I have a badly pitted model 19 in need of refinishing. It operates and shoots perfectly. Are there any options other than DuraFill to improve the surface?... then using a Dura co@t type finish?

I also posted this question in the “1980-...” revolver section...

I’m a newb. Please be patient...

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It's near impossible to replace missing metal from a pit, and there aren't many good option to fill a pit.

Among the methods that "can" work is Tig welding the pits, surface grinding and refinishing.
The problems with that are, first the expense.
You need a very experienced welder who "understands" firearms and how they differ from the average welding job., and that costs money.
Second is getting welds that closely match the type of steel and heat treating used to prevent the welds from being obvious.
This will usually appear as blotches under the bluing.

Other methods like the Lauer fill material, epoxy, or soft solder have the problem that the gun can't have any type of chemical finish like bluing or parkerizing done since they won't color the fill material, and in some cases the heat of the process can cause the fill to deteriorate and come out.

Pitting in guns is essentially "forever" unless the steel can be polished down enough to remove the pits.
This often requires significant metal removal and that usually causes the gun to be lopsided or irregular from loss of metal.

When dealing with a pitted gun your choices are very limited and range from just living with it, having it bead blasted and blued, parkerized, or hard chrome plated.
The bead blasting tends to disguise the pits.
Since there are pits, hard chrome may degrade from fresh rust in the pits.

Bottom line, you just don't have much that can be done, which is why gun owners live in fear of rust.

Welcome the forum.

That 19 has worked hard and put away wet...many times!

Value wise I agree with you that Duracoat is a very good option, maybe the best for that gun especially price wise. You can get it in a spray can for $35 and do it yourself. It's pretty easy to do and a good looking durable finish.

Durafill is a great option, very durable, and the least expensive if YDIY. But much more expensive if you have it done, which gets into the realm of the final option:

The other option is cheaper than tig welding and bluing with its inherent problems. It's 'floating' brazing over the surface to fill all pits and voids. This can be leveled easier, polished and nickel plated over perfectly if you wanted a factory type finish and spent about the same money as paying someone else to Duracoat. Maybe just a bit more. A good job could look like a new gun.

But it's all about what you use the gun for vs. how much you want to spend. Let us know what you decide to do and good luck.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Any welding, soldering or brazing is going to put too much heat on the metal and possibly change the heat treatment. Since the 19 is fairly highly stressed, I would not take the chance. If it were mine, I would blast it with fine sand to get all of the rust out of the pits and blue or Parkerize it. The sandblast finish will hide some of the pits. You will then have a M-19 you can shoot without worrying about scratching it.

Thanks for the input guys. I’m leaning toward the Blasting and DuraFill/DuraCoat option...but would like to know more about the brazing and plating. Can you direct me toward more info?

This revolver has great sentimental value. So, foolishly, I may be willing to spend a little money on it.

...or maybe leave it as is, show off the battle scars and tell the story.

In short, welding is a technique that joins metals by melting the base metal (steel in the case of guns) and causing fusion, while adding welding rod of similar material as filler to the base metal.

Brazing joins metals by melting a filler rod metal (brass) with a flux, and flowing the brass into the pits, voids or joints but the base metal is not melted due to lower temperatures. Brass melts at lower temperature than steel.


Metal Joining: Brazing vs Welding | Lucas Milhaupt

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Jim
S&WCA #819

If the gun has sentimental value, then leave it as is.

Anything you do to the gun will lower it's value and make it look worse, IMHO.

The frame is not heat treated, only the yoke.

The sandblast finish may hide some of the pits. But as soon as it's blued or Parkerized, they'll stand out like a dog **** in the punch bowl.

Sand blasting it with fine sand to get all of the rust out of the pits is not a bad idea but only the pits. Otherwise the entire gun will need a lot more unnecessary leveling and polishing.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Put me in the leave it alone camp. It has a story to tell.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!