I bought a new S&W Mod 28-2 6" Highway Patrolman .357 blued somewhere around 50 years ago, and I have always loved that gun, but never shot it much. I doubt I have ever put more than 300 shots through it. For about 25 years I was a shotgunner and never touched the HP. Slowly worked my way up to NSCA Master Class. Now I am 78 years old and blind in the right (dominant) eye, so I think my shotgunning days are over. But I am naturally left-handed and I can shoot handguns left-handed and left-eyed!!!!

From my shotgun experience, I learned that I have "rusty fingers". That is some corrosive chemical in the skin that causes corrosion of several kinds of metals. In my 25 years of experience, I found that blued shotgun receivers will rust and wear, and even nickel will tarnish and be very hard to keep clean. I had to get my shotguns re-done in brushed chrome.

In the least couple of years I have bought 3 stainless S&Ws and I like them all, including the newest which is another .357. But I still like that old HP! It is still in good shape because I haven't used it much, but it has had a little light rust that wiped off without leaving much damage.

So, why don't I get the HP plated with brushed chrome? I think it will look good and last the rest of my life (I'm not 21 now, I am 78 and realistic). It will probably cost $300 +- and I can sell the stainless .357 for more than that - the way things are now I might even break even! I think I would use Cogan APW because they did a good job on one of my shotguns.

I value the opinions of you guys, so what do you think of the idea? I would welcome suggestions, cautions, things to look out for, and general comments.

Oh, BTW, I don't care about the effect on value of the HP, because I will never sell it, and my heirs will be OK.