michael52
Single-Sixer
Did ruger make one that looks kinda like a bright stainless..looks about like nickel it is pretty shiny or has someone polished it out... just says stainless on the box
thanks
thanks
SP101 question, snubby
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infantryman
Single-Sixer
Look in the 1996 catalog, Ruger offered most every model of the SP101 and GP100 in a Factory High Gloss Stainless option which give gives the look of a nickel finish.. I rarely see them but they are indeed in existence. They start with a G prefix such as GKSP831 or GKGPF340 etc...
infantryman said:
Can't say I have a catalog collection to look it up in if I wanted to, nor was I aware a gloss finish SP101 was ever offered, thats interesting to find out, if his gun came polished from the factory I would sure leave it that way.
Saw a used polished one at a gun dealers one day, he was claiming it was custom done and highly expencive to do so he wanted $200 more than it was worth, I had to laugh and told him I can turn any SP101 you have in your case into a highly expencive custom gun then in 5 minutes with my bench buffer give me a call any time someone wants to pay $200 to have a one polished. :lol:
mohavesam
Hawkeye
infantryman said:
+1. I'm sure everyone knew this but just didn't say it until this. The bright-polished SS guns were sought after and done quite well. I have a SBH 4 5/8" Bright bought NIB but I don't have the box and forget what the model number said. I'm not sure what premium they might command today.
Just a comment about scotch brite pads in different colors. Way back when I had heard use a scotch brite pad for restoring the factory finish. I had a Mark II at the time. Still do. Anyway I just used one of the green kitchen "scouring" pads we use in the kitchen (new.) And it did a great job. I still use one on thr Mark II and my sp101. Keeps em looking good.
Pal Val
Buckeye
I went to the trouble of giving a GP100 a mirror-bright polish. Lots of work on the buffing wheels. After a while, I realized that every tiny scratch showed. So, I went back and scoured it with a scotch pad back to the brushed finish. It hides the nicks and scratches better.
Chuck 100 yd
Hunter
I love the high polished look but as Pal Val said, it is not as durable as small scratches really show in the bright surface.
michael52 said:a pic of gun in ? not good but a pic..think i will take it back with the scotch pad
Looking at your pic I'd have to say someone polished it, looks like they missed polishing under where it says Ruger on the barrel, also the number don't match what Infantyman listed as the polished model, still a fine looking gun even if you leave it as is.
6gun said:michael52 said:a pic of gun in ? not good but a pic..think i will take it back with the scotch pad
Looking at your pic I'd have to say someone polished it, looks like they missed polishing under where it says Ruger on the barrel, also the number don't match what Infantyman listed as the polished model, still a fine looking gun even if you leave it as is.
it is just cant tell in the pic ,,its polished everywhere one would expect had it been done at ruger...anyhoo i got the scotch brite...what would 0000 steel wool do, just curious..thanks for all the help
DON'T USE STEEL WOOL ON A STAINLESS STEEL GUN (unless it is stainless steel wool). Regular steel wool can leave teeny tiny pieces in cracks and crevices and then it will rust (read the post about a SR1911 rusting). If you want to take it back to the brushed look use the ScotchBrite pads or you can get buffing wheels for a dremel that have heads with material that are like the ScotchBrite pads. I use these to start the polish job on the triggers and hammers of some of the Six series guns I refurbish/customize (they will take off any surface rust and discoloration and then the parts go to the buffing whell to make them bright and sparkly..
mohavesam
Hawkeye
Personally, I'd find a 'smith locally who would do a beadblast with used plastic media. This is what some market as a "vaporhone" finish. It leaves the surface passivated and gives it a fine "rainbow-ing" effect in bright sunlight. Very classy. I've done this with a couple stainless S&W guns and would do it again, Cheap to get done also!
I'd forget the scotchbright-at-home approach. I'll bet you will never be happy and never get the factory-look, while undoubtedly talking the sharpness from the stampings. If you don't have the power wheels same as factory uses, you won't get the "blend" in the contours and corners.
Consider sending it back to the factory for a re-buff? I did that once with a rusted, pitted SpeedSix and got back a better-than-new stainless finish. All for about $40.
I'd forget the scotchbright-at-home approach. I'll bet you will never be happy and never get the factory-look, while undoubtedly talking the sharpness from the stampings. If you don't have the power wheels same as factory uses, you won't get the "blend" in the contours and corners.
Consider sending it back to the factory for a re-buff? I did that once with a rusted, pitted SpeedSix and got back a better-than-new stainless finish. All for about $40.
GhosT
Blackhawk
As you can tell by this pic
I am a serious fan of STAINLESS RUGERS.
Why? (Besides a RUGER fan of course since 1979)
Cause Owned many stainless guns from other manufactures.......And they were NOT SO STAINLESS!
TRIAL and ERROR...many years of it.
I always catch a poster that gives me hell for posting this ,but...
In that pic posted above, you will see a GP100 that I traded in a stainless COLT PYTHON for!
And freely admit, that PYTHON had the sweetest trigger pull on any revolver I ever owned.
BUT I NEVER, EVER, owned a stainless handgun that wanted to rust more than that PYTHON !
It didn't just rust, It PITTED/in days!
(plus a tad fragile with RUGER capable handloads, had to send it back to COLT a few times
)
{note 20+ years ago, hopefully COLT got better about their metal mix}
MY GP100.......others told me got lucky, just as accurate as the PYTHON.
The Rugers in my pic...Seem to treat rain, snow and sweat, like water off a duck's back.
And the few times they were ignored enough to BARELY show signs of rust,
A "SCOTCH PAD" cleaned it up in seconds.
OWNED hundred of guns since 1979...
None of the guns in the pic. will ever be sold.
EVERY ONE OF THEM proved reliable, accurate,and will outlast me.....
WITH A DULL STAINLESS SHINE
I am a serious fan of STAINLESS RUGERS.
Why? (Besides a RUGER fan of course since 1979)
Cause Owned many stainless guns from other manufactures.......And they were NOT SO STAINLESS!
TRIAL and ERROR...many years of it.
I always catch a poster that gives me hell for posting this ,but...
In that pic posted above, you will see a GP100 that I traded in a stainless COLT PYTHON for!
And freely admit, that PYTHON had the sweetest trigger pull on any revolver I ever owned.
BUT I NEVER, EVER, owned a stainless handgun that wanted to rust more than that PYTHON !
It didn't just rust, It PITTED/in days!
(plus a tad fragile with RUGER capable handloads, had to send it back to COLT a few times
){note 20+ years ago, hopefully COLT got better about their metal mix}
MY GP100.......others told me got lucky, just as accurate as the PYTHON.
The Rugers in my pic...Seem to treat rain, snow and sweat, like water off a duck's back.
And the few times they were ignored enough to BARELY show signs of rust,
A "SCOTCH PAD" cleaned it up in seconds.
OWNED hundred of guns since 1979...
None of the guns in the pic. will ever be sold.
EVERY ONE OF THEM proved reliable, accurate,and will outlast me.....
WITH A DULL STAINLESS SHINE
infantryman
Single-Sixer
You're right GhosT! I think Ruger/Pine Tree Castings has got their formulation of the 400 series stainless steel down to perfection. Investment casting allows for use of a much stronger alloy than the fomulation's used in forged methods so I think that translates into high corrosion resistance. I'm not a metallurgist, I've just done a bit of reading on the methods and see where investment casting science has excelled to squash the old forged is better than investment cast argument. NASA used a bunch of cast parts in the space program where the pressures exerted are exponentially far greater than firearms use.
On a side note I had a .38 SP101 that I disassembled and with a can of Mothers Mag polish , some rags, and countless hours of elbow grease, brought that thing to a completely even mirror shine from stem to stern. I ended up hating that it got smudged and small scratches almost by just looking at the thing and It was not a safe queen, so I got the Maroon Scotchbrite pads out and returned it to an almost factory quality brushed stainless finish.
On a side note I had a .38 SP101 that I disassembled and with a can of Mothers Mag polish , some rags, and countless hours of elbow grease, brought that thing to a completely even mirror shine from stem to stern. I ended up hating that it got smudged and small scratches almost by just looking at the thing and It was not a safe queen, so I got the Maroon Scotchbrite pads out and returned it to an almost factory quality brushed stainless finish.
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