Should I bead blast it or not?
- Thread starter Ron In MD
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To each his own...
If it is high polished then the original brushed stainless finish is gone. So go for it if you like it. I have given thought to doing that to my favorite of two 640-1's that I own.
As part of a through reconditioning, I had a well-thrashed model 66 bead blasted. After several dozen IDPA matches, it still looks OK. Until/ unless I have to do a major overhaul to replace worn parts, the surface will get no further attention from me.
Billythepoet
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Do you feel like it's harder to clean, or shows scratches easier than a brushed stainless gun?
No. I prefer the factory finish, but not enough to buy a new action pistol competition revolver every few years.
If you can't stand holster wear and an occasional small scuff, don't use it for action pistol games. Not to mention the high round count wearing the action.
Billythepoet
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Thanks. I was contemplating having one bead blasted, if I sent it to the performance center for an action job.
F75gunslinger
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Why not just put the finish back to how it was originally? Some time with a grey 3m finishing pad will put the look back to very close to original.
I am not a fan of the frosted or blasted look. If it happens to rub across something hard then you have a pretty obvious mark in the finish that would require re-blasting it. With the brushed finish, just a few rubs with the pad will take care of most issues.
I am not a fan of the frosted or blasted look. If it happens to rub across something hard then you have a pretty obvious mark in the finish that would require re-blasting it. With the brushed finish, just a few rubs with the pad will take care of most issues.
The frosted bead blast looks great until you carry it once or sneeze on it. My 627 showed holster wear soon after I started carrying it. Liking two-tone guns, I was quick to send it to H&M for black nitriding. No more wear marks, even the turn line is very faint.
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Ribwizzard
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I really cant stand the bead blasted finish. It disappoints me that some models are only offered in this finish.
It like having a sandpaper finish that holds in more grime, creates lint from your cleaning cloth when wiping down the gun , more friction sliding into a holster, and shows wear faster.
If wanting to reduce shine, just use a fine 3m scotch brite pad and slightly scuff up the surface. Go back and forth in one direction to give it a brushed finish.
It like having a sandpaper finish that holds in more grime, creates lint from your cleaning cloth when wiping down the gun , more friction sliding into a holster, and shows wear faster.
If wanting to reduce shine, just use a fine 3m scotch brite pad and slightly scuff up the surface. Go back and forth in one direction to give it a brushed finish.
Billythepoet
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The factory finish on my new gun leaves a little too be desired. I don't mind honest holster wear, but the current finish is really uneven looking. I may try the scotchbrite method first.
AJR337
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I've always liked the bead blasted finish on the Performance Center models so I decided to have my 686 Talo professionally bead blasted. And while I had it fully disassembled, I also installed an Original Precision lock plug.
I just picked it up yesterday afternoon from Tier 1 Defense and haven't had a chance to fully reassemble it yet (started to last night but it was a long week at work) but here are a few pics...
I just picked it up yesterday afternoon from Tier 1 Defense and haven't had a chance to fully reassemble it yet (started to last night but it was a long week at work) but here are a few pics...
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DS-10-SPEED
Member
I have 2 satin finish S&W's, a 617-2 and a 627 V-Comp and I really like the looks of them but as said before, you can't easily fix wear marks. I have several brushed finished ones also and I like them too.
I have a 4" 617-6 that I bought used with a badly scratched side plate, got a good deal because of that and fixed it myself. I decided to polish the whole gun and add a personal image on the side plate with my CNC.
I was surprised how easy it is to clean after a few hundred rounds, powder just seems to come off really easy on the polished surfaces.
Make it what you want, just be careful with text and logos, that can look bad if they are distorted from the process.
I have a 4" 617-6 that I bought used with a badly scratched side plate, got a good deal because of that and fixed it myself. I decided to polish the whole gun and add a personal image on the side plate with my CNC.
I was surprised how easy it is to clean after a few hundred rounds, powder just seems to come off really easy on the polished surfaces.
Make it what you want, just be careful with text and logos, that can look bad if they are distorted from the process.
BigBill
Absent Comrade
I clean up my dull stainless finishes with simi chrome polish. You can shine it up to any degree you want.
.38SuperMan
Member
Thirty years ago my son and I shot a lot of IPSC matches. I bought a 15-3 that had a lot of finish wear but was mechanically excellent for him to shoot. I wound up sending it to have it bead blasted and a satin nickel finish put on it and the stick front sight replaced with a partridge sight. He shot a lot of matches with it for six or seven years and it still looks excellent with no noticeable wear.
This reminds me I need to get it out and shoot it. The model 15 is a really sweet revolver.
When I had my 45 1911 built 30 years ago I had it had chromed with a brushed finish. After a few thousand drawers from a holster it still looks excellent. A brushed or bead blasted hard chrome finish is hard to beat.
This reminds me I need to get it out and shoot it. The model 15 is a really sweet revolver.
When I had my 45 1911 built 30 years ago I had it had chromed with a brushed finish. After a few thousand drawers from a holster it still looks excellent. A brushed or bead blasted hard chrome finish is hard to beat.
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DS-10-SPEED
Member
Do you have a picture of that satin nickel 15? I would like to see it. I have a Buckmark that is satin nickel, that finish looks great and holds up well.
The Model 65 would have originally come with a smooth, satin finish, so if yours is polished, then someone did that to your revolver. Bead blasting can be nice, but a DIY option would be abrasive pads, Scotchbrite, and some patience.
SAFireman
Member
My NY-1 needed action work, so I sent it to S&W.
While it was there had them restore the original "frosted" finish.
Came out OK, not too coarse.
Seems there's more to a beaded finish than just putting it in the cabinet and blasting away..
Had a very good local 'smith bead blast a Model 65. That came out a very dark grey. Had it redone at S&W, too.
Factory does it right.
While it was there had them restore the original "frosted" finish.
Came out OK, not too coarse.
Seems there's more to a beaded finish than just putting it in the cabinet and blasting away..
Had a very good local 'smith bead blast a Model 65. That came out a very dark grey. Had it redone at S&W, too.
Factory does it right.
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