[Coronach]

I'm aware that everyone thinks that the older S&W revos are better made, and specifically in the "finish" area. My question is this...how much would the appearance vary along one "dash" of a certain type of gun? Or, rather, would your average NIB 27-2 made in '61 look better than your average NIB 27-2 made in '79? Specifically, bright blue specimens.

I know, its an individual-specimen kinda thing...I just mean in general.

Thanks,
Mike

[sm]

Never really thought along 'dash numbers' to be honest. I have noticed "years" and more specifically "owners". So I guess one could say that is the same thing.

I paid attention to years at first, simply because I noticed being in a certain business everything else ( not just firearms) were not being finished out and given attention to detail as they once were.

I attributed this to older craftsman whom had the experience of polishing getting scarcer ( retiring and dying off as they were in my business) and this skill not being passed on to younger ones. As we know the prep of the metal, how well the polish is determines the quality of finished product.

I was NOT allowed to even look at power driven equipment ( what little we had) until I learned to finish metal by hand back in my day...the old apprenticeship way of learning...

Then I suppose the "cost savings" kicked in ...bean counters and such...

[HSMITH]

The thing I have noticed is that it probably makes more difference who specifically at the factoy polished out a gun than when it was made. I am sure some of the guys/gals did a better job than others. I have a circa 1980 M25-5 that is gorgeous, and a 76ish M19 that is too. Some of my guns from the early 60's aren't nearly as well polished. The finish I like most is the late 40's and early 50's, not the super high polish, but they were really blue and not black with just enough lustre.

[SnWnMe]

User M29 from the S&W forum posted a pic of a recent factory re blue job on his gun. It's nice.

My 25MG and my TR21 do not have identical bluing. The latter has a more lustrous finish.

[Coronach]

OK, I follow.

And dang, this makes buying guns on the internet hard, no? ;) One can never tell if it looks good/bad or if its just the lighting.

Mike

[Preacherman]

HSmith has it right. It's not the blueing process so much as it's the polishing of the gun in preparation for blueing. I've had two Model 29-2's, dating back to the early '70's, restored and refinished by S&W, and in both cases you could shave in the blueing, it was that smooth! In contrast, late '70's and early '80's 29's were not nearly so well polished, giving a matte sort of finish.

[Standing Wolf]

...this makes buying guns on the internet hard, no? One can never tell if it looks good/bad or if its just the lighting.

Yep. I rely on a twofold rule:

1. If it looks bad, it's probably bad.
2. If it looks too good to be true, it's probably too good to be true.

[bluto]

A few months back I picked up a new S&W special run blued 586-7 .357. I thought the bluing and polish were absolutely fantastic. (See attached pic)

However, my experience leads me to agree that the finish varies a bit from piece to piece.

When I purchased my gun the shop brought in a new one from their warehouse instead of selling me the display model. When the new, unopened gun arrived the cylinder didn't match the frame in depth of blue. It looked dull in comparison so I ended up buying the display model. It's a beauty. No regrets. But I'm glad I looked the gun over carefully before buying.

[jeff-10]

Nice gun bluto. :) Is it a 6 or 7 shot?

[P95Carry]

Strikes me this is all down to ''luster'' or depth. My 27-2's have this divine deep bluing - it has to be seen to be appreciated IMO. I am not sure when that ''depth'' began to fade but sure as heck - it ain't there any more!

I reckon it is not so much blue as ''near black'' - it is a wonderful finish ... and probably exploits the classic cyanide bath hot treatment. This 27-2 is a classic example IMo and no pic does it justice .......

http://www.acbsystems.com/boards/thr/cb_gun2/m27-2_s.jpg

[sm]

Back in the day [tm] I did "Polishing". I was taught the apprentiship way as I stated, and had to learn hand methods - not that we had a lot of power driven stuff. Dremels were not even invented yet. :D

I guess I may have technically been a Master Polisher - not that titles ever meant anything to me. Even after I was allowed to use power driven stuff like the Foredom Flexshaft, I still did most of my polishing by hand. The final touches on a Buffing machine - and one just does NOT fire that puppy up and "just polish".

One can lose the details and all the hand polish done with say a chamois and green rouge in the blink of an eye. I know...

The quality of Plating I/We did was very much dependent on the quality of metals, details of prepping the metal, finishing it out, the polishes and final polishes.

Anyone and most folks used the same Plating solutions and equipment...the prep work and polish made the difference. Like daylight and dark.

[drannor]

I have a few 70's and 80's smiths, and the best blueing is on my 586 no dash produced in the early 80's. The bright blue is just incredible. I picked up this piece in a pawn shop and it outshines the 1977 M-19 and M-14 I acquired in unfired condition in box with papers.

The only 60's piece I own is a M-28 with the matte blueing, so I can't speak too much about earlier production. I did see a 50's era .45 target model that had incredible blueing at the gun show last weekend though. Simply gorgeous.

Should. Have. Purchased. :banghead: ($650)

Bluto, your new 586 looks beautiful. You're definitely right about a variation in quality, the 4" and 6" models my Oshman's had didn't look that nice.

[bluto]

Thanks for the comments.

Jeff-10 - It's a 7 shot. And like P95Carry's beautiful 25-2 the finish is more "near black". It compares with my pinned 29-2's finish.

drannor - Yeah, you're right. I heard Oshman's had some, too. Mine was the nicest of the one's I looked at. Sounds like there are some real gems in your collection.