OP, would you mind posting some photos? I'm wondering what sort of chrome finish you have. There is more than one, and it's going to make a difference when it comes to whether or not a refinish could even be done in the first place.
1980 28-2??
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I own a pre-model number 28 (SN 116XXX - late 1954 according to the mothership) and after reading this post, it makes me believe that someone at some point had it polished and re-blued. It has a fairly high polish on it, including both the trigger and the hammer. Here's the only picture I have available at the moment, but it will give some indication of what I'm talking about. Also, these are the non-original stocks that came on it when I purchased it. It is brighter than the picture would have you believe...
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MikeMagnum,
In both blued and nickel plated revolvers hammers and triggers were color case hardened, never blued or nickel plated. While blued hammers and triggers are obvious signs of a reblue it looks like yours are bare steel. They could have been polished only to remove rust but your 28 does look too smoothly polished. That's not the end of the world. Some of us enjoy target shooting with our reblued S&W revolvers. I even live in a repainted house.
By the way, show us a picture of the left side of its grip frame so we can look for stamps S&W imprinted in the revolvers that they reblued for customers. If S&W reblued your 28 the knock down in value is about half of what it would be if anyone else reblued it.
Welcome to the forum.
In both blued and nickel plated revolvers hammers and triggers were color case hardened, never blued or nickel plated. While blued hammers and triggers are obvious signs of a reblue it looks like yours are bare steel. They could have been polished only to remove rust but your 28 does look too smoothly polished. That's not the end of the world. Some of us enjoy target shooting with our reblued S&W revolvers. I even live in a repainted house.
By the way, show us a picture of the left side of its grip frame so we can look for stamps S&W imprinted in the revolvers that they reblued for customers. If S&W reblued your 28 the knock down in value is about half of what it would be if anyone else reblued it.
Welcome to the forum.
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mod57
Member
This is what the finish on a perfect Highway Patrolman looks like - it's polished silver and satin blue, with the silver from holstering and unholstering it thousands of time...
I'm not sure there are any refinishers out there that would/could refinish your revolver to this condition...
I love this gun! Richard, as usual, no disappointment. As to the OPs issue, I'd like to see a picture of it. Like as not, it was over polished when it was plated and if so it will not look a whole lot better with the brush blue.
Ralph
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Thank you for the welcome. I've added some additional pictures and the trigger and hammer are definitely blued/polished. I changed out the stocks to Hogues, but I didn't take a picture of the frame. I will get that for you however. I didn't buy this as an investment, and as such its' monetary value doesn't matter - I shoot all of my guns regardless. It's seen usage, but hasn't been abused and has a certain "mojo". In fact I like it better than my 27-2!
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MikeMagnum,
Thank-you for the better pictures. That's definitely a non-factory reblue. None the less it should be a great shooter and that is what 28s are best at. I have a couple of 28s that would not excite the collectors here myself. At least yours is a five screw.
Thank-you for the better pictures. That's definitely a non-factory reblue. None the less it should be a great shooter and that is what 28s are best at. I have a couple of 28s that would not excite the collectors here myself. At least yours is a five screw.
p8riot
US Veteran
This is what the finish on a perfect Highway Patrolman looks like - it's polished silver and satin blue, with the silver from holstering and unholstering it thousands of time...
I'm not sure there are any refinishers out there that would/could refinish your revolver to this condition...
Exactly how mine looks
OP
Majer
Member
Thank you for the replies.This gun looks like it was chromed in a bumper shop, it's peeling and looks like ****. I'm not having it re-blued to increase the value, I just don't like the look of it as is.I prefer Blue guns.I got this in a trade and am only into it for maybe $300.00. When I got it the hammer and trigger were gold plated,I swapped those parts out for the correct color case parts.This is a gun I'll be using and would like it to look better than what it does now.I'll try to take some pictures and post them in a day or so.
If it is peeling, then it is not likely hard chrome unless the underlying metal was not properly prepared. Hard chrome bonds to the steel, it is unlikely to come off. Decorative chrome may have been used and it generally does not bond well to steel. It is also possible that the finish is nickel plating, either decorative nickel, which does not bond well, or nickel over copper plating. Nickel over copper works well until ammonia bearing solvents find a little break in the nickel, then begin to dissolve the copper.
A good bumper chrome is actually triple plated, copper over the steel, then nickle, then chrome. This gives bumper chrome durability. Given the revelation that your Model 28 also has gold plated trigger and hammer, I'm thinking that all the plating was for decoration and not really suitable for a useful firearm.
Best method to remove the remaining chrome would be to take it or send it somewhere that can chemically remove the chrome, then you can have it blued. Bead blasted and satin blue is often less expensive than polished blue. It takes more time and skill to properly polish metal for bright blueing.
A good bumper chrome is actually triple plated, copper over the steel, then nickle, then chrome. This gives bumper chrome durability. Given the revelation that your Model 28 also has gold plated trigger and hammer, I'm thinking that all the plating was for decoration and not really suitable for a useful firearm.
Best method to remove the remaining chrome would be to take it or send it somewhere that can chemically remove the chrome, then you can have it blued. Bead blasted and satin blue is often less expensive than polished blue. It takes more time and skill to properly polish metal for bright blueing.
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Catbacker88
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Some better than others
I believe this to be true. I've only owned a few Model 28s but I've examined many. In fact I once owned one, purchased from Jovino's in 1983, that came from a lot sold by the New York State Police. Along with red ramp and white outline sights, its finish was clearly way ahead of a typical M28. Not M27, but almost. Wish I still had it.
I believe this to be true. I've only owned a few Model 28s but I've examined many. In fact I once owned one, purchased from Jovino's in 1983, that came from a lot sold by the New York State Police. Along with red ramp and white outline sights, its finish was clearly way ahead of a typical M28. Not M27, but almost. Wish I still had it.
"either ... or" ?
Considering S&W has not under plated with copper since at least 1910 that would make all of S&W's nickel decorative nickel that is not bonded well. Really? Did I give one poorly worded sentence too much importance?
Well, a good nickel plating over steel works great, but if a shop is just doing cheap, decorative plating, I would not rely upon it properly bonding to steel. Metal preparation is so important and can consume time. Time equals money and if plating is done cheaply, how much time was invested in metal prep? I should have made that more clear in my previous post.
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