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Loaded Stainless Refinish

5K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  crankypop 
#1 ·
I bought a beautiful new Stainless Loaded a few months back. The gun shoots like a dream but I hated the sights that came from the factory. I bought Trijicon HD night sights from a local store and their smith installed the sights.

I love shooting with the new sights. The front sight is much easier to focus on and that has improved my shooting. The problem is, the smith that installed the sights marred the matte finish on the slide top around the front sight and also added an idiot scratch to the frame.

I know that it's a gun and it's bound to get scratched but every time I look at it,which is several times a day, looking at the slide top feels like a punch in the gut.

There are some other work that I want done to the gun, such as front strap checkering and a colt high cut under the trigger guard. Any suggestions on how I should refinish the gun? I'm thinking of either bead blasting the entire gun matte, refinish to factory matte/satin or refinish to black stainless.

I emailed SACS last week for quotations but I guess with the memorial day weekend, it's going to take a while before I get a response.
 
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#4 ·
The idiot scratch doesn't bother me that much as I probably would put one on sooner or later, however the shiny parts around the front sight where it should be matte really bothers me. Thanks for the suggestion to use the scothbrite pads, I'll give it a try.
 
#5 ·
Use the scotch brite pad on the sides of the slide and frame, the top of the slide will need to be re-bead blasted, but holster wear will just do it again. Unless you clear coat the pistol after bead blasting.
 
#6 ·
SACS will refinish a stainless pistol for free following completion of checkering and other upgrades. If you include a nice note, they would probably refinish the top of the slide following refinishing of the front strap. When I sent my slide in to have the top serrated, I knew that they'd refinish it in matte, so I included my magwell that'd been marred from magazine reloads, and of course, they refinished it for free.

I handle and shoot my stainless pistol regularly and manage not to mar the finish.
 
#7 ·
That's good to know. I'll add a note to my work sheet.

I usually take good care of my guns. I managed to keep my loaded scratch free until the trip to the smith. I'm still kicking myself for not sending the gun to SACS to install the sights.

How long does SACS usually take to respond to emails? I emailed them last Thursday and have not heard from them. I know it was memorial day and things usually move more slowly.
 
#8 ·
From experience, 24-48 hours, but based on recent posts, they haven't been quite as responsive in recent weeks. Personally, I would call.

By the way, sorry to hear about the Smith marring your finish. Did he offer any compensation for it? If not, did you ask to be compensated, or even bring it to their attention?

Even small stuff, my pistol goes to SACS. I've sent them my slide just to have the front sight switched to an FO sight, but I did intend to have the base of the front sight blended and contoured to the radius of the frame. In that case, they custom made the base of the sight, and only charged me an additional $30 on top of cost for the standard service. Turn-around time was a week.

Point is, it always pays to deal with competent Smith's like SACS or Alchemy Custom.
 
#9 ·
If I don't get an email from them tomorrow, I'll give them a call. Hope there is someone there to pick up the phone.

The smith said sorry for marring the gun but did not offer any compensation. I did not ask for any too, I was too upset to say anything much. I just paid him and told him that I was not very pleased with the work.

He actually has a great reputation as a 1911 smith locally. I learned my lesson though, unless it's something I can do myself it will be going to SACS.
 
#10 ·
Had my Loaded Black Stainless Target Model refinished in Nickel Teflon and I think it looks far better than the Black Stainless, just my opinion. Sprinfield sent it out for the refinish because they don't do Nickel Teflon in house the cost was $ 265.00. The Custom Shop had performed other work as well and I had it back in less than four weeks.
 
#11 ·
Do you have any pictures of the refinished gun in Nickel Teflon? Would love to see it.

My loaded is a regular stainless, not the black stainless. The black stainless is beautiful though and I probably get the one that my lgs has in his display soon.
 
#15 ·
I had my XD 45 Compact refinished by Robar with NP3 with what they call the "Norton Special" which is all metal parts refinished with NP3. It is Nickel Teflon and they do a great job. Also had them do a Competition Trigger job set at 4.5#, round off the trigger guard. Result- Awesome firearm doesn't even need lubrication but I do it anyway. I had the same result with Springfield's Nickel Teflon, ( they send it out for the Nickel Teflon)
 
#16 ·
Agreed, this WHOLE thread is worthless as y'all talk about all the cool finishes you've done and you've not posted a single picture!!! ;)

So you can put a finish on top of the stainless and it holds up pretty well? Any 'specific' types to use and avoid?

I'd love to have the top of a stainless 1911 shot in black but whatever/however I want to insure it will be durable. Hey if it has to be refinish once a decade at $80 a shot no big deal but it would be nice to avoid if at all possible.

Thoughts?
 
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