Refinish or leave alone?

[A10]

I'd leave the grips right where they are and not attempt to remove them.
I know the collector need-to-know if the grips are #'d to gun is high,,but at this point just simple observation can tell you they fit the frame perfectly and have the same look as the rest of the gun.

That they are very fragile material is not in dispute and I see that at least one panel has a hairline crack already on the bottom in the closeup pic of the ser#. I think the other does too. Probably leading to the grip pin.

Those gutta-percha/hard rubber grips can stick to the frame like they are glued in place with old dried oil and lubes.
Taping on them or the screw can leave you with a multi piece grip panel in a hurry.
The only bright side to that is that you can still probably piece the sections together on the bench and read the ser#.

It's not going to be for sale, so 'all matching including grips' isn't an immediate need-to-know.
Later on with some careful surgery, the grips can be lifted from the frame with patience.

Wipe the gun down with nothing more than a cloth and your favorite gun oil. No polishing abrasives no matter how fine, no buffs, no need to make it shine.
Removing any patina from the plated finish isn't needed nor going to do it any good IMO as far as preserving it or granting it any value.
What's the very first thing told to people when they have a patina covered piece,,don't polish it up,,don't refinish it.

It doesn't need 'restoration',,it just needs some preservation, appreciation and maybe some of it's lost history found.

You are lucky to have a family heirloom like this especially w/the connection in L/E.
Most get sold for beer money by someone in the family.

Just my 02

I think that pulling the grips was more to verify the N marked in the frame rather than verify the grips are original. That being said, if I were to try to remove them I would NOT use the "tap the screw" method. I'd remove the screw and tap the frame with a screwdriver handle similar to how you remove the side plate (not tapping on the grips) and see if they would vibrate loose. If not, I'd replace the screw and just send for the letter, which will verify the originality of the finish.

But that's just me.......

 

[apollo99]

You could get it dura-coated, pretty much any color you want. Or as the other boring posters have said, just give it a good safe cleaning and enjoy you family heirloom.

 

[mod29]

I'm not sure how to post a link, but if I have, this video is looong but very informative.

Thanks for posting that video!
I learned a lot from that gentleman about S&W revolvers.

I always knew my S&W revolvers took some hand-fitting during the manufacturing process, but wow. I had no idea how much.

Also learned a lot about how to oil my revolvers.
I have been doing a lot of things right, but I'm guilty of using perhaps too much oil.

I've never removed the side plates from any of my revolvers, and don't think I will.

I'll leave that to the pros. I wish this guy was my neighbor!

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Don't mess with your Grandpa and that definitely includes his revolver!

 

[moosedog]

Leave it as is. Use a old cotton sock and some Flitz on it, and it will look 100% better.
If you were to refinish it, if it's worth $300 now, after you refinish it, it will be worth $200. Don't be that guy.

 

[Dpris]

Duracoat????????
Somebody get a rope.
Denis

 

[ExcitableBoy]

Duracoat????????
Somebody get a rope.
Denis

I've got a nice coil of Manila out in the shop.

 

[BE Mike]

If it bugs you, get it re-nickeled. My dad gave me his old Belgian Browning A5. I had it blued and you'd be hard pressed to tell it is a re-blue. Definitely don't have another finish done to replace the nickel and have it done by a first class outfit.

 

[Dpris]

EB,
Haul it out!
Sick & wrong, sick & wrong.
Duracoat, indeed!!!!!!!
Denis

 

[ExcitableBoy]

DPRIS:

The Night Riders are on the way!!!

 

[Dpris]

Excellent!
I have spare torches & pitchforks available, if needed.
Denis

 

[A10]

If it bugs you, get it re-nickeled. My dad gave me his old Belgian Browning A5. I had it blued and you'd be hard pressed to tell it is a re-blue. Definitely don't have another finish done to replace the nickel and have it done by a first class outfit.

Let's see...10 million A5s and variants.....mebbe what, a couple dozen (two or so located) possible nickel prewar two inchers.....comparing apples to diamonds I think....

 

[S&WsRsweet]

Welcome to the forum from TTown .My vote is to leave it as is just keep it clean take good care of it and to be honest I would get me some mild loads and shoot it at least on granddads birthday but that's just how I roll .

 

[Revolver Man]

Here's the link for the Factory Letter. Definitely get a letter for that one to confirm it as original.

Smith & Wesson Collectors Association

Thank you very much! I'm going to do this. It will be interesting to see what they say.

 

[BE Mike]

Let's see...10 million A5s and variants.....mebbe what, a couple dozen (two or so located) possible nickel prewar two inchers.....comparing apples to diamonds I think....

I was off base with my suggestion. Admittedly, I didn't read all the expert opinions of how valuable and rare the revolver may be. Like all collectables, don't disturb the finish.

 

[A10]

I was off base with my suggestion. Admittedly, I didn't read all the expert opinions of how valuable and rare the revolver may be. Like all collectables, don't disturb the finish.

No problem amigo.....quite the find, isn't it?☺

 

[shouldazagged]

My grandfather--the one I loved and admired, not the vicious paternal grandfather who beat his wife and kids--was not a gun man. But if he had been, and I inherited a gun of his that he had used till it showed wear, I would no more refinish the piece than I would ship him off for cosmetic surgery.

I guess that kind of wear, like the lines on my grandfather's face, speak to me of history and continuity.

 

[lebomm]

Absolutely nope ! Preserve, not "restore". Shoot, clean, oil, repeat.
Beautiful little iron just as is.

Larry

 

[Muley Gil]

"Welcome to the forum from TTown ."

Tallassee or Toadvine?

 

[S&WsRsweet]

"Welcome to the forum from TTown ."

Tallassee or Toadvine?

LOL u so funny . Tuscaloosa Al( TTown ) home of National Champion Legacy Football "RollTideRoll" ,Plus home of Deontay Wilder (The Broze Bomber) Bronze Olympic Medalist ,WBC Heavyweight Champion ( the first American in a decade to hold this title) plus home of Dream Land BBQ there ain't nothing like em nowhere and on top of that home of what many consider the world standard in the automotive industry Mercedes Benz is here .Plus lake Tuscaloosa world class fishing .University of Alabama world class education .Man we got it all here .I could go on and on but my pride in my city is only overshadowed by my humility .Lol .Oh yea I hope Them Auburn Tigers put a whipping on them Dogs today so with pride in my adopted state and in all sincerity "WAR EAGLE ) .still wouldn't refinish that gun just to stay on subject .