696 refinish?

[ExMachina1]

any reason (collectable or otherwise) i should not put a satin finish on my no dash 696?

thanks

 

[qballwill]

generally anything you do to permanently change a firearm diminishes its value. It may not be much of a change, but it usually has some kind of effect. Now something as minor as having it blasted for a matte finish will probably only matter to a hardcore collector who wants EVERYTHING as it was from the factory. To your everyday enthusiast it shouldnt make much of a difference.

 

[diamonback68]

Why would you want to spend money to change the intended finish on a gun that will diminish it's end value two or three times what the re-finish will cost you? Just a question.

 

[ExMachina1]

Why would you want to spend money to change the intended finish on a gun that will diminish it's end value two or three times what the re-finish will cost you? Just a question.

i take your point but i never got into guns to save money

 

[ExMachina1]

generally anything you do to permanently change a firearm diminishes its value. It may not be much of a change, but it usually has some kind of effect. Now something as minor as having it blasted for a matte finish will probably only matter to a hardcore collector who wants EVERYTHING as it was from the factory. To your everyday enthusiast it shouldnt make much of a difference.

yeah, i think that gets to answering my question.

still might not do it. just thinking...

 

[diamonback68]

i take your point but i never got into guns to save money

Maybe I don't understand. The 696 no dash originally came with a satin finish. Did someone polish it?

 

[ExMachina1]

Maybe I don't understand. The 696 no dash originally came with a satin finish. Did someone polish it?

maybe that's my bad--i meant a satin bead-blasted finish.

 

[hsguy]

The 696 is a pretty high dollar collectable gun now, I would think hard before changing it.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

It didn't come with a bead finish:

 

[ol timer]

Did you buy it to resell it someday or buy it to use as you see fit and as you like?

I say go ahead and do it if that's what you want. Years down the road IF you decide to sell it, for every buyer that backs out because of the matte finish, there will be ten more brawling for the chance to buy it.

 

[RdrBill]

Sir.
The best thing you could do with a 696 is send it back to the factory and tell them to finish it. I would ask the factory to finish the 696 into a real 6 shot N Frame .44 Special man's gun.
Bill@Yuma

 

[Hobie]

What were the original grips/stocks on the 696?

Mine...

 

[diamonback68]

What were the original grips/stocks on the 696?

Mine...

Uncle Mikes rubber finger groove combat grips.

 

[ken158]

I think a satin bead blasting looks better than polishing a stainless gun. That nickle look attracts every fingerprint that gets close...

 

[rburg]

for every buyer that backs out because of the matte finish, there will be ten more brawling for the chance to buy it.

Maybe the brawl will be because its not selling anywhere close to what its unmessed with kin are going for. There's no way I'd refinish mine. When you get a cult gun (696/396), you take care of them. Any shade tree gunsmithing seriously reduces the value. The no dash guns command a significant premium (no one wants the -2 guns).

Its your gun, do as you please.

People sometimes get lucky and score a future collectible. Those of us who have them don't mind you damaging yours. Limited market, limited number of guns, if you take yours out of the competition, mine will be worth more! I like it!

As for the grips.... I've currently got a nice set of diamond Magna's off an early M19. Makes it hard to identify by those on the outside. Yes, it damages mine, but I can reverse the process with a screwdriver.

 

[hsguy]

Dick, excellent answer. I think it is time for me to correctly apply the principle of "self-interest rightly understood" and stop trying to talk people out of damaging their guns. My correct examples will be worth more that way.

 

[peyton]

HSguy and rburg both have valid points. I just got a 696 from a forum member here and I would not have paid his asking price if it had be altered.
The pleasure of this forum is having members who provide insight and guidance for all questions. Minor thread hijack, I face the same quandry with a model 16-4 that I want to convert to 327. I decided to leave it alone. I will wait until S&W makes one, if not so be it.

 

[Jeroenw114]

I think that I the owner understands that altering is bad for value but finds that no problem, than there is no problem personalising your gun.
It's were you have them for. I bought it hopefully for live so only me has to care about the state.

From my 696 I changed the trigger and hammer to .500 wide and sights to Millett to make it a true target gun. And I am thinking of a "black powder chamfering" on the cylinder although the non-reversible about that does make me think long about it.
And I do keep the original parts.
Bed blasting is not what I would do myself, I like shine above dull.

 

[Stainz]

It's your revolver... I'd have a problem only if you regripped it in pink!

The best use for a 696? Sales fodder... you can likely get enough moola for a new 4" 629, SKU #163603 629-6 (See below.). It'll weigh in at 41.5 oz - a whopping 5.5 oz more - with both a larger hammer & trigger, another chamber in the cylinder, another inch of unlugged barrel, and a real forcing cone, enabling Keith-level .44 Special loads (The 696's fc is dimunitive - the 629, of course, is a .44 Magnum.).

It's been eight years since I bought my 696-1 new for $439 - and the closeout-priced new 296 for $349. I still enjoy them both - the 296 gets some CC, the 696 is for 'fun'. I have to admit - the 4" 629 is my favorite of the three. I probably should say goodbye to the 696 while the prices are high. Still, I wouldn't bead blast any of them... but that's my decision.

Stainz

 

[openbolt]

Although I have not yet satin bead blasted my 696 I did bead blast a SS Blackhawk and I now love the look of it and feel it's a better gun overall for my purposes. I say satin bead blast it if you like that look!

 

[executivetimemgnt]

my 629-6 bead blast finish.

 

[JNewell]

It's a gun...it's your gun...guns should be shot or otherwise enjoyed by their owner...you could be diagnosed with cancer, or hit by a drunk driver, or whatever, any time. Do what you want to do with it, even if it makes it harder to re-sell.