AM I being too picky?

[redleg0811]

I bought a Laramie in Nickel and noticed a couple of things. There are a couple of areas where it looks like a haze on the barel. Also on the frame there is a scratch/ small gouge. Not sure, but it looks like it was done before the nickel. I only have two other Nickel pistol, but one is from 1874 and the other is from 1880, so not sure what I should really expect. Should I contact Beretta to return it for another?

The first picture the haze/cloud what ever is above the Y on the Made in Italy.

The scratch gouge is above the blue pin that is just in front of the triger.

The fourth picture is of my original Smiths.


Thanks
Martin

 

[FullEffect1911]

Well I have a question for you. Is this gun for pure collecting or is it to be used with at least some regularity?

I say if you plan on keeping it and using it, then just use it and enjoy. If you use it, it will get scratched anyway. If it's just for collecting then get it fixed up.

This "advice" comes with one caveat; despite what you are using if for, if you always look at those blemishes and always think about how it could be better then get it fixed up. Because in that case it will probably never become that endeared to you.

Also as far as the cloudiness goes, I'm not sure about that one, I don't know much about nickel finishes. If it's just aesthetic, my previous statements apply. If it's actually lifting or otherwise going to peel off, then send it back.

By that way, nice revolver.

 

[redleg0811]

Nope I plan on shooting the crap out of it. Since I like my original NM3 Russian so much I don't want to damge it, which is why I bought this one. I guess I just wanted to be the one to put the scratches in. I don't know Nickel well enough either to know if the clouding is more then an astetic problem.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I would contact Beretta because IMO those marks are excessive, especially in the first picture of the barrel. At the prices Beretta charges there's no excuse for them to leave all those tool marks on the barrel before they applied the Nickel.

 

[owlhoot]

I have to agree with that. You paid for perfect guns. That's what you should get.

The cloudiness is caused by contamination either on the gun or in the solution indicating there is not a good bond of nickel to metal. It will eventually flake.

The polishing on your gun is the worst I have ever seen. The reason nickel plating costs more than bluing is because of the extra polishing required for an acceptable finish. Your gun did not get the polish job that it deserved. A new nickle finish should be mirror-like with zero scratches. The only place that a lack of polish can be excused is in the cylinder notches.

I hope that Beretta does you right on this. That is a beautiful gun and it deserves a proper finish.

 

[StrawHat]

Did you buy this at a shop or was it special ordered for you?

Either way you had to inspect it before you accepted it didn't you?

I don't see anything I that would cause me to pass on that revolver if I were in the market for one.

 

[FullEffect1911]

The cloudiness is caused by contamination either on the gun or in the solution indicating there is not a good bond of nickel to metal. It will eventually flake.

In that case I too would send it back.

And frankly you sound like these blemishes are a disappointment to you, so get them fixed up.

It's winter now so it being gone for repair shouldn't cut into prime season paper punching.

 

[Dean Williams]

It is pretty, for sure. It sure seems to have a lot of finish "swirl" under the nickel though, besides the specific points that are bothering you.

 

[yenchisks]

yes...

 

[Sunray]

"...bought a Laramie in Nickel..." New, used or real antique? How were they advertised?
"...from 1874 and the other is from 1880..." Any real antique revolver is going to have some marks on it. Wouldn't likeky be a real antique otherwise.

 

[owlhoot]

Sunray, this revolver is a new Beretta copy of the Smith & Wesson model 3. It is not an antique but a copy of an antique.

Happy New Year.

 

[bannockburn]

redleg0811

I've owned a number of nickel plated guns, and I would have to agree with the others in that the finish on your gun is not one of the better ones I've seen. Nickel plate, when properly polished before hand and applied correctly, has a mirror-like reflective quality to it that looks incredible. If you paid a premium for that finish, I would definitely be on the phone with Beretta customer service requesting warranty work.

 

[Confederate]

Cheap guns may come with bad nickel jobs, but you've got every right to expect better when you fork over money for what should be a premium revolver.

Sometimes the nickel job will be botched at the factory. Other times it can be ruined by too much exposure to Hoppes Number 9. Often, the situation can be improved by polishing the problem area, but if it goes deep, send it back to the factory.

Nickel is most often chosen for its beauty, so cosmetic imperfections are a valid reason for return. You're the customer, so it might be worth a call to see what can be arranged. A return might take awhile, so a phone call would be in order.

 

[BCRider]

Nickel plate appearance is only as good as the surface finish of the metal underneath it. In this case I'm seeing a lot of evidence of rough sanding in the base metal that is telegraphing through the nickel. I stronly suspect that your swirl marks are just more of the same weak surface prep on the steel prior to plating.

In your second pic there's a couple of small "warts" on the cylinder just above and to the right of the flute. Those look like spots where the plating didn't bond correctly to the base metal and now they are lifting and with even a little pressure on them such as from a fingernail the nickel will flake off.

All in all not a very good nickel job on many counts, not just the one or two spots you indicate.

Also I'm not sure if I'm missing something here or not..... Isn't the Laramie by Beretta a Colt Peacemaker clone? This is clearly not only a S&W clone but the first picture says "Uberti" on it so it's not made by Beretta. And while Uberti makes some decent enough shooters they are sold at a lower price point. Granted they charge some extra for the nickel version but even at that price we are not talking high end pricing. I've noticed that even with their blued guns some finish swirling from shortcuts taken in the sanding steps is evident. In that way the nickel version isn't any better. In fact it looks like the nickel version doesn't see any extra surface prep prior to plating. And that's where it is needed or you get the sort of stuff we see here.

If you look closely at other Uberti's in this light I think you'll see that it's a "what you get is what you get" sort of deal. If you want a truly stunning nickel finish the road to success would be to get a blue one, for the lower cost, and then have it stripped down and polished correctly (that's the expensive part since it's a LOT of hand labour to do it without losing the sharp edges that define the shape) and then properly nickel plated. Proper plating would involve a flash plate of copper and then the nickel. The copper acts like a "primer" and ensures a really good bond of the nickel plate.

 

[redleg0811]

StrawHat: I bought it new from CDNN. I could have rejected it when it came in, but it was the last Nickel Laramie in 45 Colt that they had and at $789 which was $100 better then anyone else and most people wanted $1200 I couldn't turn it down.

BCRider: Beretta bought Uberti. Some of the parts like the frame is Uberti. I have been told that the internals are different, but that is up for debate. The finish on the Beretta's are suppose to be better then on the Uberti guns. The Beretta S&W clone is the Laramie the colt clones are Stampede, Philadelphia, and Gemini.

Thanks everyone. I will call them Monday when they are open.