Is there a Doug Turnbull eqivalent for S&Ws?
- Thread starter Duffer
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DWalt
Member
For a Turnbull-type restoration you will pay a very high price, OK if it is really worth that much to you and you have the ability to pay. There are those who can do it, but I'll leave recommendations for others to make as I have never used them.
P.W.Herman
Member
I'd put a new front sight on that sucker and shoot it. You can buy one of these in excellent+ condition for $800, it will cost more than that to "restore" yours. If you want a better specimen for your collection I'm sure you could find one and keep your present gun as a shooter.
The company that you seek is Ford's Refinishing
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It likely will not be cost effective to restore that one.
Given "Duffer" is new here, we might leap to some totally unwarranted conclusions, and wonder about his knowledge of the services provided by Turnbull, Fords, and/or whoever.
Turnbull is in the restoration business. Restoration is defined as rendering a firearm into the EXACT SAME condition, using the EXACT SAME procedures as factory new. They do a fine job on what they choose to work on. The cost is typically four figures.
Fords is in the refinishing business, although they can/will "restore" markings, repair significant damage, and whatever a customer with a fugitive from a junk yard wants to make pretty again. The cost for a typical "refinish" is unknown to me, but likely treated on their website---and likely less than $500. I have seen examples of their work ranging from a straight refinish to extensive damage repair, restoration of stampings, and refinish; and it has been excellent. Their refinish preparation is done by hand---which is the "secret" to their success. Their "Master Blue" is both different and superior to factory new----"superior" defined as a higher polish----"different" defined as a slightly, but noticeable darker color. Their nickle plating is likewise "superior". There are certainly other restoration and refinishing folks out there, but I know neither who nor where.
I suppose there may be instances where a "restoration" is cost effective, but I also suppose such would require a gun with some HEAVY provenance. "Duffer" has already established his knowledge of the cost effectiveness of refinishing, so I'm done.
Ralph Tremaine
Turnbull is in the restoration business. Restoration is defined as rendering a firearm into the EXACT SAME condition, using the EXACT SAME procedures as factory new. They do a fine job on what they choose to work on. The cost is typically four figures.
Fords is in the refinishing business, although they can/will "restore" markings, repair significant damage, and whatever a customer with a fugitive from a junk yard wants to make pretty again. The cost for a typical "refinish" is unknown to me, but likely treated on their website---and likely less than $500. I have seen examples of their work ranging from a straight refinish to extensive damage repair, restoration of stampings, and refinish; and it has been excellent. Their refinish preparation is done by hand---which is the "secret" to their success. Their "Master Blue" is both different and superior to factory new----"superior" defined as a higher polish----"different" defined as a slightly, but noticeable darker color. Their nickle plating is likewise "superior". There are certainly other restoration and refinishing folks out there, but I know neither who nor where.
I suppose there may be instances where a "restoration" is cost effective, but I also suppose such would require a gun with some HEAVY provenance. "Duffer" has already established his knowledge of the cost effectiveness of refinishing, so I'm done.
Ralph Tremaine
DWalt
Member
Refinishing (as opposed to restoration, which is a different topic) is usually a sore subject here. Most collectors would prefer to leave their guns as-found rather than refinishing them as refinishing will destroy whatever collectible value they might otherwise have. It is usually much more cost effective to find and buy another gun of the same type in an original condition more satisfactory to you than spending good money to have one refinished which, at best, won't be worth any more after it is refinished than before. But as always, it's your money and your gun, and you don't need anyone's permission to do whatever you believe is best.
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Dwalt and others have laid it out pretty good. That gun was original only once, don't get me wrong I have a few S&W revolvers that are refinished, but I would never spend money to get one of them restored. If a higher condition one is what you want sell the one you have and find one in the best possible condition you can afford. You will be light years ahead.
OP
thanks!
I (the OP) understand that refinishing/restoring this one is not cost effective. I should have mentioned, however, that this is a family heirloom. So the value to me is not to be measured in dollars.
Thanks Colt_Saa for the reference to Ford's. I contacted them and we'll see.
I (the OP) understand that refinishing/restoring this one is not cost effective. I should have mentioned, however, that this is a family heirloom. So the value to me is not to be measured in dollars.
Thanks Colt_Saa for the reference to Ford's. I contacted them and we'll see.
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S&WsRsweet
Member
It would be a great looking gun refinished and I have seen exmples of Fords work ,the ones I've seen have been of exceptionally high quality so if you want a family heirloom restored / refinished they would be my choice.
Free advice is worth what you pay for it! 
If it were me, first things I would do-
Letter it, learn where and when it shipped, configuration. Those look like maybe factory MOP grips. Search for any family pics or documents for provenance and history in the family.
Replace lost front sight blade and ejector rod tip.
I have not had good luck with "refinishing" and would probably leave it as is. But that's a personal choice. Good luck with your project, keep us posted as to progress, and Welcome to the Forum!
If it were me, first things I would do-
Letter it, learn where and when it shipped, configuration. Those look like maybe factory MOP grips. Search for any family pics or documents for provenance and history in the family.
Replace lost front sight blade and ejector rod tip.
I have not had good luck with "refinishing" and would probably leave it as is. But that's a personal choice. Good luck with your project, keep us posted as to progress, and Welcome to the Forum!
Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Your gun was nickeled outside the factory as you mention. The nickel on the hammer and trigger needs to be removed and then they should be case colored. Your gun is missing the knurled knob on the ejector rod. Replicas are being made and you likely can find one if you search the forum. Ford's does a lot of business and may be backlogged about a year or so. An alternative is Gunsmithing Excellence - Accurate Plating & Weaponry | Cogan Custom. Bob Cogan is a secondary manufacturing facility for S&W and makes his own line of high $$ custom guns. He can recut all the stampings but I don't think he does case coloring.
The extractor knob and set screw you're missing are available here by the machinist who makes them and also auctions them on eBay:
1896 Hand Ejector Rod Knob
They are excellent and exact replications of the originals. Even if you have the gun restored by someone, this is the only source for these parts you'll still need.
DWalt
Member
"Letter it, learn where and when it shipped, configuration"
I would second that advice. The letter will establish not only when and where it shipped, but it will also establish whether it was originally blued or nickled, and also the type of grips it shipped with. Your MOP grips could be original factory supplied, in which case that makes the revolver more valuable. Factory MOP grips are somewhat unusual. Also, if the original finish was blued, then you may wish to consider having the nickel plating on it removed and given a blued finish instead of plating it. And of course the trigger and hammer should always have the case colors, not nickeled.
I would second that advice. The letter will establish not only when and where it shipped, but it will also establish whether it was originally blued or nickled, and also the type of grips it shipped with. Your MOP grips could be original factory supplied, in which case that makes the revolver more valuable. Factory MOP grips are somewhat unusual. Also, if the original finish was blued, then you may wish to consider having the nickel plating on it removed and given a blued finish instead of plating it. And of course the trigger and hammer should always have the case colors, not nickeled.
I had read that Bowen no longer worked on S&W's, but hadn't previously heard anything about Turnbull not doing so.
Even Mr. Bowen doesn't mind posting pictures on his website's main page of the beautiful S&W's the company has previously worked on.
Even Mr. Bowen doesn't mind posting pictures on his website's main page of the beautiful S&W's the company has previously worked on.
DWalt
Member
I don't think Turnbull has done S&Ws for a long time.
although this one is not a top-break, take note that Fords no longer does Top-Break models.
Sal, any reason why Ford's is no longer doing top breaks? I would assume that tip up's are also off the list....
one eye joe
US Veteran
IMHO, THIS IS VERY SOUND ADVICE FROM DWalt. I WISH THAT I COULD HAVE READ THIS POST, IN MY YOUTH.....
IF THE GUN WAS MINE , I WOULD HAVE A QUALIFIED 'SMITH MAKE ANY REPAIRS NEEDED, TO MAKE IT SAFE AND RELIABLE, AND SHOOT THE SNOT OUT OF IT ! ! !
TO RESTORE OR REFINISH YOUR GUN, WILL TAKE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY, THAT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER SPENT, ON THE PURCHASE OF A CLEAN, ORIGINAL EXAMPLE......
TAKE A GUESS, HOW I KNOW......
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We didn't do any when I worked there and that was very early 90's. He couldn't make any money doing them so he rejected any restoration work on them.
Slab sided semi autos and SAA's could be polished up in a couple hrs or even less depending on who was doing the work. The complicated shapes of the DA revolver don't allow it and that didn't figure into the biz plan. I don't think it ever did.
1911's and SAA's are easy to work on and re-work too.
Some probably got done somewhere along the line, but time is $$ and making money is the game that's played.
If sent in fully polished and prepared for case color or blue, they'll do them probably. But they don't want to take the time to polish them.
Tinkering with a delightful looking DA project piece while he could be having his group kick out a pallet full of case colored XYZ frames for a mfg'r makes no sense in his world.
Those Heritage (?) S&W casecolored revolver frames were already factory prepared & just colored there IIRC.
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