them make sure everything was in good shape. I also asked if they could install a bobbed hammer and and cut the grip frame down to fit the short boot grips that come on their OffDuty .38. Well, they did what I asked and gave it a clean bill of health but the job on the grip frame was very rough, as though whoever did the work just eye balled it and then took a grinder to the gun! It was functional and they didn't charge me so I didn't complain but I wasn't pleased with the job and just left it the way since I wasn't carrying it. Then, a couple of months ago I heard about a gunsmith near me that does custom work and I thought that the Bulldog would be the perfect guinea pig to try them out on before letting them work on my more expensive guns.
Anyway, I took the gun to them (Dietrich Gunsmithy in Otis, ME) and asked them to clean up the grip frame as best they could, smooth some sharp edges around the trigger guard, smooth and polish the trigger and polish the hammer, shave the front sight and install a fiber optic, bead blast the whole thing, and do an action job. I got it back about 6 weeks later and they did a terrific job. It is a completely different gun and looks better than new! The fiber optic sight is nicely dovetailed in place, the grip frame looks like the gun was made that way to begin with, and the action is much improved - the SA pull is clean and crisp with no grittiness or creep and the DA pull is a couple of pounds lighter than it was and much smoother. The entire job was just under $200 so now I'm into the gun for just $400 total (including the $35 to ship it to C.A.) and I couldn't be happier with it. It shoots great and is easier to carry and conceal with the smaller grip.
Here's some pics:
