I think it was BigCatDriver that fooled around with the muffler. BigBadCat never did anything to his. Seems like Cowboy has answered the bumper question already so I won't fool with that.

As far as the skid plate goes, no, its not welded to the hitch. Its drilled and bolts into the factory holes with the same factory hardware. As far as hanging up in reverse, I've never done it. Really never thought of that because I never had any problems before hanging up in reverse. I can see where that might come about, but I don't see it being a problem.

You can't see from the picture really, but there is only like a 1/8 of an inch gap between the plate and the drain plug. Though it seems like it would, the plate doesn't hang down any further than the stock skid does. I thought about making another bend back upward in the rear of it, but it would have just been more to fool with at the time, so I just cut it off right there. Makes it easier to get crap out of there if I need to, and I wasn't too worried about hanging up in reverse. The main thing this was for was to keep rocks from hammering my drain plug loose. Does that job perfect.

 

I always wanted a PPK in .380 auto. A Bond thing or something maybe, but I wanted the stainless. Saw one the other day when I got the 9mm. I have the slick looking factory wood grips for the 686, but I also have the Hogue slip on too. Matter of fact, I put that back on last night. I bought this thing back in Jan. of 1992 for like $295. It was like brand new and had the box with it and all. Wal Mart had the same gun back then for $435. I guess S&W puts the Hogues on all of the from the factory nowdays. I love the 686, and you are right about the magnum loads compared to the .38's. A world of difference. A world of difference between 158gr. and 125gr. too. First box I had was Federal 158gr. jacketed soft points, and it was a whole new ballgame from the 38 wadcutters that I had been shooting through it before. I got like 700 of them from a guy that was trying to qualify for the Olympics. He was in the Guard and had ammo supplied to him free. At the time, he was qualifying for .22 and airgun, so he didn't need the .38's. Good thing for me.

 

Sorry about that, the PPK/S is stainless. I don't know why, but I've got a thing for stainless firearms. My 686 was the first stainless I bought, and since then, I don't think I'll buy another that isn't, unless it's a great deal or something. You're right, I also wanted the .380, but they didn't have that in stock in the walther, so I opted for the pair of .32's. I actually really like the gun, it shoots great, is pretty small, so it conceals easy, even just a pant pocket if need be, is stainless so it's easy to clean, and very simple design as well.

Kind of makes me mad, I broke my harness for my 686, so I haven't been able to carry it as much. Have to put it in the door now, or the glove box, while my .32 sits lonely on my side. Kind of want to go back to the gun shop again, to make fun of the salesman. He argued with me for about a half hour once, that I could not conceal my 686, that it was just too big, nobody could conceal that size of a gun. Funny thing was, you should have seen his face when I opened up my jacket, showed him the .32 on one side, with the 686 under my shoulder! Man, his jaw dropped like a rock, it was hilarious. To top it off, I figured I'd just go ahead and keep right on going, and revealed 3 more guns on my other hip, my back, and my leg as well, he about sh_t a brick then, and apologized, left the store. Pretty funny, I would like to see that one again. -My buddy and I were going shooting that day, so I was loaded up. Normally I only carry my 686, or PPK, that's it, this was just a rare occassion to be fully loaded.

Take care,

Mike

 

Andy ... You're gonna love that 10/22. I've got three of them now. One of the stainless ones that Wal Mart used to sell with the grey laminated Mannlicher stock and a 4x stainless Simmons scope, a blue one with a folding stock and a tiny little SKS scope, and a custom one with a bull barrel, 6-18x Bushnell banner scope, trigger job, the whole bit.

Don't forget to pick up a silver Weaver scope base and use real Weaver style rings (as opposed to .22 rings) on your 10/22. You'll thank me eventually.

I share your love for stainless guns, besides the 10/22 I've also got a stainles Marlin 995SS, two S&W Model 629's, a 686, 2 Ruger KMK-II pistols, a Remington 700 in .338 and a Remington Model 7 in .308. I've got a bunch of blued guns too, but the stainless ones are the ones that get used.

Have fun ...

 

Cowboy,

I have a 99 model like Andy's so I don't have the down spout. So that will give me more room. If I can't have a full 90 degree angle I will probaly just cut the 90 degree bend back enought at an angle till it fits(cut it kinda like the exhast tip of a truck, know what I mean?).


About the muffler, I know Niteowl did something like this to his, but not like what you say. He cut the muffler at the spot were the rear exhast exit is welded to the body of the muffler. He then gutted the insides of the muffler, and inlarged thesize of the exhast hole for more flow. He then welded it back together.

Andy, I guess since you are a rock crawler mostly, and not as much of a muder as I, that you realy don't need the back end as much as I do.

Thanks guys

 

Took your advice back when you first gave it. I have the stainless base and the matte finish rings sitting in the gun cabinet right now. The scope should be in next week. I ordered it a week ago, but damn UPS is backed up due to the ice storm we got, so they haven't been so quick to deliver it yet. I sure would have liked to have had it this weekend.

 

Boner- I checked mine out today, and I think your snorkel would fit. There is plenty of room between the muffler and bumper, and I think there is enough room between the rear rack and the bumper for a 2" pipe to fit between. Depending on what it looks like now, you may have to cut some on the one piece coming out of the muffler, but as long as the length there is right, the upwards pipe should fit between the bumper and rack. Like you said, we have the same model.