My sheriffs office has always prohibited nickel guns. When I was hired in 1981, my very first sergeant, who was a shooter, carried a Ruger Security Six with his nickname as the serial number. It was stainless steel and he had polished it up so nicely it would almost blind you in the sunlight!
I liked the effect, so I spent a few evenings in front of the tube with my Model 60 and some Happich's Semichrome paste. Soon, it gleamed like my sergeant's Ruger. The next time I qualified with it, our grouchy old armorer/firearms instructor at first tried to tell me it was nickel and I couldn't use it. I had to point out the model number on the frame to convince him it was stainless and not plated.
For some reason, pulling the armorer's chain was a popular sport in the department. When more deputies found out polished stainless guns irritated him, it began a minor craze. Within a month, my entire shift (big deal, four of us!) had polished, stainless S&W revolvers on our Sam Browne's, three Model 66's, a Model 67 and 2 Model 60's for back-ups. I think our sergeant, who wasn't much of a talker, took pleasure that we had taken upon ourselves to follow his example, both in polishing our guns and irritating the armorer!
The 4 inch Model 66 I bought just to polish and carry is long gone.
Then there was the Model 10 I had brass plated for funerals and other 'Class A uniform' occasions, so it would match my shiney badge, nameplate, lanyard chain, brass belt buckle, snaps and cartridges in the belt loops! THAT really pissed the old armorer off!
