How much can S&W do when rebluing?

[Randy in Arizona]

I have a S&W Model 19-3 that got buffed excessively when it was reblued before I got it. (Cheaply!) The S&W crest on the side is sort of smeared. Can S&W restamp the crest or is it a lost cause? Any idea what they charge nowadays?

 

[Skyviking]

Well, depends on your definition of "cheap". Add the shipping and restoration/refinish costs and you've arrived at the Pristine Pistola Price Plateau.

The amount of work required to correct an inept polish/reblue job (i.e., restore) is staggering. Flats have to be trued, curves given the proper radius, and the lettering and logos recut, usually by hand (read:engraving).

I would forget it and just shoot the thing. Tell your friends that this is the latest in "extreme dehorning" for wheel guns. People pay big money for a certain 1911 maker's examples that they market as such.

"What do we do with all those slides we got back from our Outreach program with Lighthouse for the Blind?"

We market them as our Concealment Defanged Counterfeit Colt! We call it "Tactical", charge enough, and every armchair commando out there will HAVE to have one..."

If you want a shock, just send it back to S&W (WIW the first owner should have done) and see what it will run.

Good Luck!!

 

[Sunray]

It's extremely difficult to get the stamp, that's likely done by a machine as opposed to a guy with a stamp and a hammer, exactly on the same spot as the old one. I'd be inclined to just load some ammo, go shooting and forget about how pretty it is.
Plan 'B' would be to use it as a training piece to teach yourself how to hand engrave and clean up the logo yourself.

 

[Randy in Arizona]

I guess it will just be a beater/shooter then.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Standing Wolf]

This poor Python was badly polished not once, but twice. It was so depressing to look at, I tossed it in the gun safe and ignored it for a couple years.

Finally, I sent it to Michael Gouse: http://www.mtart.com/index.htm

There's no undoing a bad polish job, still less two, but they can be covered up reasonably well.