IIRC the hammer was plated, but I don't think the trigger was.

I'm not sure how the plating was accomplished, but if it was the old chrome over copper method it was done very well. Whatever the plating is it is pretty thin - as evidenced by the sharpness of the roll marks. Even the really fine patent marks on the barrel rib are sharp enough to be perfectly legible - I just have a hard time reading tiny print like that on a shiny surface.

I'll be going back to take a second look for sure, and one of the first things I'll do is have them take the Pachmayrs off to see what is underneath.

Taking the side plate off isn't likely to happen - not many retail places that I have ever frequented are going to allow that, for obvious reasons. But I'm not to concerned about the condition of the internals. It doesn't look like it sat immersed in water, and the internals are generally pretty well lubed. Not to mention that it functions very smoothly.

IMO, since virtually all of the pitting is exclusively on one side (with the cylinder rotated to the right position of course) I am pretty convinced that it was left lying on a piece of some kind of textile or possibly in a holster that was damp. That wouldn't likely rust the internal workings.

My reason for thinking that "lying on something wet" is the much more likely scenario is that if it were in a wet holster I would think the pitting would be much more uniformly distributed over the whole gun - not pitted all over one side and nearly pristine on the other. I guess if it were in a holster and the holster were lying on a wet surface it might pit just the one side.

Anyway, I plan on going back to look at it again on Monday, and if there isn't anything under the grips that scares me off, I'll probably buy it, though God only knows why. I don't own anything else in 45acp and I need to add another caliber to my bench about like I need another hole in my head. On the other hand if I shoot and reload 45's that will give me perfect excuse to buy a 1911 shooter to keep it company...