Model 39-2 Questions

[WCCPHD]

I have a question (I think I know the answer) about a Model 39-2 I saw at a LGS today.

Did S&W ever make the 39-2 in "two tone?" The gun I saw had a nickel frame and a blued slide. The gun was not in good shape so I am not interested in buying it, just wanted to know if it was a parts gun or not.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello Bill, a very few two tones have been recorded as factor original.
Special order. Not counting a series of commemoratives. I have a few nickel uppers and blue lowers that were put togethers. You saw a nickel lower and blue upper, weird, never seen that one before. Interesting. How much money?

 

[WCCPHD]

They were asking $325, but the gun was not in decent condition. I would not pay that much for it if if were not a probable parts gun due to the condition.

 

[Venom6]

In the early days of IPSC (early 80's) it was moderately popular to hard-chrome or satin nickel the frames of competitors' 1911s for corrosion resistance, but leave the slides blue as many felt a bright slide added to glare and reflection. No doubt happened to a few other guns.

 

[cougar015]

Model 39-2 s/n A153947 shipped 2/7/1992 is a two tone and the only one I know of. It has a blue frame and nickel slide. There could be others but I would suspect that any 2 tone with a nickel frame and blue slide could be a parts gun.

 

[BC38]

Even as a frankengun, if it is in good, functional, mechanical condition, you could do worse than $325.
If it isn't in good mechanical condition though, then that would be a hard pass at that price.
Condition is everything...

 

[stansdds]

S&W made remarkably few Model 39-2's in a two-tone configuration, so the overwhelming majority of such items encountered are not original. I'd consider a two-tone 39-2 if it was in mechanically good condition and there was not excessive wear on the aluminum alloy receiver. Inspect carefully, the two-tone finish might be a plating, could be a spray-n-bake finish, or it could be the anodized finish has been stripped off and then polished.

 

[Engine49guy]

Read this thread yesterday and thought two things,
1) without pics its all speculation.
2) bet someone removed the anodizing and polished the aluminum.

 

[LittleCooner]

I thought the same about the lower, if it is heavy used, the lower could have been badly scratched and someone just polished the aluminum. need photo to make a better comment on what it really is as to parts gun or all original, just well used

 

[gmborkovic]

Question about anodizing? On a stripped 39 frame, no parts, how do
you remove the finish? Polish it off, use chemicals, or some other method?

 

[Heinz]

Anodizing is an electrochemical process that oxidizes the metal. On aluminum, it makes the oxide formed on the surface harder and more dense. Chemicals added to the plating bath can produce colors in the oxide.
The question you have to ask is, "Why would I want to remove it". If you remove the anodized oxide, softer aluminum oxide is eventually going to form unless you have a nitrogen atmosphere in you gun locker. If you want a prettier black finish, buy one without wear, it will cost you less overall. There are folks who can strip the old finish in a plating bath and re-anodize the surface, but it is pricey. Mechanically removing the anodized finish results in a softer surface that eventually will also oxidize to that dull gray storm door look and scratch easily.
I took the black anodize off a Hi-Standard Sentinel revolver 60 years ago. I would never do it again

 

[gmborkovic]

Mr. Heinz, thanks. You did not answer the question of how to remove it. I know the process of how to apply it and its benefits.
I dont want to remove the finish, just how to do it.

 

[stansdds]

Heinz has given an outstanding explanation of anodizing. How is it removed? It can be removed by abrasives (sanding) or with chemicals, either a strong base (lye or potash) or a strong acid (a mixture of chromic and phosphoric acid). There are also chemicals designed to remove anodizing and are likely safer than using lye or mixing acid solutions.

In all instances, the removal of anodizing results in the removal of the surface of the aluminum as anodizing is not just a surface treatment, but also penetrates the aluminum. S&W used to offer re-anodizing, but stipulated that it could only be done once due to pin hole enlargement that occurred with the removal of the anodized surface.

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello stan, thanks, exactly the info I was looking for. Thats interesting the factory would do only one re-fin on the frame.