Nickle finish - durability? Replating costs?

[bsms]

I have a 22/32 kit gun with nickle plate that I've owned for 30 years. It is doing fine, but it also has had pretty gentle use...including 20 years where it rarely was used at all.

I've been looking at getting an N-frame, and I'm tempted by a nickle plated Model 29...although the 625 JM is still in the running.

If carried regularly, now durable is a nickle finish?

And if it eventually needs replating, how expensive would it be?

I've been happy with my 22/32, but would there be more wear with a 44 mag? It doesn't seem like it, but what do I know?

 

[murphydog]

S & W nickel finishes wear pretty well, but regular contact with an abrasive surface (like a rough leather holster) will damage it. Any defects in the finish allow moisture to get below and bubble the nickel.

The 625 is a stainless gun, and you can get a (stainless) 629 that can be polished to resemble a nickel finish, so that is a good lower maintenance alternative. Shooting a nickel gun shouldn't affect the finish unless corrosive ammo is used. Good luck in your decision.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

My prefered finish is nickel. All my nickel Smiths from the 70's are holding up real well and thats with a lot of holster use over the years.

 

[Tracer_Bullet]

My nickel model 40-1 has picked up a couple of minor scuffs, but that is to be expected for a gun that gets carried a lot. I also have a nickel model 10-8 that has a good finish, except that a previous owner or his gunsmith apparently didn't remove the side plate properly and chipped the nickel all along the seam where the frame and side plate join. Haven't had any problems with additional chipping or bubbling yet, but I've only had the gun for three years. I carried it a lot for the first couple of years, but infrequently lately since I found a good 66-5.

 

[murphydog]

Forgot to mention, the factory will do a nickel refinish:

Precision Gunsmithing - Smith & Wesson

 

[buckeyeshooter1]

My prefered finish is nickel. All my nickel Smiths from the 70's are holding up real well and thats with a lot of holster use over the years.

+1 nickel wears great!

 

[bsms]

Amigos, y'all are making it hard on my wallet. Stainless would be more practical, but nickle would be more traditional...

 

[NE450No2]

I deer hunted, and shot, a fair amount with a 6 1/2" Nickle Mod 29-2.

I and my partner, both carried 4" Nickle 29-2's as Duty guns for several years.

We shot them a lot with full power loads, the same loadw we carried.
We were friends with the Range Sgt. and he Issued [Gifted] us many boxes of factory 44 Mag ammo, and we both reloaded as well.

We shot them a LOT.

The Nickle guns held up real well. IMHO it is a pretty rugged finish.

 

[GF]

My prefered finish is nickel. All my nickel Smiths from the 70's are holding up real well and thats with a lot of holster use over the years.

I agree. Here's a 60 + year old nickel revo that gets shot some and has been carried a lot...

... it has the shine wore off on the right side of the barrel like a holstered gun will. I changed the grips out on it and it looks pretty good.

Nickel finish? Fear not.

GF