Is nickle finsh worth it ?

[BIGDOC]

I was at a local pawn shop and noticed on my way out the door... a 686 five inch with the full under lug. My question is...is it worth having ? and I shoot all my pistols....meaning its not for display. I failed to take pic's but it's still there.

 

[Laketime]

Only If it appeals to you. I like having all three of the traditional finish.

 

[bigggbbruce]

Not sure what you're asking. Nickle plated is one thing a 686 is something else. 586?

 

[muddocktor]

Not sure what you're asking. Nickle plated is one thing a 686 is something else. 586?

This!

You cannot nickel plate a stainless steel gun and the 686 is made out of stainless steel. However, the 586 is basically the same gun except made out of carbon steel and can and has been nickel plated in the past. But I don't think that S&W has sold any new manufacture nickel plated guns in some time.

As for nickel plating holding up; well to me it holds up better than a blue finish gun. They are all good though. I have blue, nickel plated and stainless steel S&W revolvers myself and love them all.

 

[diyj98]

Nickel is pretty, but I don't want it on my hard use guns. Blue can be touched up, stainless polished, but nickle chipped or bubbled up is a lost cause without having the whole gun expensively refinished.

I've read that stainless can be nickle plated, but it's a more complex process with some form of treatment or pre coating of the stainless.

 

[lhump1961]

I don't have any nickel revolvers but I do have a couple of nickel 39-2's...I think the 39's pull it off better than most. As noted in above posts they are a bit flashy and unlike a blue gun they don't look as good once they have some wear.

Overall I think it's just part of the process of buying over time to have a nickel gun or two just cause they make 'em. So if it feels good to you then do it.

 

[old bear]

Is nickle finsh worth it ?

Worth what? If you mean an increase in price, well only the buyer can determine that.

I have one nickel finished revolver, it's a 2 1/2" M-19. I like having it, but I did not pay a premium for it, and I don't believe I would be willing to pay a premium for any nickel plated gun.

As for the 686 you are looking at, they are great revolvers and should give you years of good service. I could be wrong but I don't believe Smith and Wesson offered the 686's with a 5" barrel..

 

[KEN L]

Sounds like it might be a 6" polished Model 686. barrel measured from the face of the cylinder to the end of the barrel?

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I love my nickel Smiths!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tom S.]

Sounds like it might be a 6" polished Model 686. barrel measured from the face of the cylinder to the end of the barrel?

What Ken said. If it's a 686 and shiny, it's a stainless gun that someone has polished, not nickle plated. As for price, we'd need to know what they are asking. Polished 686 guns don't typically command premium prices, in fact sometimes just the opposite as purists want them in their original finish.

 

[CajunBass]

I've owned a couple of nickel guns in the past. They were Ok, and no more trouble to care for than blue, but I just like blue a lot better.

I don't particularly care for SS either.

I suppose if I actually carried my guns, I might change my mind, but my carry gun is a plastic semi. My revolvers are all pretty much shootable safe queens.

 

[petemacmahon]

I've owned a couple of nickel guns in the past. They were Ok, and no more trouble to care for than blue, but I just like blue a lot better.

I don't particularly care for SS either.

I suppose if I actually carried my guns, I might change my mind, but my carry gun is a plastic semi. My revolvers are all pretty much shootable safe queens.

Or if you carried them in the field for hunting. I never feel bad taking my SS's out when it's raining.

First and foremost, I've loved blued revolvers for as long as I could remember. I agree they are the best looking guns. Also, like you, I'm not a big fan of nickel, with the only nickel gun in my collection being an old no-name top break 32 probably dating back to the period around 1895-1910(which by the way, still shoots just fine!).

But a couple of things that I've realized over the last 20 years of looking for those little S&W treasures in every LGS I happen upon :

1) SS are more likely to have pinned front sights, which I much prefer since I like patridge style fronts for most of my shooting. Blued with pinned sights are normally only on special runs/models like those made for silhouette.

2) when getting custom work done, they are much cheaper because they don't require re-blueing, which can easily double the cost of you custom job.

Custom work and Nickel ........FORGET ABOUT IT!!!!!!!

 

[chief38]

I'm not a big Nickel fan but will fess up to owning 3. They are all at least 60 - 70 years old and none have exhibited any issues (even though they WERE all cleaned many many times with Hoppes #9 which is now a no-no). Didn't know that back then............

Two are Colt SAA's and one is a first year Baby Chief's. All three have been shot THOUSANDS of times and they have NOT been babied! They have stood up miraculously!

All that said, I usually go for Blued guns. Nickel is a bit flashy and hard to see sights in the sunlight. But as far as durability goes, they do fine.

 

[BIGDOC]

I'm going back to the store...they still have it and I'll take more pics and get a feel. As I stated It will be a shooter, I'm more concerned of the maintenance aspect of it, I have no problem cleaning my weapons, I just never had a shiny pistol like it.

 

[KalamazooKid]

They are all good though. I have blue, nickel plated and stainless steel S&W revolvers myself and love them all.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[sonora]

Sir.
Not to me. Unless new, they show wear easier. Just a mite flashy for me.
Nickel guns are used by Drug dealers and pimps down here on the ARIZONA border. One reason Nickel guns may command a slight premium I have been told is that Nickel guns are about 10% of production.
That may be, but I think Nickel guns are scarce because so many Nickel guns are confiscated and destroyed when they arrest the drug dealers and pimps.
Colt makes several variations of this 1911 and they are made to appeal to certain elements of the Mexican drug industry.
Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28.
Bill@Yuma

That's are you serious? That is ridiculous. Sonora

 

[boykinlp]

Yeah, I hate nickel guns!

 

[VaTom]

Back in the 1970s - 1980's we carried nickel model 10's at our department. Prior to stainless steel becoming more prevalent nickel was marketed as being a bit more durable than blued. The nickel revolvers looked mighty sharp with the class A uniforms and black leather duty gear. IMO the nickel revolver caught the attention quicker of the "bad guys" if you had to draw you weapon.

I only have one nickel revolver in my collection. Of course it is a Model 10 with 4" standard barrel which is what I carried beginning in 1976. Saw it at a small gun collectors show last fall and had to have it. (My guess is that it was a law enforcement trade in). Looks pretty good for a 38 year old revolver.

Blue/ Nickel / Stainless all from the 1970's. Which one wins the 'beauty contest"?

 

[Glashaus]

Everybody should have a few nickel S&W's in the herd, they add some flash when you need it!

 

[BigBill]

First I prefer nickel handguns, why because they ain't manufacturing anymore plus there so dang purdy. Never a problem with the nickel finish here too. My second choice is blued handguns. My last choice is stainless only if I have too.