|
|
11-11-2021, 05:18 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Joplin, Missouri
Posts: 751
Likes: 640
Liked 1,091 Times in 350 Posts
|
|
Bubba bought a gun
My local shop always gets out the odd balls to show me when I go in, I'm not sure what that means about what they think of me, but I'm going to assume the best.
They got in a 2.0 M&P9 Compact recently. Someone, no names were mentioned, decided the gun could look better then the factory finish, so they took all the bluing off the chamber on the barrel. Now, the bottom is still blue,as is the rest of the barrel. The top. and the left and right sides are in the white. I have no idea why anyone would do that and if you have any logical reasons, let me know.
It appears to have been done chemically, there's no scratches or buffing marks. It is even and deliberate, it's not a spill.
Okay, I did buy it. It was marked alot lower then a new one, looking inside it appears unfired. There's no residue from powder anywhere.
How hard would it be to get it refinished? Being stainless, I assume it won't corrode or rust quickly, at least I hope not.
This is why they bring out the oddballs for me, I'm a sucker for the unusual.
|
11-11-2021, 05:42 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Illiniois
Posts: 596
Likes: 488
Liked 367 Times in 224 Posts
|
|
I have no idea how to refinish it... but actually I like the work somebody did.
The barrel and chamber in my M&P9 looked awful after thousands of rounds and this trick, having pure shiny steel, would probably help with a better look.
Hopefully somebody gives a solution for you.
I have chemically darkened my stainless steel magazines... and believe me it doesn't look good. They are dark, but not nicely and evenly. And get scratches during usage.
You may ruin your chamber's charming look.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
11-11-2021, 07:21 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: North Texas
Posts: 3,953
Likes: 8,114
Liked 10,478 Times in 2,966 Posts
|
|
Below is a photo of my 1.0 M&P 40c with its non-coated stainless Storm Lake .357 SIG conversion barrel. Looks cool. My advice: Leave yours as-is.
__________________
What, me worry?
|
The Following 8 Users Like Post:
|
|
11-11-2021, 07:49 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 747
Likes: 154
Liked 567 Times in 289 Posts
|
|
Removing blackening material down to steel color a common thing for Bubba to do to "Blocks" too. I have one he did. Wished he had not but makes no difference in the performance.
My suggestion is just shoot it and go on.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
11-11-2021, 07:55 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 583
Likes: 2,762
Liked 579 Times in 293 Posts
|
|
here's an idea...send the barrel to Ron Mahovsky and have him refinish. the appearance will be nearly exactly like NP3 and it will have a very hard coat. i've had work done by Robar [NP3+] and Mahovsky. both are excellent [Robar no longer in business]. Mahovsky's work was about half of cost of NP3+. i see nothing unsightly with your barrel the way it is.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
11-11-2021, 10:27 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Joplin, Missouri
Posts: 751
Likes: 640
Liked 1,091 Times in 350 Posts
|
|
I appreciate the comments you guys have given me. You definitely have a different view of this gun then the guys at the shop had.
My biggest concern was if the barrel would be more likely to show corrosion or rust. I know my local shop isn't going to be able to match up S&W's original coating. The shiny finish is starting to grow on me. The caliber stamping on top is still blued and it makes the "9mm" stamp really stand out.
I have another Compact and really like it. This one has the frame safety. S&W puts a very easy to use safety on these. I can flip it on or flip it off with my thumb. I'm liking that feature.
I'll keep some oil on it and keep it clean. Hopefully there will be no problems.
|
11-12-2021, 03:01 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Illiniois
Posts: 596
Likes: 488
Liked 367 Times in 224 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by panther
My biggest concern was if the barrel would be more likely to show corrosion or rust.
|
No, it won't if you don't let the handgun sit in you garage for months.
Leave it like it is, do regular maintenance (CLP or lube on the barrel) and you will never see any sign of rust.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
11-12-2021, 04:19 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2021
Posts: 240
Likes: 81
Liked 122 Times in 84 Posts
|
|
don't see the appeal of shininess on guns. it doesn't look good to me. i like matte fde
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-12-2021, 04:30 AM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SF East Bay - "the delta"
Posts: 3,508
Likes: 1,585
Liked 4,495 Times in 1,516 Posts
|
|
That's not at all unusual, and not a complete Bubba move either.
In fact at one time, it was standard practice for manufacturers to take the time to polish the barrel hood on a blued barrel, but today as a labor/cost cutting measure, they do not.
There are people that like the "old school" look of a contrasting barrel in a black slide... makes it look less utilitarian.
A polishing paste like Flitz, Semichrome or Mother's would easily do the trick to remove the finish like that with out any signs of an abrasive.
__________________
Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222
Last edited by Gunhacker; 11-12-2021 at 04:49 AM.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-27-2021, 02:10 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Joplin, Missouri
Posts: 751
Likes: 640
Liked 1,091 Times in 350 Posts
|
|
I finally got this pistol out to the range today. As expected, it performed like a champ. I only had WWB ammo with me, but I figured it would be a good ammo to test the pistol out. It ate and spit out everything with a hitch.
I think this compact is my favorite size in the M&P line.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-27-2021, 05:35 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,233
Likes: 22
Liked 5,549 Times in 1,940 Posts
|
|
I have several "newer" model semis that have blued barrels. The part that is exposed in every one of them is starting to show ugly wear. In contrast, I have just as many older models with barrels in the white that look pristine. My S&W 39-2 is a good example.
My take is that for once Bubba did a job for you ahead of time that you don't have to do now. Even better that the dealer thought it was a problem.
|
11-27-2021, 10:26 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2007
Location: working for Uncle Sam
Posts: 137
Likes: 77
Liked 139 Times in 74 Posts
|
|
I got a full sized M&P 9MM with a similar polish job, back in 2010ish at a gunshop outside of FT Campbell. It shot fine, I just made sure to oil the polished part. I have no idea why they polished it. I later got an S&W replacement barrel, it was easier and cheaper then refinishing it (at the time).
|
11-28-2021, 09:07 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 1,161
Liked 4,451 Times in 1,598 Posts
|
|
The biggest question I would have when thinking about buying a gun that's been cobbled on like that would be: What else did they "polish"? Other than that, as long as it locks up, it's just cosmetic.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-28-2021, 12:10 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: NOVA
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 5,582
Liked 1,379 Times in 579 Posts
|
|
Sorry, rant follows: without a doubt, S&W uses the cheapest / Krylon-looking finish on their M&P barrels that they can find. You can’t blame Bubba! I picked up and MP EZ .380 a few months back and it is perfect, except for the ****** finish on the barrel. S&W knows it looks like doo-doo, and thus the gold/TIN finish on the Performance Center model barrels. Kudos to SIG and to Glock (pre-GEN 5) for spending a dollar or so on a tough and even finish for their barrels.
Last edited by GeoJelly; 11-28-2021 at 12:11 PM.
|
11-28-2021, 12:46 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,579
Likes: 11,351
Liked 3,702 Times in 1,306 Posts
|
|
I've bought a couple used guns over the years like that, it's probably not that uncommon.
__________________
Rather be outdoors
|
11-28-2021, 01:25 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 1,154
Liked 1,383 Times in 835 Posts
|
|
Would not the finish on the M&P barrels be the same Melonite as that on the slides?
Cheers!
|
11-28-2021, 01:40 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2021
Posts: 240
Likes: 81
Liked 122 Times in 84 Posts
|
|
i believe it's the same nitriting. black is going to show wear unless you lube it up real nice with something that has viscosity and will stay put.
|
11-28-2021, 04:14 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: North Texas
Posts: 3,953
Likes: 8,114
Liked 10,478 Times in 2,966 Posts
|
|
I guess M&P barrel finish is the luck of the draw. Here is the .40 cal. barrel from my M&P 40c with 13,000 rounds through it. I think it's held up just fine.
__________________
What, me worry?
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
11-28-2021, 07:50 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 1,161
Liked 4,451 Times in 1,598 Posts
|
|
One thing to remember with Nitride finishes is that they bond to the metal. When you see the black is gone, the Nitride is still there. The black color is added to the Nitride as Nitride is not black. What you see that appears as wear is only the coloring. The only way to remove Nitride is to remove metal. When you polish a Nitride surface, if the polish goes deep enough, the Nitride is removed and the surface hardness and corrosion resistance changes. That's something to keep in mind when grinding on a barrel hood to get rid of the wear marks.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
11-28-2021, 10:08 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,797
Likes: 7,511
Liked 7,271 Times in 2,479 Posts
|
|
Some firearms actually come from the factory this way and it's considered a premium feature too.
Case in point, here's my H&K USP45 Elite...
As you can see, the barrel hood has been polished so that the H&K's Hostile Environment Finish is no longer visible. The rest of the barrel still has the finish intact, this is actually one of the "features" of this pistol. I have no idea what it does or why they do it, but that's how they are fresh out of the box.
Don't worry about corrosion on the M&P since it's upper assembly all Stainless Steel to begin with, and the FNC case-hardening treatment to the metal is what actually adds durability/corrosion resistance, the black finishe is just something they apply over the steel.
__________________
Shooting Comfort is bilateral.
Last edited by Echo40; 11-28-2021 at 10:11 PM.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
12-03-2021, 10:27 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Metro-Springfield, MA
Posts: 222
Likes: 343
Liked 396 Times in 88 Posts
|
|
" it makes the "9mm" stamp really stand out. "
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|