Neglected my S&W 317, finish is damaged. Help?

[Scoundrel]

A couple of weeks ago, I went ATV riding with some buddies and my dad (he's 72), and we brought some handguns along for some plinking.

The problem is, my dad crashed his ATV and broke his collarbone. That's no excuse for not properly unpacking my guns and returning them to their usual storage location when I got home, but that's what happened.

Anyway, the 317 was in a pocket of a bag, and got exposed to some moisture for a while. The result is... ...interesting.

The trigger rusted a little. No big deal, that cleaned up easily. But the nickel finish is another story. It got speckled. I don't know any other way to describe it (picture below).

I've long since resigned myself to the fact that the nickel finish on this revolver is thin and fragile, and has already become damaged in places where carbon builds up and is difficult to remove, and where little impacts have gouged the finish as well. It's a pretty gun from a distance, but close up it has some issues Oh well, it's not a show piece.

But, this speckling is weird, and I'm wondering if there is anything I can do about it. Please see the photo and tell me what you think.

[340pd]

If you don't get a satisfactory answer here, go over to
http://www.smithandwessonforums.com/index.php?sid=4a01726524acc0dc925ce61e9569b2a0
equally helpful members as is this forum.

[gb6491]

I believe the 317 has an aluminum barrel shroud (along with an aluminum frame and cylinder), so it will require media blasting and new clear coat to bring it back to spec. Your safest bet to achieve that is to contact S&W and ask them about it refinishing it.
Alternatively, you could blast it yourself (most likely have to blast the entire gun to achieve an even finish) then painting it with clear (or another color if you so desire) DuraCoat /Gun Kote/Aluma-Hyde II/etc.
Regards,
Greg

[Scoundrel]

Hmm.

Not sure I'm interested in putting out the cost of sending it back to S&W for a refinish job. I was hoping someone would say "Oh, that's easy, just rub it with some of this stuff and it'll smooth right out." or something along those lines.

S'pose there's no harm in contacting S&W anyway, just to see what they'd charge to clean it up and replace that mangled ejector rod.

[Scoundrel]

Contacted S&W. A refinish job is about $200. Add shipping to that and you're looking at 1/2 the cost of a new one. Not gonna happen for a plinker, even a pretty one.

I did order a new ejector rod though. That mangled one is coming OFF, one way or another (the good news is that now I know it's reverse threaded).

[downtownv]

Still shoots, though, Right?

[Scoundrel]

I'm sure it does, though I have not taken it shooting since this happened. These are purely cosmetic issues.

[Bawanna]

And most importantly, how is dad getting along with the busted collar bone? Guns come and go, dad's are a once in a life time kind of deal.

[Scoundrel]

Yeah, that's why the guns got completely forgotten. I even left a swinging metal reactive target on the ground in the parking area and drove off without it, I was so distracted.

Dad's doing well. He keeps sending me photos of the bruise on his ribs as it progresses. It hurts like hell, but he handles it well. He's even made jokes about going riding again next month. Next time he suggests it, I'm going to tell him that he's not going riding with me again until he can give me 10 push-ups. If he can only manage 5, then he only gets to ride shotgun in the side-by-side.

[340pd]

It's a gun. It does not effect the functioning. Shoot it and enjoy. Consider it a "character mark". If you feel up to it I would carefully remove the sideplate and check the innards for rust. youtube can be your friend.

[Scoundrel]

Sideplate is no problem on this beastie. After taking apart a NAA mini-revolver, I'm ready for anything this thing can dish out. Man, those things are a pain in the butt.

The trigger rust was only a light sprinkling on the lower part (you can still see some in this latest pic because I haven't bothered to clean it up yet). So I didn't expect to see any in there when I took it apart, and indeed there was none.

Dunno how many times I gotta say it (I guess once for each reply that doesn't look like the poster read what I said above), but I acknowledge that a gun's gonna get marks, and they're cosmetic, and I have no problem with that. Only reason I asked about it is because it's a widespread mottling over the entire surface, and I wondered if there was an easy fix I didn't know about.

[Tinman507]

Admittedly, I know nothing about gun finishes, but if this has a clearcoat on it, is the cc what's mottled or is it into the metal?
Would it be worth trying some Flitz and a soft cloth to see if it comes off?
Just a dumb thought...

[downtownv]

:DGun Shoots. Pops ok. It's all good..... until the detective shows up for Elder abuse.

[Scoundrel]

It does have a clear coat and I think that is what is mottled.

I have not used Flitz before. It is an abrasive? Is it designed for use on bare metal or painted surfaces?

S'pose I can go read up on it.

[TheTman]

Flitz is a polishing compound, mildly abrasive I believe. People use it to polish feed ramps so it must not be too abrasive.

[Bawanna]

Most all the small Smiths have the clear coat. I have several around here at the dept where they used to harsh a cleaner and took the CC off. They look like heck but like you say it's cosmetic.

Does drive you nuts though. One detective here is quite in love with Jeepsters finishes and plans to send his off for a paint job and XS sight and Magna Port.
Told him he was a Jeepster clone but he was ok with that.

The Flitz is very mild abrasively, not sure it would cut the clear coat or not, it if did it would be a slow process. If you could get it off and polish everything evenly it might look pretty nice.
Something like brake cleaner I imagine would melt it right off. Might be risky though, not sure I'd have enough gumption to try it myself but your braver than I.

The inside of that thing isn't nearly as complicated as I expected. Never went that deep in one before.

[Scoundrel]

I think I'll just start telling myself it's supposed to look like that. Maybe one day I'll believe it.

[jeepster09]

www.ahlmans.com (http://www.ahlmans.com)

Ahlman's refinishs guns! It would sure look nice Green/Black


http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv276/jeepster09/IMG-20120418-00203.jpg

[yqtszhj]

I bet Jeepsters house and cars are all black and OD green too. I have to admit it's growing on me.

[les strat]

Try polishing it with some carnuaba wax?