Lookin at a mod 58. Owner says gun was special ordered back in the 70's with a satin finish from S&W. If Original offering was blue or nickel, do you think this was nickel that may have been bead blasted? The screws look nickel/ maybe stainless, but they have a yellowish tint. There is no "N" on the frame. I'm wondering if a letter will tell whether it was a special order or not, but unfortunately I would have to purchase it to find out.
Anyone seen or heard of this done by smith? The price is half what it would be if it were nickel. Don't see much collector value and restoration would be expensive. Any input on this is appreciated.thanks. UPDATE...ok thanks to several knowledgeable forum members...it is : hard chrome, electro less nickel, nytex, aka armaloy. Concensus is: not factory.
Would you say this is a $550 shooter in 41 mag?
Vinny

Attached Images

	58.jpg (83.8 KB, 237 views)
	58-1.jpg (95.9 KB, 207 views)

__________________
"GUNS UP"

Very unlikely. Possible, but I would not accept that unless you can get factory documentation.

__________________
NHI, 10-8.

Just from looking at the picture, which is admittedly not much to go on, it looks like a hard chrome finish. Especially the little bit where the turn ring seems to have been smoothed up and polished a bit. I would be a little leery of the story of a custom finish by the factory but that is just me.

bob

I know, I'm leaning that way

__________________
"GUNS UP"

Not factory. Let the seller pay for the letter from the factory to prove it is, if he is so sure. At $550.00, for a pure shooter, you won't be hurt. At least you know the finish will last. I put a brushed chrome finish on my 4" model 29-2 in the early seventies. It gets regular range time (mostly 44 special) and shows almost no wear. I do get mixed opinions on the finish change, however.

The slight yellowish tint is a tip off that it is electroless nickle as opposed to hard chromed. My guess is that the factory special order patter is absolute bull. If S&W did it, it would have had to be ordered for someone who was extremely special. A 58 would be an, "I doubt it." S&W has in it's history been known to do special things for special people but something like that would require a factory letter to tell and the gun is wrong for that kind of thing. Pass it up. Tell the seller, as Jack O'Conner would have put it that, "he's full of prunes."

Looks like it could be a "Nytex" finish.
Google it.

Aka "Armaloy"

__________________
"GUNS UP"

I think the hammer and the trigger, especially the trigger, are evidence this is someone's "custom" Model 58, and not done at the factory .
Keith

I'm pretty sure the 58 came in two; blue and (shiny) nickel.....not that type of nickel on this particular specimen.

Agree with the above posts. But, if mechanically sound and the price was real good, would make a great shooter. Would all come down to the price for me. Keep us posted.

I had a H&R revolver that looked nickel but after removing the yellow junk from the finish I had a bright shiny chrome finish.

The hammer and trigger appear to be case hardened on my cell phone. Anyway, a good woods gun if the price is right.

Looks fairly ruined to me.

No way factory original. Blue or bright nickel only on the 58s.

Hammer and trigger also not original. Al least the odds are that they are not. Target options would have been a special order and that was very, very seldom done.

Gun is highly modified. Honestly, I think it's incredibly ugly and I wouldn't buy it at any price. You decide what it's worth to you. But if the seller is trying to get a premium for this "Special Edition" revolver he's pulling your leg...hoping your wallet will fall out of your pocket.

__________________
No life story has happy end.

$550 is not terribly out of line, depending on what you're looking for. Will not be a collector item and will not appreciate in value as time goes on as much as a true collector gun would.

But if your looking for a shooter and low maintenance, go for it.

Charlie

If it is hard chrome, it has a very durable finish on it, but I highly doubt it was a special order from the factory. I don't believe I have ever heard of them doing it on that old a revolver.

Note that the 58 was normally shipped with the standard hammer and trigger, some one has replaced them with the target ones.

I notice that the sights are also refinished. I have found on stainless sights on the model 66 that they are really, really difficult to see and in sunlight almost impossible. If you want it for a shooter, you might not be able to find the front sight. :-)

__________________
Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

It is NOT nickel... period. Hard chrome with a satin finish. Kind of a shame, in my estimation...

An old saying, but, "Buy the gun, not the story"

__________________
Even older, even crankier....

I think that's the special Bright Utilitarian Light Lustrous finish.

Yep. Another vote that finish is BULL.

__________________
Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well

Nice! At $550 it just doesn't matter. For me it would save the time and expense to have it hard chromed.

I'd be all over it at that price, if you are wanting a shooter. I agree the rest of the "story" is BS and the seller knows it. Otherwise the price would be much higher.