A Connoisseur's Pistol: Devel's Full House S&W 59 Conversion
67
This video delves into the Devel "Full House" conversion, a custom modification package for the Smith & Wesson Model 39 and 59 pistols created by gunsmith Charles Kelsey in the late 1970s. At a time when compact semiautomatic pistols for concealed carry were scarce, Kelsey transformed these S&W models by shortening the barrel, slide, and grip, modifying the magazines to reduce capacity, bobbing the hammer, upgrading sights, and adding a trigger guard finger hook. These expensive, limited-run conversions were influential, directly inspiring features found in later factory models from S&W and other manufacturers, despite appearing somewhat dated by modern standards.
