KCPD Non-Registered Mag Reunited with Original Grips.Need Advice on Refinishing Grips

[oldmcdonald]

Thanks to forum member, LLOYD17, my KCPD Non Registered Magnum no. 61941 will soon wear it's original grips. The grips aren't bad, but could use some freshening-up, and I'm looking for recommendations of quality refinishers. Your suggestions are appreciated.

[Lee Barner]

does the condition of the gun match the grips????? if so, don't. I like original "character". just my 2 cents worth. Lee

[quinn]

Curtis Harlow, 44magget, does great work!

[oldmcdonald]

It was factory refinished in September of 1947 & doesn't appear to have been used much since. Not perfect, but pretty nice as refinished KCPD guns go.

[Dosgatos]

A refinish on a factory refinish? It looks great to me. Leave it alone.

[JSR III]

Originally Posted by Dosgatos

A refinish on a factory refinish? It looks great to me. Leave it alone.

I think that the OP is talking about refinishing the stocks, not the gun. Personally I would leave them alone but that's just my opinion and worth every penny that you paid for it.

More interesting might be the story of how the gun and stocks were reunited?????

[quinn]

BTW; My KCMO NRM was refurgished by the factory in 1948. When I got it it had pre war lenght, post war magnas which had bee varnished later. I suspect the factory put the 'transitional' length stocks on it during the refurb. I can't imagine the factory refurbing a pre war cop gun without replacing the wood, hence the post war girps. JMHO.

[Fullmetaljacket]

The grips look like the finish is already stripped off, mostly. I say stripped because the wood and checkering look great, not much wear. I don't know for sure what S&W used for stock finish in the '30s but sprayed on laquer was pretty common then, for example Winchester rifles. You could try some rattle can lacquer applied in very thin multiple coats. If you don't like it a soak in some lacquer thinner will return you to where you are now, no harm done.

[Modified]

The stocks in your first picture match the gun well, I wouldn't refresh them at all.

Get some good pictures of them on the gun, on both sides. I expect most people will be in agreement that there's no point in doing anything to the grips.

[Rusty parrot]

Curtis Harlow without a doubt.
Jake

[mojave30cal]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[oldmcdonald]

Thanks, aside from the one name suggested above are there any other grip refinishers that can be recommended by members of this forum?
Thanks

[Mblhopo]

Don't refinish you will lose natural patina. If they were mine just a couple coats of Ren Wax and buff off and they will look great.......................................M*

[Inland7-45]

I have a first year 38/44 HD with a set of pre war magnas, not the standard stock for an HD. Wood was a little dull when I got the the gun in 2009. Any time the gun is handled it gets wiped with a soft cloth with a few drops of oil. Over the years the wood has picked up a very soft sheen. They match the condition of the gun and they look great. I would say that there is no need to refinish those magnas. Just fine as is.

[Malysh]

The stocks look fine as they are.

[G-Mac]

Originally Posted by JSR III

More interesting might be the story of how the gun and stocks were reunited?????

^^^^^THIS!^^^^^

[lestert357]

Mac, are the grips in this picture the serial number matching grips, or the previous set that was on the gun? Can we see a picture of both sides of the gun with the matching grips mounted?

[oldmcdonald]

The picture of the gun is with the non-matching grips that came with it. I haven't received the matching grips yet, but will put them on the gun and post pictures when they arrive.

[oldmcdonald]

Here's the gun with the numbers matching grips. Sorry that the pictures are so small.

[DGNY]

Thank you for sharing the numbers-matching photos.

To these old eyes, looking at these particular pics, they seem quite proportionately aged to the revolver.

[lestert357]

Good looking KCPD Magnum! I’m going to add this picture to my KCPD Survey thread.

[Marksman]

They're only original/as found once, I'd leave them as is. Wax of your choice, Ren wax or Johnson's and buff with a microfiber cloth.

[JSR III]

Couple of tips. If you click on thumb nail size photos they will enlarge. Usually if you click again they will enlarge once more.

Secondly someone suggested boiled linseed oil. The curator of the Springfield Museum who maintains a huge firearm collection, gave a very good talk on care and maintenance of older firearms. He stated that you really don't want to use boiled linseed oil as it is the basis for linoleum. He said you really would not want to cover your stocks with linoleum. As others have suggested, clean them with lacquer thinner and once dry, apply a coat of Renaissance Wax and buff gently. This is also good for the metal finish as well. Gun oil attracts dust and eventually dries up. The dust remains and holds moisture. Moisture on metal causes rust. This is why many older guns have a freckled appearance. It is also why we wax metal automobiles to prevent the rust.

Would still like to hear how the stocks and gun got reunited!!!

[LLOYD17]

Originally Posted by JSR III

More interesting might be the story of how the gun and stocks were reunited?????

Not too exciting. I always do a search on serial numbers of orphan grips (and barrels…) I come across and luckily this one popped up as a previous owner had asked about it years ago. I was able to track down the sale of the NRM to Steve and it was a quick couple of emails to get them back where they belong.

Glad to see them re-united!

Side note: posting full serials of parts and guns sure helps with matching them back up.

[bob1956]

How do grips get separated from a gun with this kind of collectability? It’s a miracle to get them back on the gun.

[Truckman]

Originally Posted by LLOYD17

Side note: posting full serials of parts and guns sure helps with matching them back up.

Agreed...I've never understood the reluctance of folks to hide all or part of a serial number......Ben

[lestert357]

Originally Posted by bob1956

How do grips get separated from a gun with this kind of collectability? It’s a miracle to get them back on the gun.

476 .357 Magnums were shipped to the Kansas City Police Department in 1939/1940. 70 of those guns have surfaced in collections known to this community. Out of those 70 guns only 3 originally surfaced with serial number matching grips, and now this gun makes 4 with matching grips. Most of the KCPD guns went through multiple refinishing cycles. Most were refinished by the KCPD armorer, who apparently paid little attention to grip serial numbers, and many others were also refinished at the factory where new non-serialized grips were often installed. So finding a Pre-war KCPD .357 Magnum with serial number matching grips is the exception.

[oldmcdonald]

Thanks to Kurt, who did all the work to trace the grips and contact me, and Terry, who is a wealth of information about these guns. Here are pictures of the matching serial numbers & factory letter::

[JSR III]

Love when this happens. Great to see them united.

As far as serial numbers, partial or otherwise, my understanding is that there is a concern that an unscrupulous person can use the full serial number to report the gun stolen. Supposedly then law enforcement will seize the gun and it can be tied up in the courts for years while true ownership is determined. By hiding the last 2 digits apparently this prevents this from happening.

In most cases we have a copy of a 4473 or bill of sale proving ownership but this is the explanation I heard for this practice.

How do grips get separated from a gun with this kind of collectability?

We must remember that these guns were not built as collectibles. Collectors have deemed them so. To the KC PD, they were merely a tool to protect and serve. Police and military guns that go through an armorer, often did not receive their original stocks back because that only matters to collectors. To the armorer it was merely a set of handles.

I have suggested several times how neat it would be to have a S&W stock exchange. Many collectors have wood piles where the serial numbers could be listed and it's possible guns and stocks could be reunited. Problem is that someone has to set it up, then maintain it and then figure a way that the stockholder would be compensated when sending the stocks back to the original guns owner. This could also work for serialized rear sights, barrels, cylinders or any number of parts with identifying numbers. If the list was searchable via computer it could be an easy way to reunite missing parts.

[Oldbird13]

I would clean with 100% Mineral Spirits, not Lacquer Thinner, and after they are dry, a coat or two of Ren Wax.

[sceva]

In the for whet it's worth department. I have found that Murphy's oil soap works well for cleaning old grime off of wood without harming it.

[Marksman]

+1 on Murphy's Oil Soap, it is my preferred cleaner for grips and stocks.