Fire Damage

[Smolt Smython]

I was in my small 1 person LGS today and the owner was wiping at 4 revolvers with 000 steel wool and light oil.
It was 2 Colt SAA's, 45's or 44's from the size of the chambers and muzzle, that he said were 2nd Gen but I didn't get to verify and a 4" S&W Model 27 and a 6" Model 29 both appearing to be 1960's or 70's production. Again I couldn't handle them to verify.
The grips were laying on the counter and had about 50% blackened charcoal and the rest unburnt wood so they couldn't have gotten too hot. I've been told that gun steel has to reach around 1500" F to anneal it and that's unlikely in a house fire.
They were victims of the Los Angeles area fires earlier this year and I was told that the owner considered them junk and was going to build a glass top coffee table with the 4 revolvers appearing "under glass".
To each his own but that seems like a terrible waste to me.
I considered trying to purchase them all but I already have to many projects and not enough time.

 

[Model29-26.5]

Where is the store?
What's he asking for the 4" 27?

 

[Smolt Smython]

Where is the store?
What's he asking for the 4" 27?

In southern California, I was told that "none of these are for sale".

 

[Model29-26.5]

In southern California, I was told that "none of these are for sale".

Ah ok.
So the owner I just brought them to the shop to have them inspected I guess.
Make sure that the metal is OK and that they are safe to shoot.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

I was in my small 1 person LGS today and the owner was wiping at 4 revolvers with 000 steel wool and light oil …

Most of those 1 person Gun Shops in Southern California are not very good.

Was he tasked with determining if the revolvers were fire damaged?

Most people are familiar with campfires and barbecue so they looked at them that way. An Arson Investigator sees it differently JMHO

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Ah ok.
So the owner I just brought them to the shop to have them inspected I guess.
Make sure that the metal is OK and that they are safe to shoot.

I wonder what type of Testing is going to be done or is he just going to eyeball it.

One of my partners had gone on vacation and he had his S&W 686 in his car when the car caught on fire. He knew it wasn't good after dry firing it. As I recall he sold it to a small Gun Shop for parts or whatever.

He didn't know how hot it was because his wife said leave it unloaded in the luggage. He was carrying his 36 loaded on the road-trip. The box of ammunition did cook off in the burnt luggage.