Just above the trigger on the frame, the silver paint is coming off. In fact I can scrape it off with my fingernail. It appears that if the paint is removed completely, it will look just fine in the bare aluminum.

Anyone stripped their paint off and have good results? How did you do it, or what other options are there? I can live with it if I have to, but it is only going to get worse and looks kind of tacky. Any advice is appreciated.

Boy we have you now, you have been dipping into the Hoppies again, you know that KO will remove paint. Call the factory and they will fix it, but don't soak it over night in the Hoppies again .

Actually, I just picked it up from another guy today. I traded it for my Walther P22. I did notice oil out seeping above the trigger though. So, I guess Hoppe's is a no-no, eh?

Well, I'm sure the purists here will disagree but I bought a used 642 a couple of years ago. It was carried as a back-up by a cop and the finish was rough. The first time I did a full tear down and clean I just took some 0000 steel wool and removed the rest. I shoot this one often and the aluminum looks fine. Just my 2 cents worth...

Since when did S&W start "PAINTING" their guns? That's disgusting!

EarlFH

Its a clear coat finish.

Yea, after looking at it more closely, it does appear to be clear coat, although somewhat dull. I tried taking a pic of it, but my camera skills are lacking. Maybe I will give Smith a call and see what they say. I would prefer to have NO coating on it and just keep it bare aluminum.

Sent my 642 in for the same problem. They sent a shipping label for the trip to them. Turn around was two weeks.

Did they re-clear it or strip it off?

I am sure there will be those who disagree with what I have to say regarding this matter but I have taken the finish off at least 50 guns or more during my lifetime, which you have thought of doing(down to the aluminum) polished them with a dremel and a very fine buffing compound and never had a problem with any of these in 50 Years or more.I had this idea when Model 39's first came out and I bought one very badly scratched and worn. After stripping the frame, I went ahead and sanded it down until all the frame was bare. I then polished it using very fine compounds until it was as bright as nickel. Then I started on the slide using the same approach until it was like polished nickel. Since I only had $35.00 invested in this pistol (this was in the late fifties, I set it aside for a couple of months until one winter I decided to take it into the wilds and try it out. I was amazed to find out that it never rusted even the frame and slide were in the white as they say. Being curious about this, I talked to some rather famous gunsmiths about the situation and was told that because of the polishing I had done and the waxing also. it would stay this way, unrusted for some time. One of the men, Jeff Cooper stated that he had done this same thing on his Colt Commander with the light weight frame as the anodizing started to peel and he decided to just take it off.
Anyway, I have since done this many times for myself as well as others in the last 50 years and have never had even one complaint from any customers that I did it for. I know it has worked for me but others might disagree and that is fine. I know it works

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joseph whitney

I forgot to mention. This does not apply to guns in high humidity states or in and around oceans. I don-t think this would work on these guns.

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joseph whitney

The finish just falkes off these airweights. It's flaking off me and my sons 642's. Anyone had one refinished with something like Robar's NP3 or Roguard? Probably not worth the cost. TC

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There's no justice, just us.

It looks and feels like it was re-clear coated.

That's what I was afraid off, it could possibly be a problem again in the future.

Joseph Whitney, you have a pm.

Other than a few batches of bad factory clear-coat, I wonder what percentage of flaking issues are related to the use of harsh cleaning chemicals (including Hoppies) at some point during the life of the gun? I'll bet most. Stay with mild stuff like CLP and it won't be a problem with most clear-coated guns. My 642 has gone through years of shooting, cleaning, and carrying with no finish issues. I clean with CLP and put on an occassional coat of Johnson's Paste Wax for protection. Works for me.

If you look at aluminum wheels, they've started to move away from clear coating them because after a few years it usually turns yellow instead of clear. I think the best thing to do would be to break the gun down, strip the clear coat from the frame and use a polishing compound to achieve your desired shine. Afterward the only thing you'd need would be a can of mother's mag polish to keep the frame looking like new.

Me-I'd get a can of flat black heat resistant Bar b que spray paint and "Go Tactical"

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Forum consigliere

As usual, Caj gives excellent advice based on his tactical barbeque expertise. With them Cajuns, it's all about the vittles!

I have the issue on my 642, but only on the backstrap, as it is exposed and takes a fair amount of abuse during pocket carry. It's in my pocket a lot.

I bought the gun as a tool, and treat it like all my other tools. I take care of it, maintain it, and don't abuse it, but like all tools it gets wear marks if it is used.

Despite a little finish wear, it still functions perfectly as a tool in the role for which I bought it.

And Caj, I'm having a heck of a time finding tasso around here!