Nickel? Stainless?

I know Beretta still manufactures guns in nickel finish. I bought a stampede bisley in 45 lc about a year ago in nickel. I believe they have 92 in nickel as well and I believe that Taurus still makes them i nickel.
 
BTW- the only difference between electrolees and electrolytic nickel is the method of application. Either coat the underlying metal with nickel. If the host metal is satin, the plating finish will be satin. If the metal is polished bright, the plated finish will be bright.
 
Probably, but each time a plated gun is polished the plating gets thinner.
Dull nickel plating can be polished (gently) with Neverdull wadding or Simichrome polish. It's best to only polish it once.
 
The only time I have ever observed a problem is in the used market where dealers tell you what they think you want to hear or they simply don't know or care whether it is nickel or stainless. Stainless guns are a relatively recent phenomena in the gun business and started around 1978-1980 time frame. Oh, that was 30 years ago. Time flys.
 
two different things

Stainless is a type of metal or steel. contrary to popular belief, stainless steel does "stain" and requires some care.

Nickel is a plating over a regular metal surface. There are various nickel chemical compounds to get the desired surface - satin, high gloss, industrial, etc.

If you have the two surfaces together side by side it is pretty easy to tell the difference. From some short research the nickel was used because it created a very hard protective barrier for the older corrosive powders and it looked nice as well. Nickel is used on all sorts of appliances, handles and other items where a hard protective finish is needed.

Stainless is all the way through the metal and it can be sanded and scratched. It can also be buffed to remove those small scratches as the metal is all the way through the same.

At least that is what I know.

I just purchased a single six with a couple of minor scratches that I need to start in on.
 
I do nickel plating.
Whether a surface is satin, shiny, brushed nickel has nothing to do with the plating itself. The plating is thin enough that it simply follows the contour of the plated surface. If you plate a surface with scratches, the plating job will show the scratches. Satin nickel is plated over a satin surface texture. Bright over a shiny surface. The nickel is the same.
 
gun show S&W model 28 Highway Patrolman .357 ...

About 6 years ago in northwest FL I went to a small gun show where some nitwit huckster was selling a used 4" barrel S&W model 28 .357magnum claiming it was "stainless steel". I pointed out to the booth attentant-sales rep that it was nickel plated not "stainless steel". He was not a happy camper. ;)

BUYER BEWARE!!!...
 
A soft damp cloth, perhaps with a little bit of mild soap.

You could also use something like Nevr-Dull (an impregnated cotton wadding), since most of its polishing action is chemical, not mechanical. But don't bear down too hard on it - it does have a little bit of abrasive and could put micro-scratches on the finish, giving it a "cloudy" appearance.
 
Colt offers their single action army in factory nickel... *now picture one of those in 45 Colt, with nitre blue screws and ivory/faux ivory grips! :D
 
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