Pre-27 barrel markings- fix or leave alone?

[Rpg]

Thank you RPG. I agree with your comments and glad to have your counsel.

What do you think of Flitz?

I'm not a big fan of polishes. Flitz is less aggressive than Mothers Mag so is a bit safer in terms of getting away from you. So is Simichrome.

If you really want to fiddle with polishing, and cold blue, I'd get a beat up blue Model 10-5 Smith (Smith made literally millions of model 10's) and play with the finish to your heart's content. You won't be wrecking a scarce gun.

 

[Resipsa]

I thank you RPG!

Do nothing but shoot it and enjoy, and give it a few coats of renaissance wax.

The advice Photog gave me as the first responder.

 

[Inland7-45]

This is a very nice revolver from Smith and Wesson's
Golden Age. If this were my revolver and I wish it were I would leave exactly as it is. I would enjoy shooting it and showing it while preserving its remaining originality. There is always a risk that after trying to coverup or remove these types of blemishes that the problem will be even more noticeable. A very knowledgeable colletor of Colt Government Models once showed me a like new in box second year production .38 Super Govt Model. On the left side of the slide there were 2 pits that were a few mm in diameter and about an inch and a half apart. Some one had cleaned the rust spots and at the same time removed some of the finish around each spot leaving a silvery scratched area that doubled the diameter of each blemish. While the 2 rust spots were an imperfection in an otherwise perfect gun they were probably not too noticeable. Probably much less noticeable than the attempt to remove them . This devalued the gun and I took this as a good lesson to leave well enough alone.

While the blemishes on the left side of the barrel are an issue, the rest of the finish is spectacular and it also has a very nice set of magnas and a pinned front sight. These details show the lavish care that was taken on the high end revolvers in those days. I have a Model 27 that was made in 1973. It is very nice but the guns from 20years earlier are nicer.

Welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing your photos of this jewel.

 

[Resipsa]

Well thank you Inland! I've had the grass is greener thing happening. Several times I was overbid on cream puff 5" Model 27-2, going for over double what I eventually ended up paying for mine.

I was wanting the 5" target, the front sight with the red in it; along with the target trigger, hammer, and grips.

It's nice to hear that mine is wanted more than by just me. I do love its age, and looks; and it performs wonderfully.

And thank you for that extremely on-point life experience.

 

[Resipsa]

Here is a 1956 model of my 1950 revolver, about to be bid this Sunday night for $1,175.00 more than the $850.62 I paid. The 1956 one has it's original box.

Just a moment...

https://gunbroker.kcaguns.com/gunbroker-showimages/4938

 

[DETROIT]

It is hard to tell from pictures what caused that in the barrel finish. A safe way to check the finish would be to apply hops9 to it and rub it down with a microfiber towel. If it was a chemical reaction in the finish then there is no correcting it.

Me, I would carry and shoot it. If the finish still bothers you send it to fords or turnbull and have them refinish the entire gun correctly.

 

[Resipsa]

Thank you Detroit. It's not going to bother me. Just wanted to know.

Here is my revolver, without the markings, final bid this evening sold for $2,025.00 on GB.

Just a moment...

 

[DETROIT]

After looking at it again. It looks like the finish started to rust and someone took flitz to it. The spots look like a pantina like pattern and it's now showing the carbon steel. Get some renaissance wax after you clean it with hopes

 

[Resipsa]

Thank you.

 

[Resipsa]

Well, I put two coats of Renaissance Wax on the revolver. A small part of me thought massaging two coats into the barrel would fade, even slightly, the markings on the left side of the barrel. Alas.

 

[bob in texas]

Curious

Congratulations on the acquisition of a very nice and fairly early postwar short action .357 Magnum. June 1950 sounds right.

The first postwar .357 Magnum, serial number S71642, was shipped on 12/05/46. This gun was a long action "Transitional" using many pre-war parts, but with the new hammer block safety and micrometer-click rear sight. Several more of these long action "Transitionals" were shipped in 1947, with most of them being shipped in 1948 and a couple more in 1949. Most of the known early postwar "Transitional" .357 Magnums were in the S71XXX serial number range with a few in the S72XXX range. The last known postwar "Transitional" .357 Magnum shipment was in March 1949. These guns, a total of approximately 142, were all manufactured at the old S&W plant on Stockbridge Street in downtown Springfield.

Production of the new short action .357 Magnum began at the new S&W plant on Roosevelt Avenue on the east side of Springfield with serial numbers S75514, S75515, S75516, S75517, S75519, and S75520 which were all shipped to Evaluators LTD, Quantico, VA on 11/18/49.

That is interesting information about the early production 357 magnums, I wonder what configuration #S75518 was, I own an early 357 magnum # S75523 (3 1/2" Blue) that letters to San Antonio, Texas Jan. 1950 I have posted photos before.
Like I said "Just curious"

bob in texas