New revolvers

[Lafayette Gregory]

I went to the Shelby show Sunday. First show I have visited in at least two years. I am always lusting over a S&W 686. The sp101 have sparked my interest also. BUT, what I noticed with these handguns at this show was the finishing marks on the guns! I have always viewed these two guns as the highest quality in their category. I remember never seeing swirl marks or machine marks. The examples I remember were always high polish, shiny as a new Cadillac bumper! Has the quality control changed at both these companies? Are these guns the new normal?
Do I have to step up to a python or a custom shop gun to get that next after church BBQ revolver.

 

[RedneckFur]

All of the stainless guns I have have a 'brushed' finish, including a 686-1 from the early 1980's. If you see a high polish, "chrome" looking revolver, it was likely nickel plated. High polish stainless is possible, but its not common.

Nickel plated revolvers used to be far more common years ago, but its fallen out of popularity over time. I suspect some of it is just change in tastes. I've seen some folks refer to them as "pimp guns".

 

[Pop N Shots]

I haven’t seen any issues with the Rugers I have handles lately, but new S&W are a complete mess.

1) S&W Governor (new) - had a decent size deep gouge in the cylinder that was finished over. Sent it back. Second one was spot on and looked great.

2) S&W 500 (new) - opened case and the front sight wasn’t even installed, just laying in the case. Runout marks on the bottom of the frame. Sent it back.

3) S&W 500 #2 (new) - Super deep laser etching on barrel and on frame which looked awful and left the finish spins it white from the heat (I guess). Also, the finish was not budded out to the edges on the frame by a 1/8”- 1/4” in some places. Sent it back

 

[JRV]

To start, Smith and Ruger are not “the highest quality guns in their category” and never have been. They’re the Chevy and Ford of revolvers. Serviceable, reliable, and the only way to go cheaper was, historically, to go Charter Arms or a low quality import.

686s, Model 60s, SP101s, GP100s, Security/Speed Sixes—they’ve never been premium guns.

The high polish finish you’re remembering is probably nickel, if you’re thinking about Smiths.

Even the earliest stainless production-line Smiths were brushed. If you look up pictures of LNIB and mint condition model 60s from the 1960s—the very first stainless revolvers Smith ever made—you’ll see they are all brush finished.

Colt did spend the time to do a high-polish stainless finish on their revolvers. It was called “bright stainless.”

Edit: this sounded snobby. Didn’t mean it to be. Non-premium guns are still good guns, but the 686 was never meant to compete with something like a Python. It competed with guns like the Trooper MKIII. The price of a 686 never put it head to head with a snake gun, and it was not going to get the same attention inside or out.

 

[SergeToll]

that's why old guns value more then new ones.

 

[Mr. Bggs]

A little flitz and you can make any brushed gun mirror shiny. Don't like it? Get a blending pad and take it back to matte stainless. A guy in my gunsmithing class took a model 66 from factory finish to shiny, back to matte again and each version looked great in my opinion. He said it just takes time and elbow grease.

 

[wemoodydc]

I've seen some folks refer to them as "pimp guns".

I have always thought of them that way, and I love them. There is nothing like the finish of an old nickel Smith. I even had a modern gun nickeled and it is just not the same.