picked up a 6-1/2 inch barrel original nickel 4 screw round butt today. 45727
came with pearl grips, any chance of those being original?
Nickel is a little thin in spots, no pitting or flaking, but is showing age. How best to treat preserve this? I was thinking clean, hand buff and wax.
I have not opened it yet, but it does have leaf trigger return spring (shows under grips) and the "N" stamp. love these vintage art works! After 115 years, it's tight and fit. side plate and yoke lines a work of the smith!

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Al

I'd say yours probably shipped around mid-1904. About all you can do to its original finish is to polish it with Flitz, etc., and wax it.

I've thought a little about replating a shabby nickel finish using Dalic (non-tank) nickel plating, but I have never attempted it.

Generally, factory grips would have S&W medallions. However, sometimes they don't. Only a letter from the S&W historian can ID the original grips. By any chance is the serial number written in pencil on the back of the right grip?

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

there are no pencil markings on the grips, was holding my breath hoping for a mark when I took them off. I do have a set of walnut grips with numbers I am thinking of putting on. The walnut sn 197XXX, with gold large logo.

The nickel finish probably is not bad enough to even consider a refinish, I think with a good cleaning it will look good. I will post some pictures when I get it cleaned up.
This was a consolation prize at the auction. First choice was the Colt WW1 commemorative 1911 from my grandfather's battle (he only had one - shot, left for dead, would not stop breathing, survived another 70 years), got it! Second was an engraved 1899 which I abandoned to save cash for the 1911.

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Al

Factory pearl stocks will fit the frame like they were made for it - because they actually were. The method of fitting stocks assured a perfect fit to the gun they were originally fitted to.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

I'd use some Mothers Chrome Cleaner or other mild metal Cleaner with hand pressure only, then Johnsons Paste wax or equivalent.

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Get off my lawn!

How about pictures

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No gold. Only lead. Bobby

Agreed. Where's pics?

Quick clean and wax, reassembled, cheap cell phone. Pics.

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Al

Your gun was most likely shipped with black hard rubber grips. That said, if whomever ordered it wanted something different (and was willing to pay for it), they got it.

All except for medallion ivory grips that came to me on a recent N frame purchase. I was a happy camper---right up until I got the letter. It went like this: "--------was shipped with----checkered walnut gold medallion grips. -------Smith & Wesson did not offer ivory grips for their N frame revolvers. The ivory grips were generally added by the distributor or dealer to fill a special order."

Oh well.

Ralph Tremaine