Refinishing a nice S&W generally hurts its value and I know that if this Mod. 29-2 had not been refinished, it would be worth about $1,200 to $1,500.

My guess is that with the refinish, its value is about 70% of the above values or less. This one is located in TN.

Please let me know your respective opinions at your convenience.

Thank you!

Attached Images

	29-2.jpg (33.9 KB, 406 views)
	S&W.jpg (33.4 KB, 331 views)

The finish is, I believe, Metalife hard chrome.

Thx!

I could see this as a nice, nearly weather-proof gun at the $750 range or so. It looks to have rosewood Target stocks so maybe a little higher?

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I find the finish unattractive. I like the stocks. If I had t refinish it, I would have finished it to original specs, as in blue or nickel

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

I do believe the finish is very hard to remove, you could verify with someone who does the finish, now if you own the gun and do not like it, you could probably trade it to someone like me who thinks it is the best finish ever for a hard-working gun.
I own two bottom feeders with a hard chrome finish and want a revolver in the same finish.
While it is not "shiny" like nickel or as beautiful as a well-polished blued gun, it is much more durable of a finish than either of those types.

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SWCA 2282
Chris

If you're building a collection then the hard chrome re-finish isn't for you, regardless of the price. If you want one to shoot, that one should be good and that finish stands up to about anything; better than the original blue/nickel in that respect. If it is mechanically solid, you want one to carry/shoot, and can buy it in the $500-$700 range I say go for it. I have a 25-5 in hard chrome that has kind of grown on me; don't hesitate to shoot it and no worries about carrying it in a holster for a day or two. I have 98+% 25-5s that don't get carried, or shot, but this one does.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Attached Images

25-5 Hard Chrome.jpg (173.7 KB, 166 views)

Thank you all. This is not one that I am considering but, a friend of mine is in the market for a "shooter" grade .44 magnum.

The price range estimates are what I had in mind and I personally would not pay $700 for this example.

This is only a guess but, it probably laid in its presentation case much to long, developed rust issues and the Metalife finish was the best way to salvage the handgun.

There's a 29-2 on consignment at my LGS--6.5" poorly refinished in satin hard chrome. About 1/3 of the logo was buffed away as well as other signs of poor refinishing. Comes with the presentation case for $2000!

As it is with the poor refinish it's of absolutely no interest to me unless the owner will take an offer of maybe $500 for it.

It didn't appear to have had any other work done on it, and given the apparent lack of care in polishing I would be extremely wary of an "action job" if it had one.

This one's going to sit for years, probably, unless some noob stumbles along.... BTW, don't get me wrong--I'm all for more shooters collecting or using revolvers but 2K is still a significant investment and you would think that someone would do their homework if they were going to spend that kind of money.

I agree, no collector juice but they make great shooters.

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Psalm 27:2

My Python was hard chromed back in the 80’s. Still looks new. I don’t worry about carrying it

I'd buy this gun at $600 without any hesitation. Hard chrome will last longer than any other finish, and remain looking good even with regular use. And I like that they didn't touch the hammer, trigger, or rear sight.

You can't remove hard chrome as it bonds with the metal parts, that also makes it one of the most durable finishes out there. It hurts the gun as a collector, so if that's the focus it's a negative. On the other hand, if a shooter is what's desired it would be an excellent choice. If it's in good shape mechanically, I could see myself spending up to $700 for it. I'd take it any day over a current production sample.

Obviously someone wanted a .44 Magnum field gun, something that would stand up to prolonged holster carry in rough conditions. Perhaps he hunted or worked in bear country. Who knows?

It will not ever make a collector happy, but for the right person living in a remote area who actually needs to carry a powerful handgun, it would be just the ticket.

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You're shy a few manners.

I like it. Especially since whoever had it done left the trigger and hammer case colored. That’s a big deal to me. If I was looking for a 29 I’d snag it for the prices quoted here.

absolutely, a beautiful gun with the rosewood grips, and I am solidly in the 700.00 range on this baby. I agree it would get shot a lot at my house, my M&P .40 gets a lot of range time by being an "ugly plastic gun",,, although I was very impressed with my 38/44 with some plus P's at 100 yards, damned impressive, that poor little .40 wouldn't give me two cents at that range.

I don't know what that gun is worth. I am not sure what the finish is. About forty years ago, I had a Model 28 sent to Armaloy for their finish. It looks very similar to the gun in your pictures. I have no idea how many rounds I have put thru that gun. My gun looks like the finish was done yesterday. I think it is one of the best finishes I have ever used or seen. If I wanted a shooter, I would buy that gun without hesitation.

If that gun is as good as it looks in the pic, (not improperly done), I'd throw the 700 bux at it right now!!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^
This. But if it was done properly I’d go $800+. I’d rather have that example over anything currently made at that price point.

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213th FBINA

How to Remove Chrome Plating? See Different Ways!

Way to remove chrome plating

That's a nice plating job, but I agree that it actually detracts from the value of a Model 29-2 with 98%+ original finish. Aftermarket plated firearms are usually shooter grade and little else. I'd say for $700 it would be a good deal, $800 tops.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Here is what I think

Buy a 29-2 in 1970. Send it off for a hard chrome job. Carry and shoot it a lot while giving it minimal care. In 2020 it is a very nice looking $750 gun

Buy a blue 29-2 in 1970, Carry and shoot it a lot while giving it minimal care. In 2020 it is a very finish worn, rust flecked, $750 gun.

2020, I walk into a gun shop looking for a 44 mag to actually carry around and shoot regularly. In the case are the finish worn, flecked, 29-2 and the same gun hard chromed, both marked $750. There is also a brand new 629-xx, complete with lock for $900. As a collector none off them would interest me. All the guns function the same. As a guy looking for a 44 mag and planning actually carry it a lot and use it, I would take the hard chromed gun every time. Another 50 years it will still look good with minimal care.

In a 1982 American Handgunner magazine I have is an ad for "Nitex" hard chrome type plating. Owned by Ed House somewhere in Texas I think. In an extensive conversation at Colt forum there's the opinion that this company did the electroless nickel/Coltguard on guns like my Python. This finish was discontinued around 1982 only used for two years. Some Pythons with the finish mention Ed House in factory letters. So this was one company doing the type finish like on the Model 29 here. The pics aren't too close up on the Model 29, but the marks look crisp and the job looks very well done.
Anyone familiar with Ed House and Nitex from the 80s?

I was very familiar with Nitex in the early 80's. Back then when offering it to our customers we called it the SST finish, which stood for "stainless steel type"
I had quite a few handguns done there both personal and customer guns.
I can remember a few of mine that were done, a PPK/S, S&W model 41, colt combat commander, S&W 19,Mauser Hsc, a colt govt model with a Kart conversion unit, along with many other customer guns.,
I remember that the cost was very reasonable, the prep work was done very well, and the finish was and still is excellent.
I still own two pistols that I had done back then and both are still in very good condition even considering untold numbers of rounds going downrange and all the holster time and cleanings.
It was a fairly popular finish do to the lack of Stainless guns available back then and so many folks just wanting the look, and getting it along with a fantastic protective finish.

I'd have hard-chromed the hammer and trigger, as well.

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FBINA, 204th Session

My friend has had a gun, an S&W 19 that was refinished in one of the hard chrome finishes and a Beretta 92 in "MP3". Both have been carried a lot and look brand new. The Beretta is really smooth and I like the looks of it. The only visible wear on either gun is on the triggers and hammers where the frame/slide has rubbed on them, both are just shinier than the rest of the guns are.

I would pay $700-800 for a 29/629 in MP3 anytime. It will look the same 30 years from now with almost zero care.

For a shooter grade I would spring for the hard-chromed 29 without hesitation.

I had this Colt Combat Commander given the NP3 treatment at Robar prior to their demise. The original Satin Nickel finish was blemished in several spots. The NP3 finish has held up very well and I am not worried about corrosion anywhere on the firearm. As hemiram states, the areas where the slide slides along the frames are rubbed shinier.



Edit to add: NP3 is a teflon-impregnated nickel finish used in the aerospace industry.

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No good deed goes unpunished.

Nice rig. Who made the holster?

International Handgun Leather (IHL). They went out of business last year.

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No good deed goes unpunished.

I'm into shooters much more than collector grade, although I own a few of those too.

I personally like hard chrome, better even than stainless. I'd pay $700 for that 6" so fast my wrist might sprain reaching my wallet.

Just my $.02

If I was having a gun hard chromed, I would do the trigger and hammer. First of all I would be doing it for a carry around minimal maintenance gun.
But, I remember reading about it years ago and one of its claims to fame was it had a lower friction coefficient than tool steel parts. You would want you action smooth before sending it in.

It would not be a bad way to go for a refinish. Face it, a refinish is going to take you out of the collectable class. The factory don't do the quality of old, those that do cost and it is still a "refinish". Hard Chrome is a tough a finish as there is.