I bought this M27 some years back as LNIB but when it arrived I noticed it has a spot of corrosion, probably where the box had been in contact during storage. I called the seller who seemed genuinely surprised and after some discussion offered to refund a bit of the purchase price as compensation. The revolver otherwise appeared unfired and as represented so I took his offer and kept it. I'm not complaining at all but am wondering if I should try to have it touched up or just leave it as it is? I know next to nothing about finishes so unless there's something that a novice could easily do I would have to have it done. At this point my intention is to leave it unfired and hand it down to one of my children. What would you do?




The spot is on the frame between the crown and barrel.

Yeah, I would also be a bit disappointed, but just a bit. It's much prettier than the ones most of us don't have.....

Were it mine, I'd rub the spot with a pink eraser, clean with alcohol, and try a bit of cold blue with a Q-tip. I would then be happy with it. Most of us have much more obvious blemishes.

My 2 cents

I don't like blemishes myself on like-new guns! It's hard to tell on the photos how deep the rust is, but personally I would use a fiberglass-tipped brush pen, with the ideally smallest tip, maybe buy a few of them. If the tip is too wide it will introduce new scratches, but this will remove most all of the rust. Next use a cold blue of your choice to dab away the bare metal into the shade of blue/black that you like. I've simplified the steps here but those two things, while not restoring the blemish 100%, will pretty much remove it from initial sight and maybe even memory.

GM

As someone who has inherited an "unfired" S&W revolver, I would personally shoot it and enjoy it, preferably with one of your children. But of course that's up to you. That thing is gorgeous, blemish or no blemish. Thanks for sharing pics.

Sadly I don' think there is any reliable way to touch it up so its unnoticeable without refinishing the frame. Personally I would leave it as it is and protect that area with an oiled patch if you are going to keep it stored in the box.

I recently purchased a Model 15 with 2 similar sized marks. using a lot of oil I gently rubbed both spots with some fine brass wool, cleaned the areas with alcohol and put a drop of cold blue on the areas with a toothpick to only cover those spots. Following the blue manufacturers instructions.

Made it look a little better but the spots are still noticeable.

quote:

Originally posted by Sweet Chuckie:
Yeah, I would also be a bit disappointed, but just a bit. It's much prettier than the ones most of us don't have.....

Were it mine, I'd rub the spot with a pink eraser, clean with alcohol, and try a bit of cold blue with a Q-tip.

That's what I'd do. Carefully. Probably first testing the process on an inconspicuous spot, first.

You won't make it disappear, but you can probably make it somewhat less noticeable.

Right now you have a revolver with a honest blemish from long term storage

Short of a polish and full re-blue, you will never be able to touch it up to the point that it is not noticeable

So you will end up with a gun that looks like someone tried to touch up and that would annoy most people more than the blemish itself

I would just make sure that there is no rust in that spot and then give the revolver a nice coat of Renaissance wax to protect everything

I Love the 3 1/2"a

Thanks for the suggestions, I think I have an eraser here. I never heard of a fiberglass brush pen but I'll pick one up and try it on something else first. I just don't want to make it worse by trying to make it better.

Uh oh so Cold blue comes in different colors. How does one pick the best match, dab different ones on a pice of steel first and compare it to the gun's color?

quote:

Originally posted by 1KPerDay:
As someone who has inherited an "unfired" S&W revolver, I would personally shoot it and enjoy it, preferably with one of your children. But of course that's up to you. That thing is gorgeous, blemish or no blemish. Thanks for sharing pics.

Well that'll be up to whichever of my children gets it. They'll get a few other S&W and Colt revolvers that have been used as well, but it'll up to them to decide whether to keep the unfired ones unfired or not.

colt_saa does have a point: Sometimes an honest blemish is preferable to a hack hiding attempt.

My very first firearm, an OM Ruger Single Six Convertible, has holster wear along the side of the barrel, on the left side (?), near the muzzle. I've never considered trying to touch it up.

This is different, but, still...

While replying I see others have as well, suggesting to just leave it.
Colt_saa I have kept the gun wiped down with a silicone cloth and in addition a dab of oil on the rust spot. It stays in my safe with a Golden Rod and desiccant so hasn't gotten worse. In fact it's the only piece I have with a spot of corrosion, even ones I have that are worn through bluing to metal stay shiny and rust free. After seeing what likely caused this I now place wax paper between all my guns and whatever they touch such as the cardboard box in this case.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
colt_saa does have a point: Sometimes an honest blemish is preferable to a hack hiding attempt.

My very first firearm, an OM Ruger Single Six Convertible, has holster wear along the side of the barrel, on the left side (?), near the muzzle. I've never considered trying to touch it up.

This is different, but, still...

Thanks for your advice but this reminds me.... I hope I don't have to take back "I don't have another pistol with a rust spot" because I have a Ruger Single Six Convertible that I've had since a kid and it moved with me from apartment to various houses all the while in it's cardboard box. I've not had it out in a few years, I'll get it out this evening.

You Sir have a Grail Gun for me. I am sure it was not cheap but, enjoy the revolver. I am guilty of putting cylinder rings on blue revolvers driving home from the gun shop. My favorite firearms are "well used but, not abused"...VI

I wouldn't touch it.

Right now you can claim a truly NIB gun that's never been fired. As far as you know, with complete honesty, that spot was from the box sitting like any other gun would be.

A fixed up blem, in my mind, makes it less valuable than leaving it alone. It's like finding a penny that came from the mint with a blem and instead of leaving it as found, you correct the blem and think you've turned it into a better penny. You haven't.

I'd leave it alone and let the blem be part of the history of the gun. It's not rusting or anything else. Wipe it was a silicon cloth or Eezox and put it away.

an honest blem isn't bad, I'd stick with the original finish, and why not get some CorrosionX CLP that will protect the gun well and act as CLP.

I've had a lot of success with that product basically stopping any more oxidization happening etc.

I would leave it alone, shoot it while I am still alive and then maybe leave it for one of my kids if they were into guns. Since my kids are not into guns to the point I am, I would sell it before I died to someone who would enjoy it

This message has been edited. Last edited by: usncorpsman,

Thank all of you for your insight, I think I'll just leave well enough alone. As I said they can decide whether they want it as a shooter or "unfired" collector (with a rust spot LOL).

As far as "why don't I shoot it" I have another 27-2, 6" that I enjoy target shooting so I'm not sure what's to be gained by turning the 3 1/2" into a shooter? I doubt it'll be as accurate and it's too large (for me) to considering carrying.

Congrats on owning a fine pair of 27s!

I’m a 27 fan myself. I’d likely leave it as-is AND still shoot the heck out of it haha…

The 27s are indeed a special breed, regardless.

Were it mine, I'd consider that blemish (and the turn ring) guilt-free permission to take that magnificent handgun out and put some rounds through it. I'm not saying beat on it, but a 3" revolver is designed to be carried and shot, and since it's no longer perfect, IMO there's no harm in using it as intended. Obviously your gun, your choice. Whatever you decide, I would not refinish it. Simply oil it to keep it from getting worse, and carry on, appreciating it for what it is. Blemish or no blemish, it's still a beautiful gun!

Good points 92.

Sounds like you have decided to not fool with it. IMHO, a good decision.

I started off with blued revolvers in the late Sixties. Occasionally, I have attempted to do spot re-blue on a few of them. Never worked satisfactorily.

If it's corrosion, you have to make sure it is not active. Other than that, I have found it nearly impossible to spot re-blue satisfactorily, for a number of reasons.

Nice gun. In the Seventies I had the cheaper cousin, a M28 6". Highly accurate and I routinely used it for woodchucks (ground hogs). Easily made 50-yard shots using full-house 125JHP's.