Rusty S&W Model 19-3

Geezer

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Me and a good friend and forum member did some trading several months before I moved to Texas. Two guns that I got were a 2" S&W Model 64, and a very nice S&W Model 19-3. To pack the guns to move, I put them both in a plastic case that has the egg crate type foam in it.

After we got settled in, one day I decided to fondle some revolvers. When I got to the case that had these two guns and opened it, I got sick to my stomach. The cylinder of the 19-3 had bright red spots all over it. It didn't look like rust, too bright red. Nowhere else on the 19 had the spots, just the cylinder. The Model 64 was perfect. I went to work with all of the usual stuff, Flitz, bronze wool, Hoppes, I tried them all. I was able to remove the bright red spots but the damage was done. I was so upset that it never occurred to me to get a before picture. Here is a picture after I worked on it.

cylinder.jpg

I didn't know what to do next. I thought about turning the gun into a beater .357. Nah, I already have some beater .357's. I didn't want to keep it and I knew that I couldn't sell it, no one would want it. So, I just put it away and tried to forget about it. But, I couldn't do that, either.

One day I called Ford's Refinishing and told them what I had. We decided that their high polish blue would be the closest match....but, it still wouldn't match. Oh well, it had to be an improvement so, I sent my cylinder to Florida. About 6 weeks later my cylinder came back to me. It looked beautiful. It almost looks wet in this picture.

Cylinder 2.jpg

Here is the completed gun.

Model 19-3.jpg
It is not a perfect match but I can live with it. Ford's does amazing work. I have seen several complete guns that they have done for some friends. I have a couple of Colt single actions from the 1960's that have some honest wear. I have thought of sending them to Ford's but can't bring myself to do it.

Oh, and that plastic box that I had the revolvers in, it went to the dumpster.
 
Brother, I know that feeling. To begin with, this looks amazing, so good work.

About 10 years ago my dad let me borrow his Colt series 70 1911. Beautiful blued finish. He rarely, if ever used it. So I was having a blast shooting it at the range. Took it home and thought "I want to show dad how thankful I am for letting me use it, so Ill give it a good, solid, deep cleaning." Well, when putting it back together I put a nice idiot mark while putting the slide stop in. I nearly puked with disgust with myself. Had to give it back to him and explain my goof. He took it in stride like a dad will do, but since then I have told him that its one gun I am not letting out of the family if I can help it, it will be a constant reminder to me to not fart around with stuff I am unfamiliar with especially when its not my stuff..
 
That was the "bad" of the 19's and 27's of that era, that high gloss blue. But, the "good" was seeing your reflection in the finish and trying to see to the bottom of that finish.
 
Brother, I know that feeling. To begin with, this looks amazing, so good work.

About 10 years ago my dad let me borrow his Colt series 70 1911. Beautiful blued finish. He rarely, if ever used it. So I was having a blast shooting it at the range. Took it home and thought "I want to show dad how thankful I am for letting me use it, so Ill give it a good, solid, deep cleaning." Well, when putting it back together I put a nice idiot mark while putting the slide stop in. I nearly puked with disgust with myself. Had to give it back to him and explain my goof. He took it in stride like a dad will do, but since then I have told him that its one gun I am not letting out of the family if I can help it, it will be a constant reminder to me to not fart around with stuff I am unfamiliar with especially when its not my stuff..

Alcohol and a small buffing wheel is the reason my most treasured BHP has a trigger with gold on one side and a nickel look on the other.

@BatteryOaksBilly
 
I've never figured out why it was just the cylinder that rusted. It was all around the cylinder but nowhere else on the rest of the revolver.
 
Alcohol and a small buffing wheel is the reason my most treasured BHP has a trigger with gold on one side and a nickel look on the other.

@BatteryOaksBilly
Rouge and a buffing wheel might have yielded a different result. ;)
 
I've never figured out why it was just the cylinder that rusted. It was all around the cylinder but nowhere else on the rest of the revolver.



Possibly because of the type steel the cylinder is made of??? Anyone know if the rest of the gun is something different from the cylinder? Just random thoughts I have when the pain meds wear off. :oops:




Oh and you can call me "no one " as well cause I would love to own one.
 
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I've never figured out why it was just the cylinder that rusted. It was all around the cylinder but nowhere else on the rest of the revolver.

Had a revolver do me the exact same way. kept it in an aftermarket eggshell box and it happened only on the cylinder. Ive since heard not to store in those types of foam...Lucky for me, mine was a taurus i got for 180$ so i didnt feel the gut wrenching you had. I ended up bead blasting whole gun and blueing it. Comes out flat black with no shine, very "tacti-cool". Sorry for your situation but looks like it came out beautifully. I imagine you wouldnt have a hard time finding that one a new home if you ever desired. Congrats on the fix!
 
Thereā€™s not enough alcohol to make that the case. :eek:
That depends on how much it takes for you to pass out.
He has low standards from what I've hear, just don't know how low.
 
What is it about that foam that does that? Is it the chemical makeup of the foam itself or does it trap something inside itself?
 
I know that sometimes the cylinder and barrel will have some sort of slightly different steel than the frame and on occasion it will cause the blue to turn to a plum color. I've owned several Revolvers that have had part turn a slightly plum color. Most people think that is a sure sign of a reblue, but I have asked 2 of the most knowledgeable gun people around and have been told that is is a slight difference in the steel and it reacts different to the heat that was used in the initial blue. It gets way to scientific for my country brain, but I'm guessing that @Geezer revolver has some sort of the same thing happen. Enough difference in the steel that it reacted with the foam rubber and the frame and barrel didn't. I really have no clue, but its as good of a guess as I've heard so far.
 
I know that sometimes the cylinder and barrel will have some sort of slightly different steel than the frame and on occasion it will cause the blue to turn to a plum color. I've owned several Revolvers that have had part turn a slightly plum color. Most people think that is a sure sign of a reblue, but I have asked 2 of the most knowledgeable gun people around and have been told that is is a slight difference in the steel and it reacts different to the heat that was used in the initial blue. It gets way to scientific for my country brain, but I'm guessing that @Geezer revolver has some sort of the same thing happen. Enough difference in the steel that it reacted with the foam rubber and the frame and barrel didn't. I really have no clue, but its as good of a guess as I've heard so far.
A lot of Ruger Security/Service/Speed Six guns would turn purple after a while. The same for the Mark II Model 77 rifles Ruger made. I had a 25-06 that had a purple bolt handle. And this was back before Prince became popular.
 
I know that sometimes the cylinder and barrel will have some sort of slightly different steel than the frame and on occasion it will cause the blue to turn to a plum color. I've owned several Revolvers that have had part turn a slightly plum color. Most people think that is a sure sign of a reblue, but I have asked 2 of the most knowledgeable gun people around and have been told that is is a slight difference in the steel and it reacts different to the heat that was used in the initial blue. It gets way to scientific for my country brain, but I'm guessing that @Geezer revolver has some sort of the same thing happen. Enough difference in the steel that it reacted with the foam rubber and the frame and barrel didn't. I really have no clue, but its as good of a guess as I've heard so far.

Old gunsmithing instructor said something very similar so i have to agree with you. I asked why some blue guns take on a purpleish tint and He said not all carbon steel is the same... and the same for stainless. He got tired of explaining to people why their kimber stainless guns were coming in rusty. something about the percentage of nickel they used. I dont remember if it was too much or not enough but that was apparently the culprit for the rusting stainless situation.
 
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