All other things being equal - is a blue 19 worth more, less, equal to a Nickle 19? I haven't a clue.

Blue 4inch vs Nickle 6 inch? Whichy which is worth more? Neither?

Depends on who is buying, who is selling, and how badly somebody wants it. New retail guns the nickel generally runs more as there is more work required to produce it. Personally I prefer blue guns. Some people like nickel and collect them exclusively.

There are the subjective factors as Robert mentions, and the objective ones like condition, rarity, other features, etc. I can guarantee you that a factory nickel 3" model 19 would be worth more than a blue one .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

As a rule, a shorter barrel wiil usually bring more, and blue, provided it is in nice condition, will also bring more. Not in the case where nickle is rare, like K22s and pre war magnums, etc, just as a general rule. A
4" blue 19 will bring more than a nickle 6" 19.

In the Standard Catalog of S&W, it's mentioned several times that when all other things are equal, nickel guns generally bring a bit more, anywhere from 5% and up.

At one time, I would have been the last one to own a nickel plated gun, but now, they're among my favorites. My 1980-produced Model 27-2, 4" barrel, and my 1973-produced Python, 4" barrel, are my prized revolvers.

Nickel...........My favorite gun color.

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S&W Accumulator

Some people like Fords, some like Chevys. Get the picture??

On a 100% gun, nickel reigns supreme. As they age, blue guns gradually lose their luster and take on an "honest use" appearance. Nickel guns age less gracefully. Eventually, after a few years of flaking, they resemble cheap Taiwanese cap-guns.

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Why, I aughta.....

Or to put another way -

Nickle is a more durable finish than blue, one of the reasons it was a popular finish in the pre-Stainless era. BUT once it does start showing wear , it's not pretty. A blue gun will show wear sooner , but will age gracefully and gradually.

Intrinsic value, as with beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Or to put another way -

Nickle is a more durable finish than blue, one of the reasons it was a popular finish in the pre-Stainless era. BUT once it does start showing wear , it's not pretty. A blue gun will show wear sooner , but will age gracefully and gradually.

Oh, and by the way, it's nickel. Just sayin'...........

Yep. I love the look of a brand new nickel-plated gun but you couldn't give me one that has started showing signs of age. Thank the Lord that stainless came along just about the time I started collecting. Almost all of my S&W revolvers are stainless.

Nickel is more durable & for that reason, in old guns especially, guns in 90% condition, blue is more rare & more valuable than nickel.

Today there are more guns manufactured in blue so less are in nickel which would make the nickel finish more rare. Right now s&w is only offering one revolver in nickel finish that's the m29, 4" barrel. With there offerings n nickel finish becoming less and less the value in any nickel finish revolver will soar.

If we look at the older s&w revolvers most of the blues guns the finish is gone and what's left has turned to a brown. Some of the nickel guns still look decent.

I think it's time to buy nickel if we have a choice. With no other gun manufacturer offering nickel finished revolvers we can't lose on our investment.

So what is it BLUE or NICKEL?

Not really sure? Buy both.

Blue looks cool, Stainless is better, but nickel is just freaking awesome.

The world famous S&W Nickel finish goes back to the 1800's even the son of the Russian Zar ordered the 44 Russian revolvers in nickel finish.

For an investment I believe nickel is the way to go. There are less revolvers manufactured in nickel. That should be a clue that the nickel finish should be in more of a demand to a collector. Look at the facts. Buy nickel and shoot and enjoy it, but handle it carefully.

Stainless guns make great carry, hunting, shooter guns because of its forgiving finish. But value finish wise when compared to blue or nickel it's less in value unless it's a rare model or version. When a stainless gun gets dull some polish lightly will bring it right back.

A little polish lightly on that nickel will bring the factory New shine right back out of it again.

That nickel finish is so Purdy.

Because "shiny guns hits harder". A scientific fact.

Two years ago I sold off my collection of Model 27'2's and 29-2's and in every instance nickel finished guns sold for more than the blued models with the same barrel length. the shorter the barrel the bigger the prices difference and these were all revolvers in excellent condition.

And when do the age? My 40 yr old nickel Smiths still look new...............After I'm dead...........Who cares?

BTW...........You can POLISH stainless to make it look like NICKEL.

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S&W Accumulator

If the nickel finish gets dull or foggy a light polishing will bring it right back to New looking.

If we polish a s&w stainless gun till it's bright and shiney doesn't that hurt the resale value?

I sold a well worn 66 no dash that the finish was pretty dull on. The person who bought it was a gun show vendor who took it home and polished to a nickel like finish. that was almost a year ago and he is still trying to sell it for what I would consider a very good price, I think he is going to have almost give it away.

When I was a little kid my guns were chrome, now they are blue!

old 1911 fan

I heard about that! Amazing, ain't it?

***GRJ***

Don't mind me guys. One very bad, very expensive experience with a plated gun long ago (not an S&W!) and it soured me for life. I still think they look great, especially in an "N" frame... but personally, I will never own one.

If "LNIB" is the gold standard for resale value, then anything other than the factory-applied finish is probably going to result in a lower resale value. But that doesn't mean that the "super-polished" look isn't attractive. Done correctly, I think they look awfully nice.

Nickel comprises much lower production numbers in all models, so condition being equal, or approximately so, nickel is typically going to command a higher price on the market. Of course, some people prefer blue over nickel, but that doesn't change the market overall. The fact that you see as many nice nickeled S&Ws as you do, considering the much lower % of guns in that finish. attests to their durability (as long as properly taken care of, of course).

Remember, after so much polishing, you will polish right through that nickel finish.

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Get off my lawn!

I just seen a m27-2 in blue w/6" barrel 99.99% and a m27-2 in nickel w/6" barrel 99.99% both were $795 each this past spring. Of course there worth more now with the nickel finish taking the lead.

What causes the nickel plating to flake off? Bad plating job?

"Because "shiny guns hits harder". A scientific fact."


Might be true.....but blue guns are more accurate. Another scientific fact.....

This S&W 459 was so shiny I could not hit with it on a bright, sunny day.

yup, wish I still have my Mattel fanner 50. Blued Steel only for me and if they're cheaper I can buy more of them!

Same here, though I don't currently own any. I used to hate it, but I've come to appreciate a nice nickle finish. Wish to heck I'd bought one of those M-21 classics in nickle a few years ago when they were around $600.

A 19-3 in Nickel I own that's in great condition except where I had to dryfire it. This gun has never been polished. Only wiped down with oil. I have thought about hitting it with a Renaissance wax.
JR