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Nickel plated Smiths. . .general question.

beantownshootah
Do these require special care?

How durable is the nickel plating? Is it more durable than blueing?

Will it flake off with regular use of the gun? If so, does that just leave bare metal underneath?

Is the nickel easy to refinish? Anything else one should know about these pistols?
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Comments

3 comments

Date Votes
  • Bert H.
    Hello Bean...

    Modern nickel plated guns are quite some bit better than the old timers, and the finish is considerably more durable. Whether or not it is more duarble than bluing... I do not know.

    Once a gun has been nickel plated, it can not be refinished without completely removing the old nickel. However, this can be done with relative ease by a plating shop. One thing to stay away from on the older nickel plated guns in the old Hoppes No. 9... it will disolve the nickel plating over time.

    Winchester applied a light copper wash to the surfaces that were to be nickel plated to help the adhesion of the nickel, so if you were through the nickel, it will not exactly be bare steel. I do not know if S&W did the same thing.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • GaBob
    Bert is correct. That Hoppes #9 will eiether frost the surface or remove the older nickel plating.

    Keep Your Powder Dry
    NRA Life Member
    The only criminal class that is native to the United States is congress.
    MARK TWAIN
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  • Pelican
    Nickel falls in between blue and stainless as far as durability goes. It still requires a good cleaning after use but is not as bad as blue when it comes to rusting rapidly if not wiped down. That said, I am refering to good nickel like factory. Once had a friend get his Colt Trooper plated at the local bumper shop and the first magnum he fired half the nickle FELL OFF the cylinder [:D]. He was embrassed and upset to say the least.

    Pel
    Sarcastic humor a specialty

    Audemus jura nostra defendere"
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