Meet Taffin's toy…and Baby too - The Six Gunner

One of the worst words in the English language is "Someday". It's frequently used in conversation and thought, but in actuality it rarely ever arrives. We all have plans to do many things someday -- we just can't seem to discover when someday will arrive. This past fall, one of my somedays did arrive as my wife (Diamond Dot) and I joined Colorado friends Milt Morrison (Easy Money) of Qualite Pistol & Revolver and his wife, Karen (Sourdough Sue), for a Cowboy Shoot.

In the evening, it was off to an Italian restaurant decked in our finest 19th century cowboy going-to-a-meeting duds. It's always interesting to watch the reaction of other people when someone looks like they just stepped out of the 1880s. Some immediately come up and ask questions, while others stare hoping they will not be seen doing so. And when I see someone begin to ask, I beat them to the punch with, "Why are YOU dressed so funny?"

Taffin's Toy

After supper, I pulled out a few sixguns with the idea of coming up with a different kind of custom sixgun. I also had copies of a few old articles from the 1920s through the 1950s concerning customizing Colt Bisley Models.

"What do you think, Milt?," I asked him. "Ready for another project?"

As a result, a Uberti/Cimarron Bisley .44-40 was sent to Milt's shop, for convertsion to a real hideaway sixgun -- single-action style. I wanted a true 19th-century-style Belly Gun, a term once used for short-barreled, easy-to-conceal sixguns.

Turned loose to use his artistic freedom, Morrison came up with the perfect single action for concealment and defensive use. The result was a single action defensive sixgun so special Karen dubbed it "Taffin's Toy."

This was no easy-to-accomplish project. Morrison removed the ejector rod housing and the ejector mount slot on the right side of the frame, welding and re-contouring the frame in the process. The standard Bisley grip frame was removed and replaced by a brass QPR Bird's Head grip frame adapted to a Colt-style mainframe. At the same time, the original Bisley hammer was changed from its link system to a roller system to work with the new mainspring. The entire action dutifully was tuned in the process and also all cylinder end-shake was removed.

The original barrel was discarded and replaced by a 2" long, .8" in diameter barrel. The rear sight notch was changed from its v-shape to give a square picture and a new front sight was fitted. The trigger was also contoured to match the inside of the trigger guard. Finally, the mainframe was re-color cased, the rest of the gun was finished in QPR's high luster Black Diamond blue, and an 18K gold band was inlayed around the cylinder.

It's certainly one of the most beautiful and efficient single-action belly guns that ever existed. And one any 19th century gambler, outlaw, or lawman would certainly have appreciated. Chambered in .44-40, it's potent but easy to shoot and control with the heavy barrel. A "Toy" it is anything but; however, it's still a welcome addition to my Big Boy's Toy Box... as you might imagine.

Baby's Born

For several years, friend and fellow shootist Bob Baer has suggested I send him a proper sixgun for customizing. One Sunday morning before church I hit the gun show early before most of the vendors had even opened their tables. But there was one open early that had exactly what I needed for the project, at the right price.

I purchased the Old Model Three Screw .357 Ruger Blackhawk and sent it to Bob Baer with instructions to simply build me a special gun, his choice of style and caliber. Having seen, handled and shot many of Baer's creations -- from short barrels to long barrels, from round butts to lanyard rings, from .22s to .357s to .44s, with all kinds of artistic touches abounding -- I certainly didn't know what to expect. But I had every confidence I would not be disappointed.

Since Baer has a pretty good idea where my heart lies, the conversion is a .44 Special. The front and rear edge of the grip frame are both tapered to make it more comfortable in the hand, with no sharp edges to emphasize recoil.

Tedd Adamovich of BluMagnum made fancy walnut grip blanks that Baer expertly fitted to the brightly polished aluminum grip frame. The aluminum ejector rod housing is polished bright, while the rest of "Baby," as Baer dubbed it, is finished in a hard nickel plating. To aid in the project, gunsmith Keith DeHart re-chambered the cylinder and furnished the 3' barrel. The total package weighs an easy-to-pack 30 ounces.

The Little Things

Other special custom touches include a shortened base-pin head and a thinned ejector rod head with a recess in the bottom of the ejector housing. This means the housing does not have to be removed to remove the base pin. The hammer spur has been slightly lowered, broadened, and checkered, the top strap tapered on both sides, and the front edges of the cylinder chambered.

One of the really special custom touches is a very slight offset placed at the back edge of each chamber enabling one remove fired cartridges with a thumbnail. Of course, the entire action has been smoothed.