Electroless Nickel finish

[Narragansett]

There is an N frame gun on a popular auction site. The box has a label that says EN for the finish. The gun looks like dull nickel.

The question is, did S&W ever use electroless nickel as a production finish?

Box label fake?

 

[ken158]

My bet is fake label - never seen a factory S&W in electroless nickel.

 

[SFIDEC]

Recently pick this M442 at local gun show . Had never seen a S&W with what looked like electroless nickel finish. It looked new and unusual so it had to come home with me.
Looks like may be dated 1993.
Ray

 

[Narragansett]

Recently pick this M442 at local gun show . Had never seen what looked like electroless nickel but this sure looks like it. It looked new and unusual so it had to come home with me.
Looks like may be dated 1993.
Ray

Well that looks like electroless nickel. With an N on the box.

The gun I am referring to is an N frame, N prefix serial number, and 13 years newer, and the hand marked label on the box says EN in the finish box

 

[.38SuperMan]

I really like electroless nickel. I bought a model 15 thirty years ago with a well worn finish for USPSA and had it bead blasted and electroless nickel plated. It's held up very well.

 

[NCBeagle]

Recently pick this M442 at local gun show . Had never seen a S&W with what looked like electroless nickel finish. It looked new and unusual so it had to come home with me.
Looks like may be dated 1993.
Ray

One of my favorites

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[colt_saa]

The 442 is not an electroless nickel finish

It is a satin nickel finish

I wish they had made them for more than those few years of production, but the popularity of the 642 that was introduced in 1990 killed the nickel 442s which were only produced from about 1993-1996.

The one that I currently own was made in March of 1995

 

[colt_saa]

There is an N frame gun on a popular auction site. The box has a label that says EN for the finish. The gun looks like dull nickel.

The question is, did S&W ever use electroless nickel as a production finish?

Box label fake?

Sounds like a fake label.

I do not recall Smith & Wesson using electroless nickel on a production firearm

What model are we talking about? There were a few Smith & Wessons that were produced in Satin Nickel.

The 442s listed above are one example. I think that there were some Model 28s in satin nickel many decades ago. Possibly others

 

[grcoffman104]

Look on cylinder

Well that looks like electroless nickel. With an N on the box.

The gun I am referring to is an N frame, N prefix serial number, and 13 years newer, and the hand marked label on the box says EN in the finish box

Rear of cylinder should have an "N" stamp if it was made that way at the factory

 

[stansdds]

Electroless nickel was not a S&W finish. On some of their handguns, a satin nickel finish was applied, but it was not an electroless nickle. The satin nickel application is the same as the bright nickel except the underlying metal is not polished, but is media blasted before plating. I think a label with "EN" as the finish code is fake, perhaps by someone more familiar with Colt's finishes than those by S&W.

 

[SFIDEC]

Well that looks like electroless nickel. With an N on the box.

The gun I am referring to is an N frame, N prefix serial number, and 13 years newer, and the hand marked label on the box says EN in the finish box

Based on the responses, I'd agree the 442 is the "Satin Nickel" finish. I haven't seen the N frame auction with the box but have seen another auction site with a Model 58 stating it is Electroless Nickel.
I have a Model 15 that has the Robar NP3 Finish that looks similar but has a Teflon feel to it. There are other finishes folks have shared on the forum such as Metalloy and Armalloy.
Hope this sheds some light on the N frame you have seen.
Ray

 

[JDBoardman]

I have a 58 no dash that was finished in electroless nickel when I got it. It looked like the finish had been applied after the gun was buried in wet sand and then plated. What caused the lumpy finish was removing the gun from the bath too soon and then replacing it to get a thicker plate. I had the finish stripped and then replated in brushed hard chrome. A good finish that is just about impervious to anything short of acid, particularly the hot, humid Texas climate.

 

[ms]

Closer look?

Recently pick this M442 at local gun show . Had never seen a S&W with what looked like electroless nickel finish. It looked new and unusual so it had to come home with me.
Looks like may be dated 1993.
Ray

I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like it has the dreaded frame crack under the barrel.

 

[SmithNut]

I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like it has the dreaded frame crack under the barrel.

Pretty sure you are right from the pic......... that's too bad, makes the gun un-safe and un-repairable.

At least S&W is making M442's these days without the IL. Maybe they'll replace it as a warranty item.

 

[Baxter6551]

Pic number 4. Sure looks like it to me.

 

[SFIDEC]

I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like it has the dreaded frame crack under the barrel.

Oh me! Good eye! This revolver looked to be unfired but my 70 year old eyes doesn't see what the camera does. I'll check it out when I get home tonight. However, it doesn't look good.
The good news---Perhaps you've save me a finger, eye(s), or another useful body part.
Thanks for heads-up!
Ray

 

[stansdds]

Sure looks cracked, which would make it a Model 442 paperweight. You can contact S&W, they might cut you a deal on a replacement.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Electroless nickel is a very good, but forgotten finish.

 

[Truckman]

Electroless nickel is a very good, but forgotten finish.

I remember it as being easily susceptible to scratches...But I haven't seen one in many years, so don't put much trust in my memory......Ben

 

[Narragansett]

Electroless nickel is a very good, but forgotten finish.

I have it on a rifle I had customized a few decades ago, along with a Kevlar stock. Before the days of stainless and black plastic