Gotcha. If it were a well-used example that you'd paid a regular shooter price, say $300-$400 for, then spending the money for a factory reblue would be a case of spending more than the end result would be worth.

Now that you've revealed the rest of the story - that it is otherwise almost new and that you just about got it for free - the idea of a refinish makes a lot more sense. Under those circumstances even I might be willing to spring for a $200-$300 professional reblue or hard chrome job.

Personally, for a non-collectible, working-type gun that will be carried around in a holster, I'd go the hard-chromed route.