Girlfriend's Birthday Gift - GPNY

[weaselmeatgravy]

My girlfriend was wanting a home protection piece. She is the daughter of a retired 35 year veteran of S&W in Springfield, MA, and thought she had best get a Smith to keep peace in the family. But she didn't ask Dad for a gun, she asked me :!: So I showed her some Rugers, an SP101, a Speed Six, a GP100, and a Redhawk. She liked the feel and heft of the 4" GP best, but thought the standard grips were a little big. So I went shopping on-line and found a GPNY incorrectly listed as a Service Six on one of the auction sites for a very reasonable opening bid. I ended up being the only bidder, so got a great deal on it.

It was a little rough when I got it. Scratched up from years of carry, worn Pachmayr grips, etc.

After a few evenings with a Scotch Brite pad, a touch of cold blue on the front sight, and some new compact grips from Brownell's with inserts from a forum member, here is what she will be opening later this week:

DAO spurless hammer, .38 Special, fixed sights, 3" barrel. These were NYPD duty weapons, which is where the GPNY comes from.

I think she's gonna like it!

Besides being an ideal gun for her purposes, it is also a fairly scarce collectible model on the lowest end of the known SN range for the KGPFNY-831.

I get along pretty well with her dad, so no worries there

:?: This is the only GPNY that I have ever handled, so one question for those of you who have them - do these guns, in general, NOT have the "RUGER GP100 ®" rollmark on the side of the barrel? I guess that explains why the seller was confused as to what to call it.

 

[one bullet]

I've heard of cold blue before but don't remember seeing it anywhere. I bought a speed six that needs the same thing on the front site. Is the cold blue hard to use? I can't answer your question about the GP, I'm a security six, speed six, and service six fan like you are. What grit or type of scotch brite did you use? Your gun looks great by the way!

 

[BDM]

You did an excellent job, looks great. I have a Taurus model 85 that has the concealed hammer, making it effectively double-action only. I bet she will like it!

 

[Bountyhunter]

She will love it! You did a great job! I have to ask, did you take the gun apart when you dulled it with the scotchbrite?

 

[bronco45]

NICE JOB, NICE GIFT!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bigbore45colt]

Nice find, Bob!! I've been looking for a 3" for a while. I much prefer the 3" barrel for carrying and general handiness.

My 4" GPNY has no GP100 stamping on the barrel. Just the normal Ruger warning on the left side and the .38 Special caliber stamping on the right.

BB45C

 

[Terry T]

Yes, both the SPs and the GPs made up for the NYPD do not have the logo on the barrel.
I have a 4" GPFNY and a SPNY but I've not seen a 3" GPFNY before. I'd say "VERY RARE". The compact GP grips would be the correct ones, and I believe the plastic SP inserts are also correct.
Terry T

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Nice Bob!!!
What color Scotch Brite pad did you use?

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Thanks for the compliments guys!

As to the questions:

1. My cold blue is Outers brand, a very old 2 oz bottle my dad got at some point in the 1970's. It works better than the stuff that is currently available and therefore has probably been banned by the EPA

2. I used a green Scotch Brite pad. I had gray ones on hand but started with the finer green one and that seemed to match the original dull finish pretty well. I did not disassemble the gun for the polishing, just went over what I could get to and then had some clean-up work getting the green grit out of everything.

The RENE Reference says the first run of GPNY were a special dull finish and had "all-rubber" grips. There were overruns with wood inserts and a standard brushed finish but those have spurred hammers and were 4" only.

Interesting to learn about the lack of rollmark on the barrel on these.

The low # in RENE for the 3" is 172-08467 and this one is 172-086xx

edit: Oops, this one is 172-085xx

Geez, I almost want to keep it for my collection and dig up some cheap model 66 to give to the S&W chick :lol:

 

[one bullet]

I would keep it. She probably wouldn't care either way. S&W 66 is a nice piece too!

 

[S. Kelly]

Very nice GPNY. I think thge 3 inch barrel's the best for all around usage. My GPNYs do not have the GP100 roll stamp on the barrel. And it's a rare bird.

 

[Pinecone]

wmg, Let me give you some "gunsmith" advice about women. You had better give her the GP period! There will come a day(s) when you will be glad you did. Trust me!.....................Dick :idea:

 

[ubme]

WMG, you did a great job on this gun. This will be a great home defense gun for her and I'm sure she'll like it.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Hmmm..... I know for certain that I could score just as many brownie points with a pair of opal earrings I saw at Zales for about what I've got in the GPNY........... 8)

 

[flounder22]

If it were me, I would have to keep that gun for myself and get her something else. Don`t know how long she`s been your girlfriend but they sometimes come and go. Hate to see you lose the gun.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

flounder22, she is quick to point out that it will be 5 years in January.

She most recently pointed that out this past Sunday. :roll:

 

[Bountyhunter]

2. I used a green Scotch Brite pad. I had gray ones on hand but started with the finer green one and that seemed to match the original dull finish pretty well. I did not disassemble the gun for the polishing, just went over what I could get to and then had some clean-up work getting the green grit out of everything.

How'd you do the cleaning afterwards.

Thanks.

 

[Easy Ed]

There's sure nothing wrong with that. It trips my trigger. Gotta love'm.

Ed

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

flounder22, she is quick to point out that it will be 5 years in January.

She most recently pointed that out this past Sunday. :roll:

Bob, Hang in there my wife was my Fiancee for 13 years and bought
me a new gun every year for Xmas. She finally mixed Hopees #9 &
Vanilla extract and put a dab behind each ear :shock: The rest is history :mrgreen:
Terry

 

[outlaw_dogboy]

..... She finally mixed Hopees #9 &
Vanilla extract and put a dab behind each ear :shock: The rest is history :mrgreen:
Terry

Now THAT's funny, I don't care who you are!