I'm thinking about purchasing a blued CS9. I was hoping for stainless, but beggars can't be choosers. The finish is in good shape but I sweat all the time and I know the bluing won't protect it. What is a good refinish? I would love to have Melonite but that won't work with the aluminum frame. Is Roguard the best bang for buck or is there something better?

You might consider Black-T. FBI's HRT use it on their entry weapons.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Have never used it but Duracoat is reportedly very good, maybe on par with BlackT according to some. Lots of Duracoat color choices, some that even look like stainless. Roguard is supposed to be very good but a bit pricy for me. I sent a blue CS9 to Mahovsky Metallife for a hard chrome finish a few yrs ago and am overall satisfied with the job. My concern was for a finish that would stand up well to moisture/humidity/sweat and hard chrome fits the bill. Mine is done in a matte finish so looks very much like the std S&W matte stainless finish. If you decide to go that route, send me a PM, I'll provide more info on the process/job. Good luck.

Does Smith&Wesson offer Melonite as a refinishing option? If I get a chance, I'll call Smith tomorrow and see what they say. I have the same gun and have often thought about getting a more durable finish applied to it.