New project gun. Not sure if it was just abused, left in a wet holster, stored in a boat or what but it is ugly. Times ok. End shake is ok, lock up is ok but could be better. But it was cheap so I will play around with it.

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Gary SWCA 3669

What does the bore look like?

Gary, depending on the cost, I would have bought that for a truck/garage gun. You sure aren't going to hurt it. Good snag.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Perfect project gun! If I didn’t leave it as is, she’d be bead blasted and either be black nitrided or hard chromed.

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213th FBINA

Looking forward to reports on your project progress

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Guns + Dogs= Bliss

Hey! I have its little brother. Head over to the smithing forum and look for project Short & Sweet…

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SWCA #3942 / SWHF #988

Bore is good. Function tests good other than slightly loose at lock up. I have a good stock pile of parts so I think mechanically it will be an easy project. Since some of the lettering is compromised I may slab side the barrel. Bead blast and probably have it matte blued. Or send it to Mahovsky for hard chrome.

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Gary SWCA 3669

If that were mi e, I'd say I have another slow rust blue project in the making!

Tighten it up mechanically and leave the finish alone. Great Truck/Garage/Fishing/Hunting/Going For A Walk Gun. Everybody needs one!

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

That's some great looking patina. Folks pay lots of money for things to look like that these days.

Had the LGS try to patina an M1911A1 one time. I asked them what kind of finish they called that. Their answer was "War Patinaed". I laughed at it and said no thanks. When it was still there several months later, I bought it for half what they were asking. Stripped the finish and parked it. Why did I buy it you ask? Well the slide had been fitted to the frame with absolutely zero play and same with the barrel (tightest I have seen in 55 years of handling M1911's), the barrel was marked NM and the bushing was marked NM. Shoots as well as my Series 70 GCNM.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I would call the finish either well loved or neglected. Hard chrome sounds like an excellent alternative.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

[
POOR THING! Good luck with your project! Bob

Looks like someone tried to scrub rust off with a wire brush

I'm lazy so I'd probably just tear it down completely, clean and oil everything and leave it . It would be a good range banger

I'd guess it was an old Duty gun that got stuck away somewhere in the leather holster and forgotten about

Chrome is a great way to protect your investment but remember that chrome accentuates every defect. No matter how much is applied, faults will show. I'm not saying don't do, just be aware of the limitations.

Were it mine, it would be bead blasted, followed by parkerizing or a hot blue. And if I was doing it myself, a couple of good soakings in warm cold blue salutation after heating the metal just hot enough to know they are warm. Not so hot the bluing salutation boils when the parts are gently lowered in .Different parts need different times in the salutation.

And I'd put a set of finger groove Pach's on it before tossing it in the truck. The magna grips on it now, if original, would be saved for a later date.

I'm guessing that Model 13-3 was well used and neglected, then someone tried to scrub and sand away the accumulated rust to make it presentable for sale. Beyond any DIY finish, if you want it to look nicer, bead blast and parkerize or blue. Hard chrome is the most durable and corrosion resistant finish, but with the roll marks sanded away and pitting still visible, the hard chrome will likely make those issues just as visible as they are right now.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Looks like it may have met some Naval Jelly along the way. Wish it were mine!

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Pisgah

Very finish Challenged. It looks like it was a cop gun.

Yup - certainly a rough one! I'd just use it as a plinker and not try to restore it as too much metal is pitted and missing. You would just be throwing money down the tubes as compared to simply buying a better example.

You can simply use it as it is or apply a finish that is inexpensive and can simply and easily be done at home. Looks like a perfect gun to be a "learner" for gun smithing purposes. Something you won't get upset about if your screwdriver slips or you nick the side-plate.

I have a 3" M10-7 square butt that was in similar condition when I got it. It's probably an overrun from the Australian police contract since there aren't any re-import markings. The bore and chambers were pristine and lockup was tight. The action is smooth enough to not need any work done to it. I had it Parkerized and installed a set of the discontinued Spegel-designed Uncle Mike's boot grips. Two coats of white paint and one of fluorescent red/orange on the top third of the front sight completed the makeover.

I've got close to a couple thousand rounds through it, including doing Tom Givens' revolver class. It's my favorite carry revolver.

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Regards,

Chuck

Most of the ex Australian police S&W M10's on the US market do not have import marks because they were traded back to S&W, S&W then sold them to US distributors, it is a quirk in the US import laws about deals back to a US manufacture that do not have to be import marked as they were not imported by a separate company. There are others here that most likely know more details

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

Pull the sideplate and clean inside, shoot it to check POA, clean again and carry often.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

My brother gave me a very ugly Winchester 94. Somehow, the frame got corrosion on it. Barrel, lever, mag tube are all fine.
I've done a great deal to improve it by working away with steel wool and some touch-up bluing from Brownells. There's hope for that Model 13. Just be patient with it.

Bore is good. I am going to do some clean up on it them may have a local place hot blue it.

I havent rust blued anything in awhile. I have the time so that may be the ticket.

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Gary SWCA 3669

It looks like the one I got a couple of years ago from the Great Rusty Gun Tide that swept over Sportsman Warehouse stores around the country. The guns came from a massive buy of Puerto Rican Police old duty and evidence guns that had been stored for years in a leaky warehouse.

Mine cleaned up ok, and shoots great.

The saddest Model 13-3 you will ever see.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I'm kinda loving that one and it was an obvious pick-up - project gun or no. I wouldn't change a thing.

I would send it to have the stainless finish put on it and your Great Grand-kids will enjoy it.

Did anybody else happen to notice how tight the sideplate still fits!
That, in and of itself, makes it a lot more presentable than quite a few refinish jobs!
I wouldn’t mess with it other than cleaning the bore and lockwork.

It wasn't well used or loved. If it were it would have been cleaned and lubed or wiped with a silicone cloth or put away properly. It was just neglected and abused. Some people do the same thing to their dogs and their mates.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

I beg to differ ... It is not ugly ...
Some S&W's are just better looking than others ...
A little TLC will have her looking just fine .
The model 58 in my avatar belonged to a Motorcycle Cop in Louisiana , 10 years on patrol had left it looking "rough" ... Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover cleaned it up just fine and a wax job did the trick ! Looks pretty good now ...
Yours will clean up just fine ... give her some TLC !

Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

A 3” K-frame? Ugly?

Cerrakote finish it. I did that to a M10 snub, looks great, durable and good cheap pickup gun.

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Kevin in Oregon

Clean oil and shoot it. One of my simple pleasures in life is when I attend a shooting match with some rough looking orphan gun, and more than hold my own against all the people with the “high speed” gear. Every once in a while I might actually win a match or place for prizes/ awards with one of those rough looking guns, and that is very satis to me

Jeez! Being a 3” .357 I would have bought it, as well. But I can’t imagine letting a gun I owned get into that condition. Some people say “it’s just a tool”. Well, my tools in my toolbox don’t look like that either. There’s wear, and there’s neglect. That gun was neglected. I’m sure some TLC will improve it, though.

Yep! I was taught that if you take care of your tools, your tools will take care of you. I suppose there are a lot of people who were not taught this important lesson

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Rode hard and put up wet.

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Only a cold warrior

I got a 4” 13 in somewhat better shape. No downright pitting but whole gun is freckled lightly. I can’t see the point in investing at least $100 into some kind of refinish. My method is throw it in the trade pile and stop the bleeding.

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Being the nosey type that I am, would you mind putting a dollar value to your idea of "cheap"???
Thanks.

I like M13’s alot and I also like S&W rescues.

That gun is not really pitted that bad.
The Spanish BillBoard marking on the right front side could be elliminated in a polish job with no worrys about having that re-engraved/marked AFAIK.
The rest of the gun can be polished out by hand w/o much trouble. Just time and patience. A very nice job can result.
It'll never be a money maker. That's why 'smiths rarely do the job as a restoration for a profit or take in the jobs at all unless you just want a spiffy buff and shine & hot blue..

DA Revolver polishing is very time consuming when a correct job is done. It doesn't matter who is doing the work outside of the Factory.
Even then it mostlikely won't fall into the Restoration Class of work. But that's not what is usually being sought in instances like this anyway.
Just a good clean, sharp polish.

A good project gun for the gunsmith type.
The Medallion is still deep and can be saved. The other lettering will need some help from an engraver to sharpen up to save it if you want to. Or have one of the Laser Wizards re-mark it.

The cylinder is the easiest to polish on a belt. The locking bolt channels need some very careful polishing out to get at the pitting in the bottom of them. Believe it or not , the Dremel with the correct shaped point is perfect of that. Be careful though!

Final finish,,Hot Blue, Rust Blue, Hard Chrome, Flashy Nickel,,the list is nearly endless.

The Hammer and to a lesser degree the (wide?) trigger look pretty eaten around the sharp corners by the pitting.
For a K frame it's much easier and cheaper to find and buy replacement(s) with decent finish than to strip and refinish (CCHarden) the originals.
Just the CCH will cost around $150 these days from the shops that advertise. Some won't even take in small jobs anymore.
There are some faux color alternatives. But then there is still the pitting to deal with, refinishing/polishing to elliminate it

Grips,,need some nice grips.


The project gun can get you in deep.!

Sometimes the 'Clean, Oil and Shoot' doesn't sound too bad after all.
Neither does 'Place it in the Trade Basket' after you are tired of it.

But some of us just can't stay away from a Project..!
I plead Guilty.

Hey, I would strip it, have it glass beaded. Then hand blue, or have it Blued with no polishing for a matt finish. It will have its girlie curves and look great.