This is my 80’s ish (sr # N7918xx) 29-2. It has been hard chromed and changed from a square butt to round. The finish is ‘flaking’ in some spots, nothing serious just slightly annoying. The gun is fully functional and shoots well. BUT I can’t get get past the feeling that I need to ‘do something’ with it but I don’t know what that ‘something’ is.

I paid about $550.00 for it around 6 months ago to use as a bear gun when fly fishing in Northern AZ and unfortunately it does not get used much.

If it was yours what would you do with it?

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If keeping for those fishing trips, send to Robar and get a NP3 finish.

If not, Send to Ford's Refinishing and have a deluxe polished blue finish done. World class work!.

I want to keep it as a shooter, I am afraid if I sent it to Ford's (=$'s) it would spend the rest of its life as a safe queen, not a fitting end for such a fine revolver.

I would be too if I had that option done.

Shoot It and Shoot It Again. :-)

It's a working gun. I'd take it fishing and not worry about it.

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Just Say No - To Social Media

What I do with mine..... I carry it and shoot it a lot

Think of it as a really nice useful tool, not some precious untouchable collector piece. Keep it in good well maintained condition and enjoy it for what it is. I have the same problem with some of my guns and should take my own advice.

I'm not sure I would do anything to it as long as it's going fishing with me. Guns that are too nice, don't make good fishing partners. You're always worried about it. I went through a time like that years ago when searching for a good ATV'ing, hunting sidearm. I bought a nice blued 27, too nice to use. Bought a nice Desert Eagle, too nice to use ( and heavy). Bought a new Super Blackhawk, always worried about it.

Finally I wised up a bought a stainless 625 and didn't worry about dirt & rain. (to a reasonable extent). But the point is, I stayed in the "having fun" zone and just wiped it down after each trip.

Of course if I knew then what I know now, I would still have that one.

Use it, keep it clean, and no worries. Just my opinion, which is what you wanted.

Send it to me and I will take it fishing

Like Medic15al recommended, I’d opt for an NP3 refinish, but regardless of what you decide, shoot and enjoy it !!

I'd send it to fords and then I'd use it.Some holster wear on a reblue looks great!

I have more the opposite problem Arizona Commander.

I usually hate how my mind DOESN'T work - or quits working!

If it were mine, I'd be sticking with the original plan. You bought it to carry and knock around while fishing, and that's what I'd do with it if it were mine.

"Sometimes I hate the way my mind works"
At least your mind works; that's more than some of us can say!

A four inch M29-2 for $550 ... you must be living right. Ok, you're slightly annoyed at the finish. In your shoes, I would take it fishing and other places I could holster carry it, to the range, etc. Don't change a thing about it for now and see how you feel in a year or two. Keep in mind that a competent re-finish may cost half what you already have in it. It can't hurt to wait to see if the slight annoyance wears off.

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You're shy a few manners.

I'd get rid of those grips and put some nice stocks on it. Then carry and shoot it as much as you want.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

I am looking for a set of round to square butt conversions for it, it is the only revolver I have with the Goodyear grips.

Invest in a great holster or lanyard ring so it doesnt fall in the river and get lost, other wise practice, practice, practice in case of bear.

It looks to be a good "working gun"..... that will meet your fishing/bear needs. Don't know (can't see) how bad the flaking is..... use it for a season/year before you do anything

Don't over think it.

If it was an everyday carry gun...... I might feel differently

Good luck and have fun fishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Do they make the Pachmyer Compact grips for the N-frame...... they are great working grips on my round butt 4" 686......... remember it's a special purpose working gun.

Like many above suggest ,it is a working gun so try to stop sweating the small stuff and ,I use to go thru the same thing but I now look at my firearms when I am cleaning them and every nick and scratch is a memory of and enjoyable hunt or an adventure in the outdoors so now I don't want to change a thing .

Seems like a round butt would be a lot better for carry but then it's your gun.

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You're shy a few manners.

Start fishing where there are more bears?

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On the whistle draw and fire 6

Take that 29 fishing and hunting. Teach it the skills necessary to get the job done.
The wildlife doesn't care what it looks like.

There is nothing you can do to bring it back to original as you well know! Keep it as a shooter and find some stocks to your liking. Now, isn't that easy? Bob

Keep it. As is. Best wishes.

I would keep it as is until I was so old that I would know that I was NEVER going to go fly fishing again, then I would sell it. In the meantime, of course, I might imagine some other use for it.

BTW, I faced almost exactly that problem with my CZ in .416 Rigby, and it was one of the few guns I didn't lose money on when selling. Not saying I carried a .416 while fly fishing in AZ, or anywhere, but similar situation regarding actual utility.

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Formerly Model520Fan

I like round butt grips for concealment for everyday day carry but I do not think the bears will care if I am carrying open or concealed and think a larger square butt grip would help to control the muzzle flip.

I have looked at Robar's site, looks like between the cost of removing the current finish and re-doing with NP3 would cost more than what I paid for the gun.

Looks like a perfect fishing companion...leave it alone...even the rubbers are right for this application... oc course take them off once in a while for cleaning under them.

Robert

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

Shoot it, clean it, oil it,

Repeat as needed.

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John 3:16 .

I would leave it alone and use it, but if you wanted to refinish it, a factory refinish might be cheaper in blue, and then don't worry about holster wear

I'm surprised that a hard chrome finish has "flaked off in spots". I had a model 28 hard chromed and carried it in Florida for years and southwest Texas. I never had any trouble with the finish. I wish I hadn't traded that revolver for a .22 target pistol. If the flaking bugs you, have it redone. It should cost less than that great, but expensive, NP3 finish.

Me? I'd consider it a very classy tackle box gun, and I'd shoot the tar out of it!

If you look closely at the picture you will see the flaking right where the barrel and frame come together. there is a small spot on the ejector rod cover and one more small spot on the other side also where the barrel and frame come together.

I'd say not having to use your bear gun is a fortunate thing, not unfortunate.

Better grips, then pack it. You owe it an honest living and the markss to prove it.

If I were going to shoot a big boomer like that, possibly with wet hands from landing huge trout, I would find the rubber grips comforting, should I have to persuade a bear not to steal my huge trout. Or kill me, of course.

Looks like a worker worthy of its keep.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Little flaws bug me, so if I had the cash, I'd have it redone.

Sounds reasonable.

Me? I'd NP3+ that sombitch and shoot it - a lot.

I would use it like it is for your intended purpose , but if it bother you that bad i would gladly give you our money back !!! Lol enjoy it however you decide

The unfortunate part is that I do not get to go fly fishing enough

I'm the exact opposite. Little flaws seem right to me. Plus the indicate wear on a tool. Tools with no wear marks seems wrong to me. LOL.

But it sounds like you fall into the other category so you just need to figure out what you want to do.

If it was mine I'd cut the barrel to 3.5 in [would be nice with round butt] and have it refinished in nickel and put a nice set of Rosewood on it...…………………………….M*

worn finishes tell a story leave it be

Like mooshoo said... "worn finishes tell a story..."

For me, I'd replace the Pacmayr set with Hogues with finger grooves, just to hold it better with wet hands. And find an old set of factory wood for show-n-tell days.

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Heavily armed old man.

JMHO, to me the fact that its been round butted eliminates spending any money on it. It'll never be what it once was.
I go along with shoot it, carry it and don't worry about it.

I have its cousin, the hard chromed 25-5 in 45 Colt. It may not win any beauty contests but it sure does work. I’m with the camp of not spending more money on a refinished gun. I also have a 625 Mountain Gun that seems really heavy to pack with me in the mountains. The scandium frames seem perfect for that function.

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