It seems that most topbreak smiths came in nickel, but the M&P 1902 and later hand ejectors were made primarily in blue. Why did nickel fall out of favor so drastically ?? Thanks, Bill

Less popular with who? I tend to like my nickel guns an awful lot. And I sure wish I could find an original K22 Outdoorsman (but I'd settle for a 1940 Masterpiece) in nickel.

My 4" T/L is nickel, my 3rd models, fixed and target are nickel. Its only the postwar 44s, the 3rd model target, the 1950 military and 1950 target that are blue. But to ease the pain I do have a 1950 target in nickel (try finding one of those.)

Nickel is a more durable finish when care and maintenance are hit or miss. Nickel tends to stay put where blue wears off with just a short number of holsterings.

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Dick Burg

Early 32 HEs tend to show up in nickel pretty often. I think there has always been certain group of shooters that liked the"care free" nature of a nickel finish over the blue, but over very long times, the blue tends to retain its beauty if cared for. I kind of dislike the way S&W nickel gets the rubbed and subsequently rusty spots I see on the admittedly few examples I have owned. JMHO on that, but nickel was always pretty common up to at least WW II.

Froggie

Nickel flaked and looks likes something a circus performer or a pimp would own.

I think the public got more sophisticated and police depts. often didn't want a flashy "cowboy" image.

Target shooters didn't (and still don't) like the sun reflecting off the nickel into their eyes so much.

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Pace

I'm still curious why they went with nickel instead of chrome. I still see posts of 28's that were hard chrome finished that people think are stainless steel. And it's pretty funny how they look next to brand new after years of service with no pitting, chipping, or flaking like you see on nickel.

I think the reason you don't see much in the way of chrome guns is due to requirement to do it properly requires three plating operations.

Chrome is hard and wear resistant but is porous. Applied directly to steel it will develop rust pits quickly.

I forgot exactly what the metallurgical compatibility problem that requires this, but a quality chrome plate requires a base of copper plating, followed by nickel then the chrome.

Really?

bdGreen

I meant "Less Popular" as in "Premium for nickel" in the Standard Guide because fewer nickel ones were made.

Wow, and he's from Texas, too.

What was that rag tag group that used to ride around the state, didn't they call themselves Rangers or something? I'd swear I've see a bunch of photos of them with big, flashy revolvers.

And that out of the way, back alley gunshop? Wolf and Klar? Didn't they order up and stock a whole bunch of those nickel plated 3rd models?

I'm shocked I tell you, shocked!!!!

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Dick Burg

Just as a matter of interest, the factory did experment with a very
small number of M&P's in chrome, sometime around the late 1930's.
I think it was something like 30 - 50 guns.

Needless to say, they were not a big seller. One thing about chrome
is that it is slightly ice-blue in color - just like a old car bumper.
Nickel, on the other hand, has a much more pleasing greenish
yellow tint, in comparison.

Mike Priwer

"And that out of the way, back alley gunshop? Wolf and Klar? Didn't they order up and stock a whole bunch of those nickel plated 3rd models?'

You mean like this one, which came out of the first order of 3rd Model .44s sent to W & K in January 1927? That order was for 75 5" nickel revolvers.

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WAR EAGLE!