Hey Mike, I have an NIB 2-inch Model 12 that's nickel and is so marked on the original box. It's all nickel--the finish on the frame matches the barrel and cylinder perfectly. That's one of the things I like about nickel on an alloy-framed revolver. All the major components (frame, barrel, cylinder, yoke) come out the same color, as opposed to the color of blued steel versus the blackish color of alloy that's been anodized "blue." I sure don't have anything against the latter, but the uniform appearance of the nickel has its own appeal, at least to me.
BTW, my nickel Model 12 is, to me, kind of an odd gun--though for all I know there could be zillions of them--because it's SB. I'd have thought a round butt would make more sense on a K-frame Airweight snubby. But here it is.
Saxon, the Model 58 and 520 stocks are what S&W used to call the PC Service or Plain Clothes type. I don't think this nomenclature is widely known, but I picked it up from the descriptions in on old S&W parts catalog. Meaning, the lower sides are rounded off, I guess so they won't print as easily ("rounded" is the best way I know to describe it, but I don't mean round butt). AFAIK, most N-frame walnut service grips from that period are like the ones on the Highway Patrolman, IOW straight across the bottom. To compare with K-frame stocks, it's the same difference as Model 10 (or 12!) versus Model 15 service stocks, respectively.
