Nickel finish going, going, gone?

[BigBill]

Where has all the nickel finish gone?

 

[Inusuit]

Replaced by stainless steel? I recently acquired a Model 38 in nickel, my only firearm with that finish and I like it. But I understand that scratches in nickel finish cannot be fixed as stainless can (in some instances). So I think nickel went the same place as blued guns.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I love nickel Smiths!....That's all I looked for way back in the beginning.

 

[Ozark Marine]

I'm lucky to have a 39-2 in nickel. With the wood panels one SEXY pistol.

 

[BigBill]

I use simi-chrome polish lightly on nickel finish guns. It renews the finish. I use the used simi-chrome Polish on the blued guns. To clean them up.

 

[Tom S.]

Nickel and chrome plating have had their day in the sun, so to speak. While many do like the look, it is costly and the chemicals used very toxic. Once it's nicked or scratched, you either have to live with it, or have the finish removed and redone, again a costly proposition. Many people prefer the less shiny finish of stainless (especially hunters), along with it being nearly impervious to water and many chemicals, including those found in human sweat.

While it's unlikely nickel and chrome are gone forever, it will most likely be reserved for special runs in limited quantities or possibly as accents. Pretty much the same as the beautiful bluing gun makers used to provide.

There are places out there that will plate a gun for you though, if that's what your heart is set on.

 

[Handgun Hunter]

The last nickle-finished gun I owned was a mod 29 I bought in the 70s. Wish I had never traded it off. I wore it out, but had it rebuilt by S&W. After putting tens of thousands more rounds through it I thought it was time for newer Smith .44 mags. Didn't realize at the time how much S&W would change their revolvers over the years and pinned barrels and recessed chambers would be a thing of the past. I'm a shooter, not a collector, but I still wish I hadn't let that one go.

 

[BigBill]

One of my buddies in the 70's had a Dirty Harry m29 in nickel, a colt government 1911 in nickel also. I think he paid $750 back then on the black market for the m29. As a young man in my 20's the nickel image is still in my mind since them. All that glitters just isn't gold.
I believe the colt and s&w nickel finishes are tops in the gun market still today.