Greetings everyone. Thanks for having me. This is my 1st post.

The Model 39 below is one of my favorite carry pistols. I have tried for a while to determine if the Plum finish is original or as was suggested, a bad batch of anodizing. Besides a few scratches where I grip the pistol, the finish is complete, shiny, and near perfect. Has anyone seen this before?

Thank you, Pierre

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	Model 39 - 30540--1.jpg (136.2 KB, 392 views)
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	Model 39 - 30540--8.jpg (121.0 KB, 313 views)
	Model 39 - 30540--9.jpg (140.5 KB, 285 views)
	Model 39 - 30540--10.jpg (144.0 KB, 307 views)

Never seen one come from the factory with that much plum, it was probably redone.

What is odd to me is that the plum that I have seen is on blued steel guns, not black anodized alloy frames. And that plum is serious and even. I wouldn’t even have a guess as to what’s gone on there.

Maybe an intentional color refinish. I like it.

Welcome! The frame metal edges and stampings are pretty sharp and there is no underlying metal damage, so it is hard to imagine someone refinishing it.

If the color of the frame is a "Clue", I vote Professor Plum in the gun factory.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I've never seen one like that. Murphydog brings up a good point about the crispness of the edges and stampings but to looks a bit too uniform and not quite the color I've normally seen. I'll go with a treatment of some kind but I could certainly be wrong.

In any event it looks fine and I'm sure it shoots great. You said it's your favorite carry gun so enjoy it as it is regardless of it's history. You will find many fans of the 39 around here myself included although all of mine are 39-2's. I'm still looking for my first 39 no dash.

Welcome to the forum!

I agree with sevens, The only “plum” color finishes I’ve seen are on steel frames. OP, are you sure it’s not a steel frame? If it is you have a real prize.

Welcome to the forum! I like it too.

Thx for the Welcomes and comments. It will be on the top of my Favorites List for a while.

Black anodizing turning purple is a well-known defect in the metal finishing world. Improperly sealed is mostly likely. UV light will fade anodizing too, but this is far too uniform.

Occam's Razor would lead me to believe it was a factory error. Training day or Friday afternoon right before a 3 day weekend

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Psalm 27:2

Pull off the grips and see if the plum color continues under the grips. May have faded over time (UV exposure?) and the color under the grips is still black. I have a steel Caspian 1911 frame that came from the factory plum color. Didn’t like it at the time but like it now.

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Pine_Worker
Ex-LEO, NRA Life

Great post. Factory defect or refinished it is still a good looking gun and unique in it's finish. Serial number doesn't fall in the range of known steel frames so it would appear to be alloy. It's a keeper.

I think it's made by a gunsmith, I like the finish.

Enviado desde mi motorola one vision mediante Tapatalk

Hello cougar, can you PM me that list of known steel frames. Mike

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Unless my eyes deceive me, the rails have the same plum color.

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Psalm 27:2

I 100% defer to folks who have hands-on experience in this area, so I am most definitely not saying that you are wrong and I'm confident that you know what you're talking about.

Experience with handguns has shown me that lots of 39-2 and Model 52's show the heavy plum color, but on the 39's it's been only on the blued steel slide and not the frame, and on the 52's it's been on both slide and frame and the frame is steel. I've also seen it on Taurus revolvers from years gone by.

I can't recall seeing this plum color on anodized alloy frames before this picture and I agree that it's so even that it looks like it was done on purpose.

30xxx is probably around 1962 or 1963, yes?

I can't speak for the guys building before me but when I was building the 39-2's we would NEVER let that go. I have seen plum 52's (not that severe) but they were steel.

Welcome to the Forum!

Great looking pistol.

My guess is the plum anodized finish is factory.

Pierre from D.C., you say?

That wouldn't be Pierre Delecto, would it?

John

When hot bluing salts are the wrong temperature steel will come out with a plum color. It is fairly common on Smiths and Colts and other guns. It is less common for anodized aluminum (e.g. the frame of a Model 39) to come out plum when the intent is black but it happens. Issues that can cause it: 1. Inconsistency or differences of the alloy 2. Some extrusions taking up more dye or pigment than other. 3. Differences in the anodizing parameter. 4.Incorrect dyeing conditions. 5. Lack of control of electrolytic coloring process.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

I think you are right about plum on the rails. Not Pierre Delecto but we both do cut against the grain.

I removed the right grip.

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Hey Pierre, if you want to sell the plum 39, send me a PM, best Mike

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

I'm sorry Mike. I'm going to hold on to it for a while.

I would say it is either one of the worst anodizing jobs by S&W or an aftermarket re-anodizing.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Thanks. My old man was a materials engineer in the aerospace industry for almost 40 years, a big company in the Pacific Northwest you've probably heard of

Pretty much everything I know about this subject, plus adhesives, solvents, composites, etc I learned from him. He forgot more about these topics while alive than I'll ever know.

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Psalm 27:2

Welcome to the Forum. Your Model 39 looks great, love the plum color. I’ll have to start search for one.

That thing is fine just the way it is.

Hey, at least it did not turn out to be pink or baby blue. Like some High-standard revolvers. What were they called?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

It happens to some metals. Here is my Springfield Armory Gulf War 1911. When I bought it in 1992 it was all blue...... as time went by the grip safety and the slide lock turned color until it was bright plum.

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Left Side.jpg (195.1 KB, 103 views)

Road Rat. Difficult to believe those Plum parts were Blue. I'm a believer now. Thank you.

Carbon steel that has been blued can turn to a plum color over time. Sometimes carbon steel comes out of the blueing bath with a plum color. The plum color in carbon steel can be the result of the steel alloy, higher chrome, nickel and silicon content will make blued steel look plum colored, or the condition of the bluing salts. Cast steel usually has more chrome and silicon in the alloy, so it often comes out of the blueing tank with a plum color.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I decided to gift myself a 4 digit for my birthday. I found one … Plum.

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Hello FS, I have Sn.5408, shipped July, 1958. My rec. is still black, but my slide stop is identical to yours. Must have been blued in the same batch.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

I have a very early Mod 42 that has the exact same plum. I do not believe it to be refinished. I always assumed a factory defect...and I am fine with it.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Colt AR15s turn really plum from time to time. Ive had a couple. My guess is these plum 39-2 frames have just aged and turned hue in this way.