This is what kind of refinish job S&W does. (pic heavy)

[rklessdriver]

Nice looking M19.

Smith did you right on it.

As for those smooth combat stocks. They are quite desireable, look to be easily saveable and well worth the effort of fixing.
Will

 

[maskedman504]

Thank you for the story and another example on S&W's limitless customer service!

 

[WNC Seabee]

I'd been considering sending my beat up Model 14 in for a while now. Your post just got me to call them.

Thanks!

 

[rondog]

Wow! Beautiful job and a great deal!

I regularly see model 19's at my local shop for about $200-$250.

I'm in Denver too, would you share the name of that shop with me? I've had two M19's in the past and wish I still had 'em, would love to have another.

 

[Big Mike]

Anyone know of those deals in Tallahassee?

 

[Ruggles]

The reason why S&W has the great customer service rep that hey do!

 

[SGW42]

Hate to tease you guys but I got some more pics, with some more sunlight and better angles so you can see more of the finish. Best I could do with my little camera and photography skills.









Wanted you guys to see the forcng cone and recoil shield. You'd think it was unfired.

 

[yongxingfreesty]

WOW! S&W did a really good job!

 

[Jim K]

"Can't be a new frame, could it?"

Maybe, if the frame had some problem that couldn't be fixed and they still have replacement old type frames.

Jim

 

[BCRider]

OK, so now you're just plain ol' showing off.....

You prefer the regular grips to target grips? I tried the same grips as yours on my Model 10 when I first got it and switched them out for the target grips that were included with my 19. I prefer the target grips far more. But then the much larger size is not an issue for me since I'm purely a range sort of guy. It's not like I'm ever carrying where the grips would be an issue.

My own 19 has bonded with me so well that it really would be a toss up if it or my CZ Shadow ended up being the last gun I kept if for some reason I had to sell off all the rest and only keep one. In fact I'm pretty sure the 19 WOULD be the one I would keep as an only gun if it should sadly come down to that.

 

[sparkyguy66]

This model 27 has been posted a cpl times, so sorry for the repeat, but the OP talks about the old finishs' "deeper" blue, and my 27 has it at about 90%.
I have tossed the idea around of having it reblued, but only if it were to come close to what the original "fall into" blue looks like.

I probably won't end up doing anything to it, but I would love to see a brand new bluing on a model 27 like mine. The 19 looks great!

 

[SGW42]

I'm purely a range guy too. I liked the target grips as I naturally grabbed them at first, until I read some threads here where I learned I was sort of holding it wrong. At first, I gripped the gun rather low, as someone here said "like one of those automatic guys." Apparently I need to grip the revolver up high, so the webbing between my thumb and trigger finger are as high on the backstrap as it can go. When I did this at my next range session, I discovered I dealt better with the recoil and was marginally more accurate. So I was sold.

I originally bought the thin service grips admittedly because they were cheaper than replacement target stocks, but when they're on the gun I also grab it naturally in the high position. I've actually not shot the gun yet with these stocks, so I guess that's the real test.

Today I was thinking about getting some Jordon Troopers and trying those out.

 

[SGW42]

I have tossed the idea around of having it reblued, but only if it were to come close to what the original "fall into" blue looks like.

That's a good way to describe it, "fall into" blue. The original finish was really quite beat up as you can see in the pics but if you looked at it in the right light in the right places you could tell that it was quite deep, as if it had layers to it, and maybe an actual tint of deep blue.

The new finish, while gorgeous and obviously very well done, is not the same. It is very black and solid. But then again, I think it is worth it without the scratches, gouges, scrapes and dings.

The stampings are also at risk. The new logo was stamped fresh, so it is sharp, but if I look closely where the "Marcas Registradas" stamping is, I can see where they polished it a little uneven (or maybe the original stamping is uneven).

Yours looks no where near what mine looked like, I would keep it as-is.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Not to begrudge them their fee, but a rebuild/reblue like that from a top revolversmith would probably have cost you twice as much.

 

[LTR shooter]

Wow! Very impressive! I did not expect the 19 to look that good!

 

[Maj Dad]

That Does It

I'm sending my go fishing Mod 10 4" 38 hvy bbl to S&W. Paid $150 for it a couple of years ago, looks like a refugee from Viet Nam (perfect bore & internals, which is why I bought it); I have been trying to decide how to refinish it - lot of light pitting all over & blue wear (as in bare metal). I will take pics before & after & post them so others can be motivated to beautify their dogs...

 

[Oro]

Sparkyguy66, yeah, I agree with SGW42, do not reblue that 27, and it is way more than 90% based on that photo. More like 98% based on what I see.

This is a 1970 vintage 27, and it has that "go swimming in it" blue (that's how I think of it). This photo doesn't really show it in it's full glory. SaxonPig probably has some photos of some of his multiple-nice 27's that shows it better.

 

[sparkyguy66]

Daggum, Oro. That gun in beautiful.

 

[girvin02]

Lighting can have a big effect on how the bluing looks. For example:

Indoor Lighting


Outdoor (natural) Lighting

 

[pittspilot]

Has anyone sent back a gun to be re-nickled? I have a 586 no dash with a chip in the nickel that never had the magnum mod. Am now thinking about sending it back.

 

[Eightball]

Nicely done. Good work there.

 

[BCRider]

Sparky, about your 27. It's your gun of course but for myself, and I'm sure others will agree, some light but rightous signs of use add to the finish rather than degrade it. Such things as light holster wear around the muzzle and cylinder and a light to moderate ring around the cylinder along with some light and small handling marks all speak of the history it has seen. For most of us this adds depth to the character of the gun. I have to agree with Oro and the other poster in saying that your gun is wonderful as it sits from what I can see of it in the pictures. It's certainly a LONG way from being a candidate for re-blueing.

 

[SaxonPig]

Your 19 looks nice. I agree that you need to lose those stocks. I would refinish the smooth Targets or find some correct period Magnas.

This 27 suffered damage to the finish on the cylinder. I sent it to S&W for refinishing because it was really unacceptable as it was. They advised me that since the mid 1990s they have been forced to use a different bluing chemical due to EPA regulations and the new finish isn't as blue or as deep as seen on the older guns as a result. I can barely tell the difference between the cylinder and the frame and I doubt someone who didn't know the cylinder was refinished would notice.





Generally speaking, on S&W revolvers the finish is slightly less well polished from one decade to the next. The guns from the 1950s are a tad better than the ones from the 1960s, etc. Check out the blue and case hardening on this 1955 Terrier. The metal looks like a pool of oil. Hard to capture in a photo how deep it truly looks.

 

[SaxonPig]

Sparky- I agree that your 27 looks just fine the way it is and refinishing would be a serious mistake. That gun don't hardly look broke in let alone wore out.

You want to see a 357 with real character?

 

[SGW42]

Someone still needs to define "magna" grips to me.

The only difference I can see between what has been shown as magna grips and the "Dymondwood" grips I have on it now are the magnas are made of walnut and seem to have a slightly more round appearance to them.

What was OEM equipment on 19s? I've only seem them with checkered (and only very rarely smooth) target grips. But like I said I am not super thrilled with the feel of the target grips, seems like they are a bit much for .38s.