July/August 1978 - American Handgunner

PISTOLSMITHREPORTIBy GEORGE C. NONTEoubtless some of you'll rememberD Lii Trapper (Trapper Guns, 1674614-Mile Road, Fraser, Michigan 48026)'who I've mentioned before on thesepages. Trapper is a top pistolsmith, butdelves into other fields as well. He's alwayslooking for ways to do things better orquicker. Obviously, things that will workfor him will work for other smiths as well.So, when Trapper had milling cuttersets made up for installing S&W K- andN-rear sights on other guns, he decided tooffer them to other smiths as well. Thoseof you who have tried to obtain the bastard-sizecutters needed to fit those sightsproperly will know the problem. About allyou can do is find a good, custom-toolshop and have them made to order at avery unpleasant price. Trapper has madeit easy, if not cheap, by having completesets made up of the tools he uses and offeringthem for sale, complete with layout,setup, and use instructions.The set consists of a single-end, ballmill and three, specially-ground, doubleendmilling cutters. Cutter T-2 is for thelongitudinal cut to accept the sight base. Itis .002" undersize to allow cleaning up thecut with files. This same cutter is used forthe crosscut for the sight boss at the rearof the frame, T-3 is simply a 118-inch milland is used to cut the vertical recess forthe elevation screw nut T-1 is a ratherdelicate, small cutter for forming the T-slot, at the bottom of the aforementionedhole, to accept the flange on the elevationnut. A 5116-inch ball mill (T-4) is suppliedto make the relief cut for the sight ratchetCutters 1,2, and 3 are double-ended sothat when you eventually break one, thejob won't have to wait while you orderanother. However, if you break one end,you'd better quickly order another, becauseyou're then down to one usable cutter;if it goes, S&W sight jobs stop./-HISTORY OFSMITH & WESSONby Roy G. JinksPresented for the first time are facts,production information, and data on variationsand modifications of all post-1945 SMITH &WESSON firearms, information necessary to everyS & W gun collector. Written by SMITH &WESSON authority Roy G. Jinks, this all newbook carefully 'details the evolution of the companyand step-by-step, describes the development ofeach of their firearms from 1852 through andincluding 1977. Send $15.95 plus $1.00 forpostage and handling for this renowned standard..........................................................AMERICAN HANDGUNNER591 Camino de la Relna San Diego, CA 92108Please send ___ copy (ies) of HISTORY OF SMITH &WESSON. Enclosed is $1 5.95 for each book plus $1.00for postage and handling per copy.NAMEADDRESSCITY STATE ZIPAMERICAN HANDGUNNER JULYIAUGUST 1978