Pitting fix for stainless

[GCF]

Gents -
Got a look at a stainless K frame (Mod 66-3) recently, that had been at the very least, neglected at some point in the past. Fine black pitting on the side plate, possibly around the base of the barrel (where it meets the frame), & possibly under the grips panels.

No way to tell about the internal surfaces from the pictures, but the side plate appears to have been over polished a bit - in an unsuccessful attempt to remove the pitting.

Figure it would at least take a factory re-finish (probably bead blast) to straighten it out, but wondering if remnants of the corrosion would continue to be a problem - left un-treated. Sort of like un-neutralized rust, on a blue steel gun.

Also wondering if anyone would venture a guess, what S&W - or a competent smith would charge for a job like this?

Assuming the action is as described - like new, it would make a real nice little shooter, if the cosmetic problems were fixed. Question is, is it worth the trouble, if the purchase price was right?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dfariswheel]

Whether it can be polished out depends on how deep it is, and only the polisher can tell what can be done after an actual examination.
It's not common for stainless guns to be rusted inside, unless they were really abused badly.

The factory can do an amazing amount of correction, but they have to see it.
They will give you a price and whether they can fully correct it after you send it in.

Whether this is worth the trouble and cost depends on you, and the actual charges.

As for continuing rust, if it's polished out, that's the end of the rust unless you abuse it.
Even with remaining pitting, if you keep some rust preventing lube on it it shouldn't continue.

 

[GCF]

Whether it can be polished out depends on how deep it is, and only the polisher can tell what can be done after an actual examination.
It's not common for stainless guns to be rusted inside, unless they were really abused badly.

The factory can do an amazing amount of correction, but they have to see it.
They will give you a price and whether they can fully correct it after you send it in.

Whether this is worth the trouble and cost depends on you, and the actual charges.

As for continuing rust, if it's polished out, that's the end of the rust unless you abuse it.
Even with remaining pitting, if you keep some rust preventing lube on it it shouldn't continue.

Thanks for the input. Looks like long term leather holster storage to me.

Figure shipping both ways ($100+/-), plus S&W shop fees ($200??), could add $300 - $350 to cost of the gun, pretty easy. That's IF the side plate can be salvaged.

Not even sure if the factory still has 66-3 side plates available.

Never ceases to amaze me, that people will spend good money on a firearm, & then not take reasonable care of it...

 

[358156hp]

Geez... most of our local guys would disassemble the revolver and bead blast it for about $150 or so. The 66 didn't originally have a blasted finish, so it won't be original. Are you certain it's rust? If it costs you over $300.00 to have this done, you'll be upside down in value pretty quickly.

 

[GCF]

Geez... most of our local guys would disassemble the revolver and bead blast it for about $150 or so. The 66 didn't originally have a blasted finish, so it won't be original. Are you certain it's rust? If it costs you over $300.00 to have this done, you'll be upside down in value pretty quickly.

Sadly, yes. Pretty sure... Besides the pitting at the top of the side plate, check out the lower side plate screw.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

RUSTING OF SS

Well this sure looks familiar. SS guns CAN of course rust. Not always from neglect either. My 649 lived in the glove box on a hunting trip to Colorado in 2003-- was there the whole trip, out and back. Upon returning home after unloading I went to retrieve the piece and found a bit of rust here and there, similar to what you have shown, but mind was on the cylinder. An easier fix to be sure, but I dressed it up fine enough-- I could only conclude the heat of the day, and the much colder nights caused a bit of moisture build up fixed mine with some 600 wet/dry paper and a lot of oil. Oh yes, it was NOT stored in a holster. Things happen--

 

[shawn mccarver]

Your description sounds to me like either it did not get properly "pacified" (the process they use to remove little bits of tool steel embedded during manufacture which can cause corrosion) at the factory or some idiot has used steel wool on it after obtaining it (this also leaves microscopic bits of the steel embedded in the stainless). The picture does not look like the ones I have seen where pacification was not done as those have been more uniformly distributed little brownish red rust pits. Whatever the cause, looks like a trip back to S&W is needed. I would have S&W bead blast it as it looks great and won't hurt the value of this "shooter" anyway.

 

[dfariswheel]

Unless the pits are a lot deeper then it looks, S&W should be able to polish that out with no trouble at all.
If that's it, they may only have to polish the side plate.

I'd say your revolver is a prime candidate for a trip back to S&W.
Contact them and they may be able to send you a shipping label at a lower price.

 

[dant]

any GOOD 'smith' that specializes in refinishing could take care of that for less than it would cost you for the shipping back & forth ,insurance, etc...those pits are NOT that bad, and in an easily accessible location.....we've polished out far worse than that over all these years
Heck, I am 'retired' and if you were over here, I'd do it for you and show you "how".............ain't NO secret.

 

[TAROMAN]

That pitting would not be hard to fix.
A couple years ago, the LGS took in a 65-5 LadySmith that looked as if it had been a boat gun. Pitting all over it. Worse than that pictured above.
Got a relatively good deal on it, so started to work polishing it.
Using progressively finer grades of sandpaper and rouge, it came back, but lost the LadySmith lasered logo in the process.

 

[pharmer]

That pitting would not be hard to fix.
A couple years ago, the LGS took in a 65-5 LadySmith that looked as if it had been a boat gun. Pitting all over it. Worse than that pictured above.
Got a relatively good deal on it, so started to work polishing it.
Using progressively finer grades of sandpaper and rouge, it came back, but lost the LadySmith lasered logo in the process.

There's a gun the factory should have made a million of. Joe