Not sure if this is correct forum, but...

I have a 4” model 19 my brother recently gave me. It’s the first revolver I ever shot when I was a child 50 years or so ago. Point is, it’s sentimental value exceeds its $$ value.

Unfortunately, it spent a couple weeks under water after hurricane Katrina. My brother did a great job cleaning it up and getting it operational. It still shoots as well as I remember.

It is badly pitted. No chance it can be polished and reblued. Has anyone refinished a severely damaged gun that can offer an option? The only idea I can find is to use DuraFill to improve the surface, then Dura coat.

Please offer thoughts.

Thanks from south Louisiana.

Attached Images

656FCD3C-1519-4A4A-9745-F3082FE52D5A.jpeg (171.3 KB, 489 views)

Picture might help... there are those who can fill pits with metal and repolish etc, but it is costly.

I'd just clean it up and reblue as well as can be, and consider it a memory of the family history with Katrina as well as its earlier family use.

Looks like a candidate for a matte blast and the either blue or black finish. Looks like there are some serious pits there that realistically are not going away, just mitigated.
Local gunsmith showed me a model 36 that was in similar shape (had also been thru a flood) that he blasted and then re-blued. M36 came out really well, just not shiny blue anymore.

A good sand blast then a matte finish is probably your best option.

Or just leave it as it is and enjoy shooting it.

__________________
My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

If it were mine I would leave it as is. Showing all the character of a lifetime but still working and shooting as the day it was made. Why not celebrate and show off all the scars (with stories to compliment) of its history. Enjoy the gun and continue to pass along the stories.

What the condition of the bore, chambers, and internals?

Bore, chamber, and internals are all in much better condition than is the exterior.

I’m kinda liking the “ show your scars and tell the story” idea...but probably won’t be able to control my impulsiveness...

That would be my vote as well. The bore can't be in great shape based off the exterior.

I am also In agreement to leave it as is. In it tells a story about your fami,y and it's history. Welco eto the forum. We're glad you took the time to join us.

Looks rugged and cool with a story, I'll add another vote to "leave it as is" .

In the late 1960s, when I became interested in guns, the Model 19 was the primo Smith handgun. Either deep blued or nickeled, pride of ownership was off the charts. Now, to me, 50+ years later, a 19 from that era still is. If I were fond of that handgun and intended to keep it, no way I could leave it in that condition. I could say more, but I'll leave it here.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Have an I-frame hand ejector in .32 long that belonged to my grandfather that was in worse shape than yours. Cleaned it up a bit & it shot fine. Completely stripped it & took the parts to a guy who media blasted it & did a matte blue on it. Gun still has a little bit of the expected pitting, other than that it looks & shoots great. Fun little gun...

Sent from my SM-T820 using Tapatalk

Decision: (if you missed my other posts/thread)

The most agreeable choice for me was to let that 19 tell the story...and t does with every trip to the range, as is. But, it does have a new friend...

EE2EF113-6B83-4FB0-A3FD-E35E32FF8129.jpg

Dilemma resolved.

Nothing wrong with the sunken revolver. Shows it is at least as strong as what was thrown at it.

Kevin

__________________
Unshared knowledge is wasted.

This revolver has a cool story

Other then let it be, about the only thing I would consider would be matte blasting it and Parkerizing it myself.

__________________
SWHF #595

I would blast it and put a spray and bake finish on it