Refinish Questions

[iggybomb]

I have 5 1945-1960 LEO M&P revolvers of various barrel lengths that I purchased from a gentleman who unfortunately refinished all of them in nickel in the 80s. All the guns were originally blued and not factory nickel. Is there anyone that a member can recommend to refinish them back to blue? I would like to get them as close to original as possible. Thank you for the help!

 

[clang444]

It would be less expensive and easier to sell them as is and buy new (used) guns.

The guns would also have more value.

 

[chiefdave]

The plating process is reversible but may not be worth the expense. Are the revolvers simply nickel plated or chrome over a nickel base?

 

[iggybomb]

Not sure how to tell if it was chromed over nickel. I believe just nickel. The guns have sentimental value and I would like to return them to original despite the cost as the guy I got them from was a good family friend and he gave them to me for a very good price.

 

[quinn]

Was your family friend a cop? In my experience many cop guns that shipped in blue were nickeled when the blue wore. So, if he was a cop he might actually carried them in nickel.

 

[iggybomb]

He refinished them when he was carrying them hunting and just plinking after he retired. He carried them blued.

 

[glowe]

Not sure how to tell if it was chromed over nickel. I believe just nickel . . .

You cannot chrome plate over nickel. Sometimes the plater will plate with a very thin layer of copper in order to get better adherence on the gun that can last longer. A good way to determine whether a gun is chromed or nickeled is to look for a very slight yellowish tint on nickel guns, while chrome will look like a silvered mirror finish. If it is chrome, I know of no way you could remove the plating other than send it somewhere to have it done.

Brownell's offer a room temperature chemical nickel stripper that will completely remove nickel and usually the underlying copper as well. It takes a long time in solution, but does no damage to the steel. That part is quite easy to accomplish, but you then have to find a person who knows what they are doing to get the gun reblued. I will tell you that the vast majority of gunsmiths who do bluing will do a poor to mediocre job and only a handful of refinishers out there can do it totally correct. It takes time and money to do it right.

The job can be done so as to not lose more value than has already happened, but one hardly ever gets the money spent back in resales. In your case, it may not be a consideration since you desire to put them back to original configuration and keep them.

 

[iggybomb]

Thank you for the info! Can you suggest someone to do the entire process from stripping to refinishing?
Thanks

 

[Waveski]

Try giving these guys a call -

Tyler Gun Works

 

[chiefdave]

You cannot chrome plate over nickel.

I've had several auto parts rechromed and the process after prep is copper plate, nickel plate and last chrome plate for shine and durability. Never had a firearm plated but I'm sure the process is different.

 

[glowe]

I have been told that S&W plated over steel. I think that is the most difficult way to get a great plating finish, but with new steel, perfectly polished and finished base metal, the factory could obtain superior nickel plate.

Thanks for the information on auto plating. Those who use the three layers are doing the best job for auto finishes. I have never found any references for firearms plated with nickel then chrome, but guess a gunsmith could do that process post-factory. I have found references that say copper is used to fill in fine scratches and add a layer of protection to the base metal and add superior long term adhesion because it is non-ferrous, while using only nickel as an under-layer is not advised and only done by those who take the fastest and cheapest route.

 

[glenwolde]

This ain't gonna be cheap but Gun Bluing Specialty Shop

 

[2152hq]

I used these people for quite a long time now for firearms plating of engraved guns.

Custom Gold & Silver Plating, Antique Finishing: Reliable Electroplating: Chartley, MA

They also do plating stripping,,listed under 'secondary services''.

They do not do any gunsmith work, so the parts will have to be sent 'disassembled'.
They do have an FFL to cover firearms work.
They were always fast..turnaround on plating jobs was within 2 weeks.

FWIW,,I seem to recall when I had guns plated in silver, they told me one time that they undercoated with copper, then nickel, then the silver.
No matter.

Quite a few engravers and custom gunsmiths use them for plating. They've been around for a long time.


Since you only need the plating strip services,,most any Electroplating shop can do that.
The problem is when you mention those bad words,,Firearm or Gun Parts..
Many will then just say no to the work or they may not have an 01 or 07 FFL to cover themselves.

The proper polishing of the parts after the plating has been removed is the real art. That will decide wether the guns return to their original looks or just become a blued version of a refinished nickel plated gun.

 

[raljr1]

https://d3ciwvs59ifrt8.cloudfront.n...cf2b/f7af474e-c74c-45ca-afcc-9f3e40cc5d15.pdf

Ford's in Florida charges $20 to strip nickle if you have them refinish the gun. The link is to their retail price list, about $300 per gun to have the nickel stripped and deluxe blue.

 

[Biggfoot44]

I was waiting the whole thread to see Ford's .

Obviously , they're the OP's guns, to proceed as he so desires . They're already * Not Original * , so no historical preservation concerns .

Answer #1 - Go for it , $1,000-ish plus shipping , send them to Ford's .

Answer #2a - While probably wouldn't decrease the value, you are spending $1500 with zero economic return .

Answer #2b - It was entirely Period Correct during the Revolver Era for privately owned Duty Revolvers to be aftermarket Nickled , for multiple motivations . Repare holster worn finish , gain more durable finish, gain more wheather resistant finish , because they liked the looks , because they felt it could be potentially more intimidating , in at least some situations . .

If I had 5 M&P in good shape , other than refinish , AND the tooth fairy handed me $1500 that could only be spent upon refinishing . I would do as follows :

1 Blue
1 As currently nickled
1 Pinto
1 Reverse Pinto

Final one could be whatever . Various lengths mentioned . Depending how the above finishes distributed , you could do up a matching bbl length with both blue and nickle .

 

[Vettepartz]

Someone said that you cannot chrome plate over nickel. I guess they never saw an older car that had bumpers that were that shiny silver color.

For what it is worth, I have one revolver that has a chrome finish on it. I notice that no matter how much I use it, it never develops a turn line on the cylinder. This may not be the best indicator of a gun being finished in chrome, but it is what I have seen. Also, chrome plating, as I understand, is clear and has no color.

 

[chiefdave]

Correct, sort of like clear coat paint. The base coat is somewhat dull while the clear coat is high gloss.

 

[BAM-BAM]

He refinished them when he was carrying them hunting and just plinking after he retired. He carried them blued.

If the guns have sentimental meaning to you ...... I'd leave them as your friend modified them to his personality/taste...... those personal modifications are what make heirloom guns distinctive.

 

[rocknroad]

He refinished them when he was carrying them hunting and just plinking after he retired. He carried them blued.

If the guns have sentimental meaning to you ...... I'd leave them as your friend modified them to his personality/taste...... those personal modifications are what make heirloom guns distinctive.

I'm with BAM-BAM on this one.

I inherited a very special, sentimental gun (to me) that was used in law enforcement, also. The stocks are not original and the finish is holster worn. Although there are some things I could do to make the gun more desirable to the general public, I will not. That is because, this is the way it was carried and the way it was left when he retired...and the way it was when he died.

As a wise member here told me, "Every time I pick up the gun, in the preserved condition, it's like shaking hands" with my Grandfather.

Just my $.02

 

[Muley Gil]

Chrome plated firearms have a bluish tint.