|
|
06-08-2017, 01:57 PM
|
Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Maple Grove, MN U.S.A.
Posts: 363
Likes: 2
Liked 69 Times in 18 Posts
|
|
DELETE--How to tell a re-nickeled gun?
How to tell a re-nickeled gun? I know that a blued gun should have the cylinder plunger in the white and sharp lettering etc.. I know the marking under the left grip for a factory job, but how about renickel not done at the factory? Some of the guns coming from the factory line as though they have been excessively buffed. And some of those that have been redone look great. Is there a way to tell? Some guns from the 50's look just too good.
Last edited by Pumaonly; 06-11-2017 at 05:30 PM.
|
06-08-2017, 01:58 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: VA
Posts: 4,677
Likes: 1,449
Liked 4,513 Times in 1,932 Posts
|
|
Factory re-Nickel should show a star on frame or cylinder or both - in my experience.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
06-08-2017, 02:29 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Hillsboro Beach, FL
Posts: 418
Likes: 20
Liked 237 Times in 114 Posts
|
|
We would order refinished guns not to have the star along the serial number as that was often considered as a different serial number by 'licensing' authorities in some jurisdictions. ( New York CITY AND state.)
The factory complied with the request whenever made.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
06-08-2017, 02:36 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: VA & SoFL
Posts: 8,686
Likes: 472
Liked 5,733 Times in 3,206 Posts
|
|
Hello Puma. your question could be construed as ambiguous, in my opinion.
Are you you referring to an original nickle factory gun, or a blued gun that has been nickled either by the Factory or The Bumper Shop down the road?
__________________
Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member
|
06-08-2017, 05:24 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The SW Va Blue Ridge
Posts: 17,524
Likes: 89,687
Liked 24,881 Times in 8,519 Posts
|
|
Often time, non factory nickel can be spotted by a nickel extractor (factory was blue), nickel hammer and trigger (factory was color case hardened), flattened pins and most show a definite gap between the side plate and the frame.
__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
06-08-2017, 06:23 PM
|
|
Moderator
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 9,402
Likes: 1,322
Liked 30,439 Times in 4,369 Posts
|
|
Most N-frame revolvers dating from 1950-1955 and finished in blue have a B stamped on the lower left hand corner of the grip frame. If one of these is finished in nickel, it is obviously a change of finish. Revolvers from 1956 and later usually do not have the B, but a revolver originally finished in nickel (K and N frames) will have an N stamped on the lower left hand corner of the grip frame. If one of these has been refinished in nickel outside of the factory and it is expertly done, it may not be possible to tell.
Bill
Last edited by Doc44; 06-08-2017 at 06:24 PM.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-08-2017, 07:43 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Yuma
Posts: 801
Likes: 176
Liked 436 Times in 261 Posts
|
|
I bought a M-36 square butt , new in about 1983. In 2009 or so I had it Nickeled, by the Smith and Wesson factory. As it was from the 1980's, there is no B indicating it started out life as Blue. It has no markings on it to show it has been re-finished. . However, it looks just like a factory Nickeled gun, just no markings ether way as to blued or nickeled. But it is a Smith and Wesson Factory Nickel job.
__________________
A Snider squibbed n the Jungle
|
06-08-2017, 08:11 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Ocean Shores, WA, USA
Posts: 5,781
Likes: 201
Liked 5,066 Times in 1,769 Posts
|
|
Hang on to the invoice showing the refinish by the factory. Otherwise there will be no way to prove it was factory done. (At least until the Historical Foundation gets the shop records digitized.)
__________________
Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446
|
06-08-2017, 09:31 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Massachusetts USA
Posts: 9,593
Likes: 3,710
Liked 8,947 Times in 3,555 Posts
|
|
You've pretty much got your answers above. All I will add is that with any refinish like many things in life, it is all in the preparation. Like the saying goes, 90% preparation and 10% perspiration.
The factory was very very good at doing an excellent buffing job prior to any refinish. The old photos show scores of buffing wheels in different shapes and sizes and you didn't get that job your first week with S&W. Not sure how new employees were trained in that department but it certainly wasn't on new guns going out the door.
__________________
James Redfield
LM #497
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
Similar Threads
|
Thread |
Thread Starter |
Forum |
Replies |
Last Post |
Re-nickeled?
|
FifthWheel |
S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 |
7 |
12-29-2016 06:07 PM |
Is it nickeled or not?
|
Casamike |
S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present |
13 |
05-12-2015 08:11 AM |
Nickeled M 39s
|
Cyrano |
Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Pistols |
4 |
08-03-2010 09:08 PM |
Nickeled 39s?
|
Cyrano |
Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Pistols |
0 |
01-23-2010 02:40 AM |
Nickeled 39?
|
Cyrano |
Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Pistols |
2 |
11-07-2009 12:10 AM |
|