I have a blued Airweight that I'm going to use for daily carry in Florida. I am leaning towards having it hard chromed. Any and all opinions regarding this would be appreciated. One question: would hard chroming require the removal of the barrel? I'm concerned about the possibility of a cracked frame. Thanks in advance.

Jack, I would just re-blue the gun. The hard chrome would definitely make it unique. Have you also thought about Dura coating the little revolver?

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M.J.Hanna

I'd try carrying it first- who knows, even in the FL humidity the blueing might hold up. probably would help if you wiped it down every evening, and waxed it occasionally. Have you given any thought to a model 60? Stainless holds up pretty good, and the extra weight isn't really that noticable when belt-carrying.

The omly part you could hard chrome would be the cylinder. The aluminum frame would melt in the heat of the hard chrome process. There are few options for an aluminum framed gun to be refinished. The spray and bakes are about it.

I had my m 36 nickled from blue by S&W last year. The cost of ether blue or nickle by them is the same, I believe. I payed about $275.00. I bought my gun new in 1983. It got a small rust pit on the cylinder and the nickel job looks like a new gun. I was super happy with Smith and Wesson's work. It took less than a month to get the gun back.

A model 37 has an aluminum frame, so to refinish means two processes to reblue. Could get expensive to reblue the steel parts, & re-anodize the frame. My preference would be hardchrome. Hardchrome would give you a very attractive & practical finish for a carry gun. And, the aluminum frame CAN be hardchromed! Oh, BTW, the barrel would have to be removed to reblue, but not to hardchrome.
Hard Chrome Plating & Electroless Nickel Plating, Armalloy & Gun Bluing by Mahovsky's Metalife

Like the man said the barrel would have to be removed and in that process if they damage to the frame you will have a model 37 paper weight!!! go with the hard chrome, or cerama coated.

Good luck on what ever you choose!!

Contact George Roghaar in Boca Raton, FL at gunblue.homestead.com. He refinished a Colt Cobra for me in TR Gun Kote and it has held up real well in FL during kayaking, hiking, etc.

Thanks for all the responses, guys.