Removing Nickel Plating from Guns

rhmc24

This subject has been mentioned from time to time. This is my little success story report. I have several collectible pistols that someone had nickel plated. This one is a .45 Colt Single Action made in the 1890s. I ordered Brownell's product that removes nickel plating without electrical or temperature requirements. It is in two components that you mix one part each and add three parts distilled water. Instructions say to suspend the parts in the chemical and it takes from 30 minutes to four hours to remove nickel, depending on how thick the plating is, room temp, etc. I found that it took up to six hours to remove from corners and crevasses. I used hydrant water. Maybe distilled water would have been quicker. One batch I left in over night. The parts are left black which wipes off readily, leaving a clean polished surface with no chemical etching to the surface. Product costs about $40 but there is enough to do many guns.

modoc

Thanks a big pile.I've been trying to find out how good that stuff was without screwing up a gun or two.It seems thast you are satisfied and would do it again if required.I'll send for some Monday.Thanks.

BILL
KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY.BUT NOT HOT.....

rhmc24

I'm very satisfied with it. I had used it a couple times before on guns that had only a part of the nickel left and I wanted to remove it, polish it again and re-nickle. Also I had used it on guns that it did not work - later to find that they were chrome plated. It won't remove chrome. I have used the brush plating from Texas Plating Supply - they adveritise in Gun List - it works very well, considering the minimal cost and only equipment required is a couple flashlight batteries.

captkirk3@dslextreme.com

Are you absolutly Positive that your COLT is'nt a Factory Nickle Plated Gun?...Before destroying the value, I'd be doing some letter writing to Colt for the History of this Gun.....I know a guy in Phoenix that had a Colt Frontier that had been Nickle Plated...He had it deplated and Blued...Turned out that he took a Colt that belonged to Tom Mix and turned a $5000.00 gun into a $500.00 gun...A real Magician...!!!!!All it took was a letter.....

Captain Kirk, Tech Staff

rhmc24

Thanks for your concern. It is a most valid consideration. This one for sure had been nickeled other than factory. Usual tell-tales such as lettering and lines slightly blurred, especially where the grip straps join the frame. For comparison, I have a nickeled 7 1/2" of 17k s/ns, probably an Indian scout piece, except it has had ivories added at some later date. It was probably factory nickeled and about a third of it worn off. I have been in the gun biz one way or the other since the 1930s. Back in the '30s, a real nice SA could be bought here in OK for $5. Many got nickeled for the cowboy performers, and as prizes in the traveling carnivals. Thanks agn. Robert

allen griggs

rhmc24- Did you buy that .45 that you de-nickled about 3 months ago from the auction? I saw one just like that on the auction and the price was right, I was interested but I didn't know if you could get that nickle removed.

"Not as deep as a well, or as wide as a church door, but it is enough."

rhmc24

No it was my Father's, acquired back in the '50s. He had a gun shop then and took in a pair of which this was one. Still have the other one but it is later s/n. Hope this helps. Robert

allen griggs

I see. That one on the auction a few months back was about $700 which seemed about $500 low. They said that it had been nickle plated as an aftermarket deal. I thought it was priced low because of the nickle, I figured you couldn't get it off. Damn, wish I inherited a .45.

"Not as deep as a well, or as wide as a church door, but it is enough."