Nice! I won't fault you for modifying the gun, as you said its yours. And hey, it's only 25 years old, modifications in the guns original service life don't ruin it's collectibility.

I've had a few folks tell me that they hadn't thought of such a thing and might do the same as well to their 645/745. I wish I could say I was brilliant and take credit for thinking of this first, but I read in an old gun magazine from 1989 that this modification was fairly common in the eighties and that S&W had learned of it. Does seem like it has been forgotten about though. The gunsmith who did the work told me that he hadn't done this job in many many years. Oh hey that gunsmith recently retired from Cabelas. Small world. He now owns and operates his own gunshop/gunsmith business.

In a similar vain, I bought a used Ithaca '37 Featherweight field gun. The previous owner had installed a Hi-Viz orange bead and a Limb-Saver recoil pad.

A friend of mine lamented that the collectible value of the gun was ruined. I responded that the modifications made the gun easier to use, which was fine with me.

Yes. Some guns are just meant to be shooters and modifications help.

That gun wasn't necessarily a beater when I bought it, but you could tell the gun had seen some use and ridden about in a pick-up.

Which was fine with me, unless we're talking Patton's .357 or M-1873, guns shouldn't be kept under glass, in my opinion.

For the most part I agree with you. Having said that I do have a couple that I have no intention of shooting or at least not shoot anymore. I guess I've transitioned from gathering or having to collecting.