Anybody ever had a revolver refinished?
- Thread starter tlhelmer
- Start date
Johnny Guest
Moderator in Memoriam
I come down on the side of "original finish,: - - -
- - -No matter if pretty worn, being preferable to a non-factory reblue. Honest wear on a high quality gun, even a fairly recent one, is okay by me.
If one desires a specialized finish, not offered by the factory, then so be it. If I had a really ratty GI handgun to be re-Parkerized, I think I'd specify to the finisher to NOT buff it at all--Just sandblast/bead blast it and put it in the phosphates (??)
My gripe with reblued guns is that the finisher is practically ALWAYS too heavy-handed with the buffing wheel. No recent experience with either, but Colt and S&W both used to do a beautiful polish, like originally done with that model, THEN re-roll the marks, and lastly, blue it.
I cannot justify spending good money to refinish a cheap gun. The days of a decent thirty-dollar reblue are gone, gone away. And an old police trade-in Military & Police with 40% finish is worth $40 more to me than an all-black one with dished-out screw holes and the lettering half erased. But the guy who had it re-done thinks it is worth MORE than previously.
One man's opinion.
Johnny Guest
- - -No matter if pretty worn, being preferable to a non-factory reblue. Honest wear on a high quality gun, even a fairly recent one, is okay by me.
If one desires a specialized finish, not offered by the factory, then so be it. If I had a really ratty GI handgun to be re-Parkerized, I think I'd specify to the finisher to NOT buff it at all--Just sandblast/bead blast it and put it in the phosphates (??)
My gripe with reblued guns is that the finisher is practically ALWAYS too heavy-handed with the buffing wheel. No recent experience with either, but Colt and S&W both used to do a beautiful polish, like originally done with that model, THEN re-roll the marks, and lastly, blue it.
I cannot justify spending good money to refinish a cheap gun. The days of a decent thirty-dollar reblue are gone, gone away. And an old police trade-in Military & Police with 40% finish is worth $40 more to me than an all-black one with dished-out screw holes and the lettering half erased. But the guy who had it re-done thinks it is worth MORE than previously.
One man's opinion.
Johnny Guest
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
If you decide to have it refinished, I'd strongly recommend against sending it to Checkmate Custom in Florida. The people there utterly butchered a Colt Python for me.
VictorLouis
New member
Nighthawk, I've seen parkerized revos. A good job looks good on a utilitarian gun like a M13, or say a Blackhawk. Mac's latest finish is an application of the Gun Kote over parkerizing.
A good hard-chrome job is just wonderful on a revolver. I really think that's a great way to go is the gun has any sort of significant metal wear. It can 'fill' and help conceal minor pitting.
The Boron Carbide is also well worth it IMO. You maintain a black or blue appearance with better wear than hard-chrome.
A good hard-chrome job is just wonderful on a revolver. I really think that's a great way to go is the gun has any sort of significant metal wear. It can 'fill' and help conceal minor pitting.
The Boron Carbide is also well worth it IMO. You maintain a black or blue appearance with better wear than hard-chrome.
Mannlicher
New member
I have had a couple of old Smiths redone in matte hard chrome. Works for me.
I have an old Smith model 49 that I carried for years as B/U and off duty that was looking pretty bad. I bought a can of Brownell's matte black teflon coating and did the job myself. After completely disassembling the weapon, I took it to an auto repair shop and bead-blasted the parts, then sprayed on the teflon and baked it in my oven.
After a few years, the only area where any teflon is wearing off is the front of the cylinder from the powder flash. Since a model 49 is neither rare or a collector's item, I had no qualms about doing the refinish job.
Good luck.
After a few years, the only area where any teflon is wearing off is the front of the cylinder from the powder flash. Since a model 49 is neither rare or a collector's item, I had no qualms about doing the refinish job.
Good luck.
I hear this all the time. If you think about it, I believe you will agree that there is a great deal of confusion and ambivalence on the subject.
First of all, 99% of pistols are NOT collectible and will not become collectible in my lifetime. Second, I do not buy firearms to be collectible.....I buy them to shoot. Third, I do not believe (after many years of observation) that firearms are a good investment except in a very few narrow areas. If you are collecting for an investment, do NOT shoot the piece. Buy another one to shoot.
So, I want the firearms that I own and enjoy shooting to look good! I do not expect that they are going to be collectible so I refinish them so that i can enjoy them more.
I have tried private refinishers with mixed results
I have found the factory to be best most often.
PigPen
First of all, 99% of pistols are NOT collectible and will not become collectible in my lifetime. Second, I do not buy firearms to be collectible.....I buy them to shoot. Third, I do not believe (after many years of observation) that firearms are a good investment except in a very few narrow areas. If you are collecting for an investment, do NOT shoot the piece. Buy another one to shoot.
So, I want the firearms that I own and enjoy shooting to look good! I do not expect that they are going to be collectible so I refinish them so that i can enjoy them more.
I have tried private refinishers with mixed results
I have found the factory to be best most often.PigPen