S&W 17-3. Pitted bad. How to fix ?

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NDAR15MAN

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First…. I know I don't have a picture to post here. Don't think LGS owner would let me take a picture of pistol to post even if he did I am a old man and doubt I could get it posted.
Now for my Question…..LGS owner has a S&W 17-3 22LR black 6 inch barrel that is pitted really bad on one side. Took it in on trade and he is asking $375.00 so he must have less than $300.00 in it for sure. Owner laid it down on a rag in drawer and must have had some water on the rag. 1 side has some light pitting but other side is really bad. The really bad side the cylinder has some bad pitting road rash and we're the barrel fits into frame has a big spot that is really pitted and road rash type of pitting. Bore is great shape , inside cylinder is great shape. Just one side is in bad shape. I ask him if he could be re- blue it to at make me proud of it. He Marty it's not the chemicals it is the time that would cost the money. He said to re-blue this pistol is $200.00 and that does not count trying to get rid of the pitting. He said not sure if we could get it knocked off. I ask him what happens if I tried to stone it out or you recommend a process that I could do watching TV every night. He said he did not know. I wish I could come up with away to get that road rash pitting on that one side. He did Marty buy it and you would gave a good pistol to hunt with. He says you already have a brand new 617-6 with scope you just bought.
Gun shop owner said Marty used Ruger single 6 pistols are $450.00 plus. This is a much better pistol and more accurate then a used Ruger single 6 I know you guys cannot see a picture of it but I am thinking if he don't try to remove the pitting and road rash and re- blue it himself and then Mark the gun up to $750.00 then it must not be able to be cleaned up. I might even be able to buy the darn thing for 325.00. Pistol has original wood grips.
You think I could pay a professional to clean off the pitting , road rash and reblued by someone with more time ? . I bet it would cost to much for me or some one else to come out on it ?
Your thoughts with out seeing the pistol. Thanks. MD
 
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+1 for what s&wchad said. Take the price of the gun and the cost of repairs and refinishing and buy one that is already in excellent condition.
Otherwise, enjoy a great shooter for cheap.
 
I didn't pay $700 for an 85%+ K-22 pre-17 in the box. A refinished 17 — assuming you can get the rust equivalent of acne off it and make it look good — is still going to be a sub-$500 gun even in my handgun-starved part of New York.

Looking at the Ford's price list, a pro job is going to be over $500, possibly hundreds more for a nice finish and the work to make it look nice.

If it were me, I'd either enjoy it as a beater or pass entirely. I highly doubt you will make money on this deal.
 
You're putting too much thought into it.
It's an obvious "Pass".
Non restorable.
No matter how low the price, I couldn't own a gun that deteriorated that much.
Perhaps someone else could at 150-200, but it's going nowhere at 375.
 
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For $350 I'd buy it and try my had a restoring it myself. A member from Ontario Canada posted last week about an old S&W he cold blued. It was In rough shape too.
 
Doubtful that you'd be able to entirely remove the pitting on the bad side, but maybe make it better than it is now.

Unless the cosmetic issue is really going to bug you, I'd do as Bald1 suggested. Buy it for that low price as a shooter.
You can always try to re-finish it down the road.

I traded $120 worth of 9mm ammo for this Browning SA-22.
It was in rough shape, all the metal pitted (but not real deep) buttstock cracked, repaired and cracked again, and barrel adjustment pieces gone.
I found a stock on Ebay and got the small parts needed.

The barrel and action I gave a sandblast then a grey Cerakote.
About 96% of the pitting is gone, one spot had the pitting too deep to remove entirely.
It is ugly but man, what a shooter. It shoots better than all the other SA's I've owned or shot.
Hd4EBceh.jpg


I also was given a Glenfield 30/30 that the owner had put away after deer season in a damp case. Entire rifle was covered in rust, but again, pitting was shallow except for a spot near the muzzle.
Rather than refinish the water damaged cheap Birch stock, I went all out and ordered a Deluxe 336 stock from Marlin.
The barreled action was sent off to Jesse @ Jesse's Reboring and made into a .356, then when I got it back it was sandblasted and Cerakoted.
WFCOL24h.jpg

I'd be reluctant to cover up that nice S&W blue (that isn't pitted) with a spray on finish.
But sandblasting and Cerakoting would be less expensive than polishing the pitting out and then a re-blue.
 
Marty,
You have gotten good advice here. If you buy it for 325, you will put another 400 into it with prep and bluing plus shipping at least, and when you are done, you will still have a sub 400.00 gun. Also, there is no guarantee that they can get all the deep pitting out.

For 750-850 you can get a nice 17-3 that you will be proud to own.
I suggest that you just pass on it.
 
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I would pass and look for one in better condition. You won't find one for $325 unless it is a beater but they are out there in nice condition for less than $750 if you look. I have owned four 5 screws over the years, all in excellent condition. The last one I purchased a a LGS for $325 a number of years ago and that one will not be going anywhere! Some guys like a project. I like condition so I would pass.
 
I had an badly pitted pre-64 Winchester 94 blasted with baby powder and blued. Ended up with a nice matte finish as a result. I was glad that I went through with the project. Detail stripping the gun and reassembling it yourself helps reduce costs. The barrel does not typically have to be removed.

Best Regards,
ADP3
 
I would buy it and take some steel or brass wool and oil then rub the rust off of it then shoot it. Other option is I would sand the bad spots off the gun and cold blue it and then shoot it. It will be a $325. gun so no big deal that it does not look great as far as I would be concerned.
 
Marshal tom;141520158]I would pass and look for one in better condition. You won't find one for $325 unless it is a beater but they are out there in nice condition for less than $750 if you look. I have owned four 5 screws over the years, all in excellent condition. The last one I purchased a a LGS for $325 a number of years ago and that one will not be going anywhere!

Quote Some guys like a project. I like condition so I would pass.[/QUOTE]

I'm convinced that some guys will pay just as much for a piece of junk as they would pay for a good example, as they're bored and want a time filling project.
The economics of the situation mean nothing.
I'll pay for condition. The money isn't an expenditure-it comes back when I sell it. I don't have to make excuses for any gun. They sell themelves.
 
Pitting does not come off… It is holes in the metal eaten away by rust. If you paid the market price, you would have a better looking gun than you will get buying a "deal" and sending it off for blasting and spraying because it will never look right if you re-blue it.
 
Deep pitting will not buff out, deep scratches might not either. A good refinish is going to put the total cost in excess of what it would be worth. I'd say this one is a pass, let someone else deal with it.
 
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