Not exactly. My first M1903 Pocket Hammerless was electroplate nickeled over a belt-sander polish job when I bought it. I sent it to Ron Mahovsky for a strip and hard chrome, but after he inspected it he called me and recommended electroless nickel as a better choice to hide the pitting and overenthusiastic buffing flaws. I plated this Colt because it reached me in poor condition -- it was basically a salvage job. In addition to refinishing, I had to replace the shot-out barrel, cracked grips and all the springs.
I kept it almost 20 years until I found a couple more examples in better condition -- it belongs to my buddy Bob now. He now has both .32 and .380 barrels for it, and it shoots fine with both.
I wouldn't consider plating any vest pocket Colt or Browning that is in reasonably good condition -- they're pricey nowadays and it would ruin their value.
If you're looking for a more resistant finish on something like this, consider hunting down one of the stainless steel Bauer .25s instead:
Many years ago I had Ron Mahovsky hard chrome several guns, most notably a Beretta Model 20 and a Model 70 S. I don't have the Model 20 any more but I still have the Model 70 S. After some 40 plus years the gun still looks as good as the day I got it back from Metalife!
If you're looking for a rust resistant finish in a .25 ACP vest pocket pistol, maybe try a Lightweight Baby Browning. The frame is aluminum alloy and the slide and other parts are bright chrome plated over a layer of electroless nickel.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.