Cautionary Tale About Going To A Gunsmith

Miscellaneous
1

I got a new S&W Model 19-9 comp and carry revolver. After 2 weeks I took the gun to a well known gun shop to have the trigger pull lightened.
When I fired the newly adjusted gun I noticed a trigger reset lag. I went back to the same gunsmith and had him look at the gun. He agreed that the trigger pull had to be adjusted. I know things happen so I thought ok. I had also asked him to put a Dawson Front Site while he had the gun.

I picked up the gun, with newly installed site and improved trigger pull. A few days later, I noticed there was a small chip on the gun! It looked like it was put in a metal vice w/o a pad. I took it to a different gun shop and they confirmed that it looked like a metal to metal chip.

I did not want to get in to a he said/she said with the gunsmith who did the work. I just wanted it fixed. However, because the gun is blue, it had have bluing work.
(NOTE: If you take your gun to a gunsmith, take photos of it on all sides, before dropping it off!)

The best part of this frustrating story, is after researching bluing companies I found:
Precision Bluing in NC. I spoke on the phone with Mark, the owner and we agreed that I would have the gun shipped to him.

Here is the amazing part: Mark called to say that the new S&W Model 19-9 uses a new type of high heat treated surface that the gun cannot be re-blued. He said he called S&W and several gunsmiths to see what was possible. S&W said they had no solution to the chip repair.

Mark said he would give it his best effort and hand paint the chip to match the surface.

I got the gun back today and wow(!) you cannot see the chip,

Chip%20Repair
Chip%20Repair1080Ă—601 424 KB
the surface is so even!
His diligence and quality craftsmanship is remarkable. I have to pass his name:
Precision Bluing: https://precisionbluing.com/

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2

I’ve used the same Gunsmith for years. Last time I took my KSG in the bulb was missing from the charging handle. I just got a new charging handle with light/laser and had it replaced.

Some days I have great fine motor control, others not so great fine motor control. So I use a Gunsmith for things that I may have routinely done myself before.

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That’s some nice work right there. A lot of manufacturer’s are going away from bluing ans it is more cost effective and potentially durable to coat guns now. Unfortunately with revolvers they are always going to have a cylinder lock stripe if you use them.

Cheers,

Craig6

4

I love the blued guns, too bad it is becoming rare. Although some of the new finishes wear pretty good!

Just as an aside, on Colt revolvers like the Python, I was told by a lady I consider an expert on them, that the cylinder wear occurs by rotating the cylinder by hand, not by firing the gun. I always thought they got them by firing…

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It’s my understanding that to reduce the cylinder ring wear, WHEN THE GUN IS UNLOADED, when you close the cylinder don’t turn it to catch… pull back the hammer and slowly let it down (pulling the trigger). However, on a working revolver, it is inevitable, as training and shooting will still wear the ring onto the cylinder.

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6

Is it a a blued revolver or a stainless steel revolver that was coated black? It’s my understanding that the blueing is basically a forced patina, which requires a non-stainless metal. Therefore, if the metal is stainless, it is just a coating on top of the stainless steel.

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