[RickS]

On Pythons that are factory nickle plated from the git-go, do they require the same attention to polishing before being plated that a Royal Blued Python would get? Or is the nickle plating more forgiving of a less than spectacular polishing job? Thanks, and no I'm not going to try to nickle plate it at home!

 

[weagle99]

Royal Blue and nickel Colts were polished to the same level per Al De John, former Colt employee.

 

[Onomea]

I certainly don't dispute the statement by the Colt employee that both were prepolished equally, but I have read that nickel does not require the prepolish that a good blue does.

 

[GUNKWAZY]

That is just due in part to the nickel plating actually filling in small voids vs. the blueing just coloring the voids in the steel.
If you measured the thickness of an unplated barrel, then plated it, the barrel would now be larger by a couple thousanths of an inch, where a blued gun will not change it's size. At least nothing unless you get into a very large amount of digits after the decimal point.

Jeff (GUNKWAZY)

 

[dfariswheel]

According to the Colt employees who worked on the Python, metal that's nickel plated requires a higher level of polishing than a standard blue job requires.

What set the Python apart is, this was the first time a pistol had the same level of polishing for a blue finish as for a nickel plated finish.
In other words, Colt polished the gun to the same level for bluing as they did for nickel.

For many years there was a "urban legend" that Colt and other gun companies nickel plated "factory second" guns.

Guns that had a problem with the polishing or an "Oops" in the metal were nickel plated "to hide the defect".

In fact, a defect is made MORE noticeable when it's plated than when blued.

This rumor was so common, that up until a few years ago, a nickel plated gun was usually cheaper than the same gun in blue.

 

[VDM]

dfariswheel,

I have heard those rumors (nickel plated guns were factory seconds) as well...

Thanks for puting me (and I am sure, others) at ease...
U-Da-Man!!!

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RickS]

Yes! thanks dFaris, I even seem to recall in print somewhere (possibly an Ayoob artical) that the defective polished Pythons were the ones nickle plated. Having seen so many choice examples of nickle plated Pythons here and elsewhere I have failed ever to see what could possibly have been *defective* and thus requiring nickle plating.

 

[silverpython]

Hello,

How can you tell if a python is a stainless steel or nickel plated?

 

[A1A]

Nickel plating tends to have a yellowish tinge. Although I don't have Pythons or Anacondas or King Cobras, the SS guns I do have all have an S stamped inside the ejector rod shroud. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[lonewolf]

The "myth" probably had a legitimate start-but NOT to Colts and S&Ws!

Ever notice how many more of the old spur trigger revolvers called "suicide specials" were nickle plated?? Literally ALL! These sub quality arms were not outside polished and sent to a plater. The same is true,to a lesser degree to the top breaks and sold frame revolvers made by I.J.,H&R,and some others,with more than one "trade name". Blued ones,in nice shape,bring a premuim to those who collect these.

Colts and Smiths,I think got "caught up" in this old legend. As far as nickled guns bringing LESS,in years past,a lot of this is appearance. A 50% to 90% specimum in blue,usually takes on a patina,and the "bare spots" DON'T stand out like those on a nickled piece do. Just more attractive to the eye.

Flayderman has pointed this out in his books.

Bud /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif