Advice Solicited: Should I Refinish This?

[BlackAgnes]

This is a sad 1905 4th Target .38 Special.

A plus are the pre-war Magna grips (curiously, unnumbered).

The right side is pretty poor--it had a coating of light rust which shallowly pitted the steel. I cleaned it as best I could. Mechanically, it's great--bore and chambers are good.

Is is bad enough to warrant a trip to the Factory for a fresh blue job?

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v70/BlackAgnes/?action=view&current=pre-war1905006.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/BlackAgnes/pre-war1905006.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Thanks!

Tim

 

[P&R Fan]

If I had it I'd keep it as is.

 

[BUFF]

I doubt that the S&W factory will refnish a revolver that old.

I would do it if I thought I wanted the gun to look nice again. Guns with that much finish wear aren't sought out by "collectors" so there really is no "collector value" to damage by refinishing.

You know you likely won't get your money out of a refinish if you resell the gun anytime soon, but it is your gun and if you want it to look shiney again, there is no real reason not to.

 

[murphydog]

The factory will only refinish model-marked (post-1957) steel framed guns, and a quality aftermarket refinish would be very pricey. If it shoots well, I'd also vote to leave it alone (and well-oiled).

 

[Nimrod44]

I guess you are looking for personal opinions, I like the old guns left alone. Gives them "character".

 

[K&Nframe]

I doubt that the S&W factory will refnish a revolver that old.

I would do it if I thought I wanted the gun to look nice again. Guns with that much finish wear aren't sought out by "collectors" so there really is no "collector value" to damage by refinishing.

You know you likely won't get your money out of a refinish if you resell the gun anytime soon, but it is your gun and if you want it to look shiney again, there is no real reason not to.

I agree...... I'd have it refinished by Ford's.

 

[Big Lou]

No!

Clean & shoot it!

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I'd leave it alone and use it as a shooter. They shoot great.

 

[Jack Flash]

If I owned it, I would keep it as is. But if it would really make you happy to see it with a top-quality refinish, go ahead and spend the money.

Just be advised that it will probably cost more than you think, with shipping and all.

 

[yugolovr]

I think it looks great just the way it is. So my vote is no on the refinish.

 

[CJ]

Let it be. It has character. If it turns out to have any provenance, that provenance will be lost with a refinish. As it is, it speaks to me.

 

[wilshire1412]

I'd leave it as is, shoot it occasionally and let it be.

 

[Alk8944]

Leave it alone, it has character that will be lost if re-finished.

 

[Big Cholla]

Yes, that rust almost can not be stopped completely until it is refinished. I would have it bead blasted with a very fine bead and re-blued. That would give it lasting protection and a pleasing finish. YMMV .... Big Cholla

 

[whitecoyote]

I like it just the way it is!

 

[DCWilson]

I'm kind of on the fence about this one. My default position is that guns should be left alone, but on a case by case basis refinishing may be advised. I understand Big Cholla's point of view.

I don't think I would refinish a gun that I ever expected to trade away because I would almost certainly not get my money back out of it. But if I was in love with an old specimen that needed some TLC and that was going to stay in the collection forever, I might get it refinished. And I might buy a refinished gun if scarcity meant untouched originals were hard to come by.

I have a 1905/Fourth Target Model that I wish looked better, but it's not far enough gone for me to seriously consider refinishing it.

As the canny old politician said about an issue that divided his constituents, "I'm not sure yet how I'm going to vote on this bill -- but whichever way I go, I am prepared to be disappointed in the outcome."

A systems analyst once told me, "It's a bad plan that can't be changed." On that basis, if you leave the gun alone you can decide to refinish it later. If you refinish it now, you've taken an irreversible step will affect its future forever.

You refinished a kit gun last year or the year before, didn't you? Maybe the results in that case should guide you in this one. Were you happy with the results?

 

[zywina]

I understand your question as I also have a vintage 38 special target in a little bit better condition and was going to get it refinished, but declined as it has a finish you could never duplicate today. I look at the target 38 every day and fondel it and wonder how it looked when it was born, with deepest sympathy a fellow in the same boat as you Dale in Canada

 

[bananaman]

Hi, I pass this along when it makes sense. Get some Flitz metal polish, and give it a go! It won't work miracles, but it will improve it's appearence. I've used it on a few guns with good results. Shoot that thing and enjoy it! Bob

 

[majex45]

No

Don't refinish it. Spend the money on ammo instead.

 

[dbarale]

I would have it bead-blasted, then a camo Duracoat applied. Some hogue rubber grips, maybe drill and tap for a red dot. Keep it stocked with Buffalo Bore +P's and you'll have a nice woods gun!

... OK, maybe not. If you can keep the rust from spreading, just enjoy it as is. It really doesn't look that bad to me.