I'm considering this 629, but potential deal breaker is the ugly spots on the finish. I've seen this before on other guns that I wasn't necessarily interested in, but in this case I'm looking for info.

What are these and what can be done about them? I know "stain-less" is not "stain-free," but I'm wondering what if any type of corrosion this is and what can be done with it. Failing anything else, some ScotchBrite on the surfaces would make it look better than it does not, but spots on the flash chromed trigger and hammer, not so much.

Has anyone successfully removed this kind of blemish? It's not just dirt and grime, and a fingernail only partially removes some of it. If they can't be pretty much eliminated one way or another, it's a done deal.

Thanks for any info.

Attached Images

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	629 2.jpg (81.2 KB, 376 views)

That is rust. The 400 series Stainless used for guns will rust, especially in a salty environment. I bet there is more under those rubber grips. Not much to be done for it. Bead blasting the gun would hide the blemishes.

I'd soak it in Kroil for a day or two and work on it with a bronze brush. Check and repeat. That would help a lot. I guess it depends on how you are going to use it, as to what level of perfection you need. You should be able to negotiate a better price like that.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Wonder how bad it is under those rubber stocks?

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

It's a done deal! hold for better, unless you get a heck of a deal and can overlook it, they'll always be there

Unless you are going to use it for a tool box gun I'd look for a better example to purchase.That one looks rode hard and put away wet.

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My Daddy was a pistol..

Top strap, at B/C gap, looks like the gun was not shot much. What does rifling look like? How's timing, push-off, etc?
If price is right (say $500), and gun is solid, and only issues are cosmetic, I'd be tempted to buy it, just to see if I could prettty it up. Maybe get it bead blasted ($200-300), even, knowing it will never command a high re-sale price, but would still be worth something, if I ever chose to sell it.

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George

If it's a revolver you'd really like to have, and if the price is right, and if you are OK with some DIY work, buy it. It'll always be a shooter but you can pretty it up a little. As Nightowl says, soak it and then brush the bad spots. The nice thing about stainless steel is that you can also use a buffing wheel and various polishing compounds to gently remove scratches and blemishes...unfortunately any deep pitting will still be there.

I just noticed that it has a pinned barrel and recessed chambers, so it is at least 40 years old! They were only made in reasonable numbers for about 4 years. I'd give it a go for a reasonable price.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

You should be able to get the brown/black crud off, but if there is deep pitting underneath it that is more problematic. It is an early P & R 629 as Richard mentioned. Good luck in your decision.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

If you can score that for a good price and it is in good shape mechanically, I would clean that crud off, polish her up and shoot and enjoy. As nightowl said, that particular model didn't have a very long lifespan. Unless you are looking at it as an investment or some sort of safe queen. That's a shooter now, and a good one! I would take that one home and take care of it better than the previous owner did. Think of it as saving it from further degradation.

OP........

The fact that it's a no dash P&R 629 takes it
out of the run of the mill 629's,
and would be my only motivation to get involved
with trying to bring it back to close original..

I have a set of grips off a no dash 629 that my Cuz
in Alaska took off the day he bought it new and put
goodyears on it.

They're not a great factory color match, and I have no use for them,
I would be kind as to what I would want for them.

PM me if interested.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm still considering it, but at $700, I thinks it's a no-go. Without the crud and with the original stocks, it would be a no brainer (probably).

The metal is pitted, no amount of soaking and brushing is going to fix that. A P & R M/629 without any problems brings $1,000 to $1,200 in my area. I've never seen pitting like that on any S & W stainless revolver, wonder what it came into contact with. If I was looking for a shooter I would pay $700.00 for that gun. If you were going to shoot full power loads the Pachmyer grips are not a bad idea.

I would go $700 but try like heck to get something off. On the other hand, if you found a spotless one you may be into 4 digits, as stated, but your question seemed more like "can I fix this?" It looks like it got battery acid on it somehow. If you don't have a way-back machine, I guess you'll be stuck with Mr. Pitiful. It didn't really look that bad, for its age. You can clean the ugly off as stated with some elbow grease but I guess the pits will stay. I haven't seen elbow grease on the shelves in a while. Let us know what's up if you pulled the trigger and gave it a home.

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There's a Monster on the loose

I'd take that no dash 629 at $700 without
giving it a thought.

IMHO the rust can be cleaned out and where it is
isn't a fatal flaw, and a cakewalk to clean the rest of
the gun up.

A shooter at about half the realistic price
of a no dash.

Couldn’t have said it better. If you don’t grab it someone else will, and trust me you don’t what it to be the one that got away.

At that price, if it is mechanically sound, the main question to me would be how much the metal damage would bother you. Some would ignore and shoot the heck out of it (buy!), and others would never be able to overlook the pitting even if it shot fine (pass).

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Given its condition, $700 is right on the money so long as bore and chambers are free of corrosion.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Sorry I'm a little late with this, but that gun sold right about the time I was considering giving it a second look. Probably fortunate for me as I think no matter how well I could clean it up, that level of ugly spots would have made me regret a buy.

The one that got away…

IMHO for a Stainless gun to show that much rust it says to me it was grossly neglected. Personally, I'd pass on that one!

Not saying Stainless guns won't rust - neglected enough yes they will! However, it's called stainLESS not stainPROOF and more resistant to rust than blue carbon steel. It would have to be pretty neglected or in a very harsh environment for rust to get that advanced IMO. I'd like to look under the grips and inside too.

Stain LESS not stain never

I'd buy the gun and a green Scotchbrite pad, and in one evening of watching TV I'd have it looking brand-new.

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Pisgah

I have used the 3M Scotchbrite pads for refinishing before...from the white, gray and I believe brown shades (different degrees of sanding). Personally I would start at the other end of the grit spectrum with the pads and work towards more aggressive green. Agree with Pisgah that you could get that gun looking much better. Now we'll never know.

I know it’s gone already but I think passing on it probably was the right choice. Under the grips may have been much worse. If they didn’t clean off the exterior, my bet is the chambers and bore are pretty bad too. Also, who knows what else the previous owner may have done if they neglected this once beautiful gun so badly? Wrist flick to close the cylinder, shooting brother Bubba’s extra hot handloads… etc.

At the right price that gun is worthy of a factory refurbish or send to a respectable smith that has positive reviews for stainless blasting and polishing

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S&W factory revolver armorer

You can't always judge a book by its cover. I have Model 19 that is scratched, worn, freckled, and the back strap was so rusted and pitted that it looked like it had been stippled after I cleaned off all the mess. The bore, chambers, and internal surfaces were all clean and free of corrosion. Mine was likely a law enforcement issue sidearm, so used little, carried a lot, and a sweaty hand resting on the back strap. It's rough on the outside, nice on the inside, and shoots like a dream, but not everyone can come to terms with owning an ugly duckling.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

You made the right choice based on your own criteria. There's always another gun just around the corner.

If I had really wanted it, I would have offered $500 and see if he would negotiate, in the hopes of getting it for somewhere around $600. Yes it's gone, boo hoo, but your money is still in your pocket for the next one. Never underestimate the value of having those greenbacks on hand!

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You're shy a few manners.

The only SS gun I've seen that looks like that was a friend's Model 66, that he inherited from a relative when they passed away. The original owner carried it 365 days a year, in FL, so it had some ugly on it. My friend had it bead blasted and it looked pretty good, but hardly perfect. And yeah, under the rubber grips it had on it was pretty scary looking. The gun shot fine, and still does, but it will never look as good as his other SS S&W's do. I would probably go $700 on the gun pictured, I spent over $1000 on my 629-1 almost 2 years ago, but it was really nice.