For nostalgic reasons I am looking for a S&W revolver made in 1981. I found one of the right vintage but it has a problem. Someone was polishing it with a dremel and slipped. I'm not sure I could live with it the way it is marred. Is it possible to polish it out? Or to find a replacement side plate?

Thanks!

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I would polish it out. The gun appears to already have a high polish done to it so not difficult to match. Go slow, keep it flat and don't use a Dremel which could dish it out. Side plates are individually fitted to each gun (inside has a build number corresponding to other parts on the gun) and would be difficult to find a stainless side plate for a 686 or 629 which would fit with even tight seams.

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M60 442 642 637 686 686+ 629

Replacing a side plate is usually not a drop-in affair. Side plates are fitted to the frame, then polishes and finished as a part of the frame, so a replacement is not likely to fit quite right. Best option, since someone has already polished this revolver, would be to carefully polish out the Dremel mishap.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Adding to this, I acquired a 624 with a damaged sideplate.
Sent it back to the mothership for replacement.
Came back perfect and the cost was <$100, IIRC.
Of course this was "back in the day".
Seems that things may have changed.
Best to follow the advice above and either polish it out or learn to love it.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.

This place is great!

Some gentle polishing may work out ok. Take a lot of time. Go very slow.

It really doesn't look all that bad to me. Personally, I would probably just live with it as is.

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You're shy a few manners.

Yeah, I've lived with a LOT worse but some want perfection.