Model 29-3 nickel miracle find

[Barry the Bear]

Decided to add another .44 mag to keep my Super Blackhawk company, I searched high and low for any variation of a s&w model 29/629 but to no avail. After a month of searching my hope of finding one was going downhill. Until I find out my wife's uncle wanted to sell a few weapons, so i go over to his house thinking im just going to settle but when he opened the safe there she sat, a model 29-3 nickel in great shape! Its missing the rear sight but that can be fixed . So 575 dollars and bill of sale later my new girl came home.

 

[Coop45]

Would you consider a trade for a brick of .22lr? Congratulations on your buy!

 

[Barry the Bear]

Sorry bud i dont own even 1 .22 caliber gun. Besides dont ask me to put my girl up for adoption.

 

[bikemutt]

29-3 revolvers show up around here for about $700+, appears as if you got a great deal, congrats!

 

[dakotasouth]

Congrats on your find. I have cash on its way for a blued 6" 29-3 myself.

 

[788Ham]

Get some "Mother's Mag Cleaner" and shine that brute up! Go to the auto store to find that cleaner, will look like a brand new dime then!

 

[Twiki357]

Sounds like you got a good deal. I just bought a 29-3 blued 4" about 6 months ago for $650. That was the best deal I found after looking for a couple of years.

 

[Barry the Bear]

788 I thought metal polish wouldnt work on nickel plated guns or was that hoppes 9?

 

[bikemutt]

Mother's Mag works great on nickel finishes in my experience. The one thing to always keep in mind with plated finishes is not to polish through the finish, that's pretty hard to do though with just a soft rag and Mother's.

 

[788Ham]

I've used Mothers on my 629 6" several times after shooting, cleaning up the cylinder and frame from burnt powder. I also use it on my SP 101 .357. I don't use a buffer on mine, just a soft fiber free rag and a couple lbs. of elbow grease, along w/Mothers.

 

[Barry the Bear]

Bought a hoppes 9 lead and rust removal cloth thats worked well

 

[MikeJackmin]

Many gun solvents (including Hoppes) are designed to dissolve copper fouling. Unfortunately, most nickel finishes are applied over a layer of copper, rather than directly on the steel. The solvent seeps into small cracks and scratches and the nickel starts to bubble off.

Be careful what you clean it with. Hopefully others can offer specific recommendations.

 

[Barry the Bear]

How do i get rid of the led deposits in the front of the cylinders that look like burn marks?

 

[788Ham]

Soak a small rag with Hoppes, rub on the face of the cylinder, then take a bronze brush, like a tooth brush and scrub that dude good, wipe some Hoppes on the brushed part, good to go.

 

[Oro]

Unfortunately, prior to WWII, most nickel finishes are applied over a layer of copper, rather than directly on the steel. The solvent seeps into small cracks and scratches and the nickel starts to bubble off.

Since then electroless has become standard for most applications, and all major firearms makers that I know of. It does not use a copper substrate. I heard that Roy Jinks of S&W stated once no post-WWII revolver had been made with the electrolytic/copper method. So this wouldn't be a problem with a modern S&W (or Ruger or Colt as far as I know).

Barry I think what you mean are powder marks, not lead marks. I have found Mother's to be good at removing them, too. However, you do NOT want to get aggressive about anything on the cylinder face, it's trueness and distance to the barrel forcing cone are critical dimensions you don't want to alter.