Questions about this 19-2 finish...

[forindooruseonly]

I've inherited a friend of my father's 19-2 which he carried as a deputy in the late 60's and early 70's. In my limited experience, all the 19s I've seen have either been blued or nickeled, which raises the question for me about what finish this is?

I've included details of the markings, which don't show to me any obvious signs of refinishing. Help me out?

 

[Dump1567]

Looks like hard chrome or something similar to me. Probably refinished due to carry wear. Especially since every part was done (sight, trigger, hammer).

 

[jaydoc]

Hard chrome probably won't help the value but it makes for a very nice gun that will hold up well over time. I like it.

 

[forindooruseonly]

Not worried about the value, it's a great shooter with a family/friend connection. It's not going anywhere.

 

[Truckman]

Hard chrome probably won't help the value but it makes for a very nice gun that will hold up well over time. I like it.

Hard chrome is a very durable industrial finish...Your great-grandkids will enjoy it when they inherit the gun... ...Ben

 

[bobsguns]

Looks like brushed chrome, hence the matte looking finish.

Deducts a good bit from value, but as you said, you're not selling it. Enjoy it!

 

[thebolt]

It's always a compromise to refinish a firearm. That hard chrome is very practical for carry but it hurts the collector value. That decision was made before you acquisition so cherish the revolver and enjoy it for what it is and the history it holds.

 

[stansdds]

Looks like hard chrome to me. Such a refinish kills collector value, but hard chrome is the most durable, most corrosion resistant finish you can put on a firearm. To me, that Model 19-2 would make for a fine carry piece for self-defense or woods and field carry.

 

[Fvernic]

Very nice, I like it

 

[forindooruseonly]

Follow up question - will Hoppe's hurt hard chrome like nickel?

 

[Gunz50]

I believe the finish is Electroless nickel , it was very popular in the mid 1970's through the early 2000's it looked very similar to stainless steel was very durable I still have 2 pistols I had coated back then , finish is still in excellent condition on both, my shop used the name SST for it , short for "stainless steel type"

 

[MajorD]

Sure looks like hard chrome. " working guns" in the 70's/80's that got a lot of blue wear were not infrequently subjected to this finish which is great for utility.
It was used enough that about monthly in this forum, someone ( usually a newcomer) will ask about a gun in hard chrome with a model number consistent with a blur or nickel gun and ask if they have some sort of rare stainless prototype

 

[stansdds]

Follow up question - will Hoppe's hurt hard chrome like nickel?

Hard chrome is unaffected by solvents. Nickel plating can be damaged by solvents that contain ammonia if there is an intermediate layer of copper between the nickel and the underlying metal. S&W factory nickel plating does not have a copper layer, S&W plated directly onto the steel or aluminum.