Need some opinions/advice Model 39-2

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Oldbird13

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The mailman delivered this pistol today and when I won it on auction I was aware of the finish damage to the slide and safety pin. Disassembled the gun and cleaned and lubed. Thought I would see what some cold-blue would look like. It is much better now than before however I am leaning towards acquiring a new slide and safety...IF you gentlemen and ladies think that is a smart decision. All other parts of the gun are fine...I would really like to have the slide/safety look better. It was pitted and bluing loss prior to my cold blue. Send the slide and Safety off for professional re-blue? Send to S & W ? Buy replacement parts off Flea-Bay? What are the chances to eBay parts would fit properly? Appreciate any and all feedback/replies. Merry Christmas to all!
 

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Hello Oldbird,
Congratulations on a great gun Model 39-2's are known to be good shooters and reliable. Not knowing what you paid for the gun, I would hope it was priced according to it's condition and getting another slide for it will certainly raise the overall price. I'm guessing you bought it to shoot so I would shoot it and see how it groups. If it performs well, then I wouldn't worry about the cosmetics of it. If it's a better looking gun you want, I would just sell this one and buy one in better condition.
 
What counts , in my book , is how well it shoots .

If it shoots well ... Keep it as is ...
Clark Custom Guns in Louisiana , can put a smile on your face and a song in your heart with one og their reliability packages and a trigger job ...
Talk to them about your finish concerns ... they can help Ya !
Gary
 
I'd remark I've seen way worse, but decent and complete 39-2 slide assemblies do turn up fairly frequently on the bay, sometimes at surprisingly reasonable prices.
 
I would buff it out and polish it the best I could, then apply some touch up blue or black, and not worry about it.
With some cold blues I have gotten better results by heating up the part to be blued to where it is too hot to handle (and no more) before using a Q tip to add the blue.
 
I did exactly as smoothshooter suggested prior to the photos shown. I was concerned that a used replacement slide would not fit the same. After viewing some of the options on eBay, not sure most of those would be an improvement.
 
Briefly, a replacement safety lever and/or slide may require fitting of the lever in the frame acted on by the safety lever. It's a fitting point.

A perfect used slide might be cheaper than a refinish.
 
I would hesitate to put money in to any manner of a professional refinish as it will never be original again, so it’s not like the money you’ve spent could make it “valuable” and the other thing to consider is that S&W made some 347,000+ of the model 39 in both variants so trying to doll one up when there’s dozens of them available just by searching online auctions seems to be taking the long, time-eating and wallet draining route.

You could chase down one closer to mint and keep it near & dear while you shoot the wheels off this one.
 
It's a shooter and I assume what you bought it for knowing its condition. I would cold blue it and call it a day. I can't see sinking more money into it just to make it look purty.
 
"Truck Gun"...... always nice to have at least one gun you can grab when you know it may get some rough handling or experience bad conditions.

Mine are a 915 and a 6904
 
Last edited:
BAM-BAM said:
"Truck Gun"...... always nice to have at least one gun you can grab when you know it may get some rough handling or experience bad conditions.

Mine are a 915 and a 6904
Click to expand...

Problem is my "son-in-law" took my last 2 trucks. After all the comments/suggestions, I will likely keep it as-is and let it be the shooter it is. Hope Santa was good to all that deserved it.
 
I bought a 439 where the slide had a lot of finish wear but had been shot very little. I used a copper penny and CLP and rubbed the rust off the pistol. I then cleaned the slide with rubbing alcohol. I used a hair dryer to warm the slide then followed the directions on the Birchwood Casey cold blue bottle. My 439 came out looking a lot better and plenty good enough for a shooter grade pistol. I touched up the frame with some black anodized liquid I believe was also manufactured by Birchwood Casey. A friend loaned me both bottles as it doesn’t take much to touch up a firearm.

Here is a picture of my Smith & Wesson 439. I don’t think it would hurt to try on the 39-2.




 
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