Is there a name for this kind of finish?

Looks to me like pressure formed metal parts in their native state. They may have some form of rust preventative, but to my knowledge they are not 'finished' in the sense of bluing, plating or coated.

Perhaps someone more familiar with the modern S&W revolvers will appear and address the issue for you.

You could come pretty close by cleaning the bluing off a blued part, and cold bluing it with Oxpho-Blue applied with a Q-Tip to your liking.

But, it won't stay that way very long in use.

rc

It is simply unfinished. On a SS late model Smith I would use the SS Hogue release. My buddy has one on his late model 686. It is an expensive novelty IMO. There are plenty of pictures o. The Internet of the SS release on a late model Smith.

I think that's a result of the heat treatment. Probably wrong though.

I think that's a result of the heat treatment. Probably wrong though.

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I think you are correct as some of my older S&Ws look the same

Far as I know, MIM parts cannot be heat treated. Is it not the faux color case finish S&W is applying to keep their patent?

There was a time when unfinished guns and gun parts were referred to as "in the white". That term has been seen less of late it seems to me.

Every factory finished Browning Hi-Power's barrel I've ever seen was "in the white". Not to long ago I asked Browning if the new barrels were stainless steel and the tech confirmed they were not and he used the phrase "in the white".

The parts in question are not in the white. They obviously have some sort of dark finish applied to them.

I would call it matte blued?

Covered here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=708749

if you wanted to replicate that look.....i think a Melonite finish would be your best bet.

CraigC is correct. S&W trademarked (not patented) the case hardening color on the hammers and triggers of their revolvers in order to fight the cheap Spanish imports in the 1920's. To keep that trademark in effect, they have to use it, but MIM does not need case hardening, so S&W colors those parts by some other method.

The color can be imitated by using cold blue, but it is not durable and will soon wear off. I would just go with a blued part rather than trying to copy the factory coloring.

Jim

if you wanted to replicate that look.....i think a Melonite finish would be your best bet.

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Melonite is not a finish, does not alter the surface appearance of the metal and is not applicable to MIM parts.

Craig C, since you know what Melonite is not, could you explain what it is? I have never heard of it before. Wikipedia calls it a mineral and says it is a "telluride of nickel", which leaves me as ignorant as before. Google search results suggest it has something to do with firearms, but I can't tell what. Is it a "treatment" as opposed to a "finish", and what distinction is being made there?

I think that's S&W's cheap method of case coloring now days

Craig C, since you know what Melonite is not, could you explain what it is? I have never heard of it before. Wikipedia calls it a mineral and says it is a "telluride of nickel", which leaves me as ignorant as before. Google search results suggest it has something to do with firearms, but I can't tell what. Is it a "treatment" as opposed to a "finish", and what distinction is being made there?

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It's a surface hardening treatment, sort of a modern version of case hardening. Glock's proprietary "tenifer" is the same thing. All forms of nitro carburizing, which introduces carbon into the surface to harden steel. It causes no change in the surface appearance. A lot of folks have the misconception that the black finish is tenifer or melonite. The black finish on the slides of pistols treated by these methods is usually black oxide, which is applied after the hardening treatment.

Wow, Craig! You don't spend all of your time making holsters, do you?

Thanks for your input.

Bob Wright

Use this.
http://www.caswellplating.com/metal-finishing-solutions/stainless-steel-blackener.html

Thanks, CraigC. Learning is what I come here for.

The trigger,rear sight, front sight insert and hammer look like they have been
"Parkerized" in a matt gray color. Just my thought.

......................... Jack