Refinishing purchase??

[Bald1]

I'd say your still above water on the 14-4

 

[Mossy117]

I'd say your still above water on the 14-4

Thank you. I assumed that my investment exceeded the value, but it was fun.

 

[Golddollar]

I didn't do the work on this 1917 that came back from Brazil, but the description of it intrigued me. As you can see from these pictures, the gun has been rebarreled, chromed or nickeled and had an FDL Wondersight installed. The action locks up like a bank vault and the gun groups really well. I have no idea who did this fabulous work. I suspected that the barrel was probably shot out from the corrosive ammunition of the day. It turned out to be a great carry piece and most likely the work rescued an otherwise worn out piece.

 

[ladder13]

If you can get it for the right price including a refinish, I'm in the why not camp. BTW, not every S&W fan is a collector.

 

[Model29-26.5]

If you can get it for the right price including a refinish, I'm in the why not camp. BTW, not every S&W fan is a collector.

Yes. Pristine is great, but I don't mind a refinish or one with a little ding and missing blue and some "character" either.
I'll take a rust bucket, too.
They all have their history.

 

[SPGUSN]

Are you intending to polish the gun yourself? Stay away from refinishers that use polishing wheels. It takes many years of training on the right equipment to become proficient. Some smiths will hand polish but you will pay for their time. I have done a few firearms by hand then sent them off to be blued or nickeled mostly by Ford's. The cost is minimal, some emery cloth and cork blocks which can be shaped to the various contours of the gun and lots of your time. I send the guns disassembled with just the parts I want refinished with an inventory list of those parts.

My "go to" is Precision Bluing in North Carolina; they have done more than a few, including a pre model 14 (single action variant), that someone left outside in a tote for a few years, so say it was rusted and pitted would be an understatement.

 

[heavyduty5150!]

"Rescuing" revolvers is something I've done a time or two. To me, a gun in poor finish condition is hardly desirable material for a collector so I have little concern with restoring it mechanically and refinishing it, according to my tastes.

I have a really nice Model 29 4-inch that has been expertly restored and refinished. It appeared to be a wreck when I bought it on the web and it was actually worse than it appeared when I received it. I should have returned it, but I kept it anyway and was fortunate that at that time I had access to a shop that was more than capable of bringing it back to a respectable life. Today, it's one of my favorites, mainly because of who did the work, but I can't say I actually recommend the rescuing process. It's usually not economically sensible, unless you can do the work yourself.

I always do the work myself. All of the work.

 

[grice]

I feel that anything that is a lot worse for the wear yet not too heavily pitted or damaged to be brought back to new looking is a good candidate for a refinish.
If it's a little wear here and there then it's not worth it, but if it has a bunch of missing bluing and rust spots it's kinda asking for it. It also kind of honors the craftsmen who made it using their old school skills back in the day.
Seems Smith charges $270 for a high polish. Fords is twice that.
Maybe I'll do it myself and see how good I can get it.
Send it to Scotty's Gun works to be blued real close to me in TN

You're right on, Scotty does excellent work and if you're into high polish he sure knows how to do it right!

 

[millerj7]

Back over 20 years ago while living in AZ, I ran across a first year Flat Top Ruger Blackhawk in 44 magnum at a flea market. Well worn finish, with scattered light rust and a few areas of deeper pitting. Internals and bore looked good and the price was right at $200. Assume it spent most of its' previous life on a ranch in a saddle bag on horseback. Took it up to Gary Reeder in Flagstaff to do a little rehab. Polishing was out of the question due to the pitting, so he said he could blast it (not sure if vapor or abrasive) to clean out the pits and then finish in a matte blueing. Had him go ahead, and replace all the 50 year old springs. Turned out great and extended the life of the old timer for 20 years and counting. It only sees 44 Special level loads, in deference to its' age, but has been a trusty companion.

 

[REParker]

Doing the work yourself can be a fun way to make nice shooters out of trainwrecks.

...or vice versa!

 

[Malkovich]

Have you ever bought a gun that is a little worse for the wear with the intention of having it refinished from the get go?
I'm bidding on one right now that at least looks like it is in good enough shape that a refinish would bring it back to its former glory. It has little rust spots all over
but they seem pretty light and it does not look like it is heavily pitted.
If I can get this one for the right price, I think it's something I would like to pursue.

I'm thinking of parting with these 2 1980's S&W relics, what do you guys think the market bears for them ?

 

[Malkovich]

Yes. Pristine is great, but I don't mind a refinish or one with a little ding and missing blue and some "character" either.
I'll take a rust bucket, too.
They all have their history.

 

[DWalt]

I can think of no circumstance under which I would send a gun off to someplace to have it refinished. To me it represents a total waste of good money with nothing to show for it beyond an improved cosmetic appearance with no commensurate increase in value or performance. On the other hand I have refinished many of my otherwise mediocre guns myself because I had access to bluing resources and know how to do it. But it's your gun and your money, not mine. To me, bead blasting followed by a hot blue dip is more than adequate to make a sweaty old gun look great again with minimal effort.

 

[Revelation]

I bought a Colt model 1903 made in 1924 that had been stored in a sock drawer for a couple of decades. One side was pristine, but the other side had seen some moisture and the finish was ruined. I knew the collector value was gone but it was in great shooting condition.

I sent it off to be bead blasted and Parkerized and it's now one of my favorite shooters. In .32 ACP, my wife and grandkids love shooting it and it looks nice too.

View attachment 778959

Beauty!

 

[2152hq]

It depends on the particular gun as well as what you are striving for.

To just buy a beater and figure to 'refinish' it, resell and make some money,,most times you won't if you paid someone else to do the work.

If you do the work yourself and do a great job, yes there can be a profit in there. You often have to dismiss your hourly rate when done as it won't reflect what the kids at Micky's are getting in many cases.

Refinish work can be a great hobby. It can be a full time job.
The latter should lean towards restoration quality work however if you want to draw customers willing to pay what you are worth in labor.

Many in the fulltime line end up specializing in a few areas in house and the rest gets sent out to others that specialize in those needs.

But if like to do the work and see it as fun & fulfilling use of time, then go to it.
Not everyone looks at hand polishing a complete S&W H/E to bring it back to it's old sharp edged, flat surfaced, sharp lettered self as something to look forward to.
But we're out there.

...and not every gun needs to be brought back to a 100%'r either.
Many only need proper mechanical repairs and touch ups to finish, holes filled, stuff like that.
But that's real restoration work and not many do that now.
It's easier to be a parts changer, refinish everything and call it a full restoration.

 

[KenTheHunter]

While in the NYPD someone gave me a retired coppers heavy barrel S&W 10. Gun was solid but had 20 years of holster wear. Lots of white metal showing. I had the gun refinished and am embarrassed to say as I had this done over forty years ago I don't recall the process. Not Cerakote, that I remember, but a more durable robust finish. Anyway, handgun is solid, locks up like a vault, good shooter. Oh, also replaced the grips as well.

Rich

View attachment 779123

 

[KenTheHunter]

While in the NYPD someone gave me a retired coppers heavy barrel S&W 10. Gun was solid but had 20 years of holster wear. Lots of white metal showing. I had the gun refinished and am embarrassed to say as I had this done over forty years ago I don't recall the process. Not Cerakote, that I remember, but a more durable robust finish. Anyway, handgun is solid, locks up like a vault, good shooter. Oh, also replaced the grips as well.

Rich

View attachment 779123

If you want to sell is one thing, but otherwise, shoot the hell out of it

 

[Model29-26.5]

It depends on the particular gun as well as what you are striving for.

To just buy a beater and figure to 'refinish' it, resell and make some money,,most times you won't if you paid someone else to do the work.

If you do the work yourself and do a great job, yes there can be a profit in there. You often have to dismiss your hourly rate when done as it won't reflect what the kids at Micky's are getting in many cases.

Refinish work can be a great hobby. It can be a full time job.
The latter should lean towards restoration quality work however if you want to draw customers willing to pay what you are worth in labor.

Many in the fulltime line end up specializing in a few areas in house and the rest gets sent out to others that specialize in those needs.

But if like to do the work and see it as fun & fulfilling use of time, then go to it.
Not everyone looks at hand polishing a complete S&W H/E to bring it back to it's old sharp edged, flat surfaced, sharp lettered self as something to look forward to.
But we're out there.

...and not every gun needs to be brought back to a 100%'r either.
Many only need proper mechanical repairs and touch ups to finish, holes filled, stuff like that.
But that's real restoration work and not many do that now.
It's easier to be a parts changer, refinish everything and call it a full restoration.

I think I'll give it a go myself and get plenty of advice and pointers.
I can take it to Scotty's to be reblued.
I'm sure he'd be able to give me some pointers on polishing.
The idea of bringing it back to near its former glory appeals.
It's not about the money.. well kind of. It's about getting one cheap, and then bringing it back to what looks like top-notch, even though I know it isn't, but it would be a worthwhile project for me

 

[jtixii]

If you can get it for the right price including a refinish, I'm in the why not camp. BTW, not every S&W fan is a collector.

If you have one, you're a collector. You just may not know it yet. It might be a small one, but we all start somewhere.

 

[Shotguncoach]

...or vice versa!

You're exactly right - it's a great way to screw things up in a hurry. Knowing what not to attempt at your current skill level is important.

On the other hand, trying and screwing up is the only way to learn. Book learning is great but the real learning starts when you pick up the tools. That's why you don't start with a Registered Magnum. You start with a $79 evidence gun and have fun. If you completely screw it up you're out the cost of dinner for two.