My first attempt at gun engraving

[Michael McGrew]

This is a project that I have been working on for a while. I used a combination of Gravermeister, hammer/chisel, and buren on this derringer. It shoots .357 magnum's. it is a handfull to shoot and produces an impressive muzzle flash. It was absolutely plain when I got it. I also made and checkered the grips. The frame design is mine but the barrel design is from a Lynton smoke pull (not that anyone would ever mistake my work for his) I uploaded additional photos to the Gallery of this and a couple other attempts. This is my first time to upload photos so "please be gentle"

 

[coincutter]

Holy crap
357 in that finger ripper
you are a braver man than me
i wouldn't want to be the one pulling the trigger on that beastie
hope you have an ffl

 

[pilkguns]

it looks real good for first attempt. Its hard to see details because of the glare, but the scrollflow and balance look all right from what I can see.

 

[sam]

Yes, unfortunately there's too much glare and reflection to see the engraving.

 

[nicglass1]

that is one impressive mini hand canon. can't even imagine hanging on to that squirt gun when it goes off.

 

[Christopher Malouf]

I'll bet you had a lot of fun engraving into the depression between the barrels as well as broke a few bead punches on that stainless steel!!!

Definitely not an easy firearm to engrave for a first. Nicely done.

 

[monk]

nice ! since you're a newbie- on magnums, especially - don't get carried away cutting too deeply on the parts getting stressed. this hummer, tho little it is, generates a tremendous pressure gradient. cut too deeply there, and you juss might have yourself a nifty little grenade goin off ! you should get this rechambered to say .454 casull. thattl blow the hair off a squirells arse at a hundred yards if the bullet is 10 feet away from it !

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Many years ago, when I worked in London with a couple of gunmakers, we used to shoot handguns with the local police on the range under the police station (before the handgun ban). Quite a few of the guys used to shoot .357 Magnums but they assured us that the macho novelty very soon wore off. If my memory serves me right, I believe that they used to use .38 Special as it fitter the .357 and some guys even reloaded their own ammo with a softer load for the range in the .38 calibre. Could this be a possible solution???

 

[Haraga.com]

To Marcus. When you have time could you please tell us about the handgun ban. Maybe touch lightly on the rules and how it affects the trades. Did crime increase or decrease etc. Whatever comes to your head. Maybe the same on long guns. It is hard to imagine a gun ban. There are people in this country that would like this. Thanks

 

[pilkguns]

yes, Marcus, a .38 Special will work fine in a .357 revolver.

 

[KCSteve]

I'm not Marcus but I have some (slight) knowledge of the gun bans in England.

Basically, after a nutcase who should have been unable to have any guns under existing laws killed several schoolchildren in Scotland they passed a pretty comprehensive ban on handguns - rounded them all up and destroyed them.

This lead, as it usually does, to an increase in violent crime - particualary crimes committed with handguns (not that there are all that many but the percentage went up). After all, now the criminals know they're safe. This spins up the regulatory death spiral where the failure of the initial well-intentioned but poorly aimed effort leads to more and more draconian laws. Since the laws only affect the law-abiding they continue to have no effect on the criminals.

Somewhere along the line the Judiciary got the idea that 'all violence is bad' so they effectively outlawed any sort of self-defense. There are current stories of people yelling at the yobs who attecked them finding themselves cited for doing so. There are some faint indications that the tide may be turning but right at this time the situation overrides any desire I have to see the many wonderful sights there.

 

[monk]

strange thing about laws: criminals always seem to enjoy ignoring them altogether ! and we honest ones get the penalties !

 

[Michael McGrew]

Hello Marcus:
I do usually shoot .38 specials in this gun. It's not too painful. .357's are a different matter. I can only shoot 4-5 at one setting. The middle knuckle on my middle finger gets hammered by the back of the trigger on every shot. The next day the palm of my hand feels like I hit it with a hammer. Not a pleasent gun to shoot with magnum loads. But the suggestion about rechambering in 454 Casull..........;-)

Engraving the depression between the barrels was quite a challenge and required some "creative" thinking as to which solution (graver, chisel, etc) would get the job done. I ended up using the hammer/chisel mostly because of clearance issues with the Gravermeister. I did make a "sin" and engraved through the chrome plating instead of trying to strip it off. Won't do that again....