Refinishing an antique Smith and Wesson First Mod. DA

LawrenceN

LawrenceN

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
240   0   0
Location
Toronto (West end)
Well didn't I set myself a chore! I'd bought an antique Smith & Wesson in .44 Russian with the intention of having a good, big-bore bush carry sidearm. Mechanically, it's pretty good but cosmetically it was pretty grotty. I'm pretty handy, mechanically, and though looks were secondary to function I decided to make 'er look a lot better. I won't go into the whole process, but suffice it to say it was a very fiddly challenge. If I had access to a shop it would have made the task much easier. Given the freckling extant on the pistol and the pitted muzzle I could only do so much without removing so much steel that it would have compromised the structural integrity of the pistol. Is it 100%? Nope, but it is 100% better than when I got my hands on it. Should any of my fellow gunnutz be faced with the same situation, feel free to contact me if you think my experience will be of value. For now, enjoy. I don't think I have to point out the before and after pics. BTW, comments pro or contra are welcome.
 
Antique and refinishing aren't really something I particularly like... but if it is for your personal use and loss of collectible value is not a concern I would say go for it... but you already have...
 
Given it's condition when I got it and the amount of concealed rust I found, it was a shooter grade, not a collectible grade pistol. I'm fully aware of the two schools of thought regarding refinishing or restoration. Each viewpoint has it's valid points but at the end of the day, it's a matter of personal preference.
 
You had a decent used pistol that would have benefitted from a careful cleaning and preservation.
You chose to do something that cannot be undone. You will own it for only a few of its 140 odd years.
There is restoration. There is refinishing. Not sure what you did.
Please tell us that isn't cold blue.
 
LawrenceN said:
Given it's condition when I got it and the amount of concealed rust I found, it was a shooter grade, not a collectible grade pistol. I'm fully aware of the two schools of thought regarding refinishing or restoration. Each viewpoint has it's valid points but at the end of the day, it's a matter of personal preference.
Click to expand...

Looks good. Agreed. There is no shortage of opinions on what others think you should do with your stuff. At the end of the day, if it improves the look or function, it’s AOK.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom