[Stephenn]

Hello all. I have looked up this issue and read up on it for a bit but I wanted to know the pros and cons of giving my brushed SS gp100 4 inch a high polish?
I really like the high polish look of a SS gun but I'm not willing to do this if it has any cons to it.
Thanks guys.

 

[jstanfield103]

I Love a high Polished GP100 and I have done it on a couple of occasions. 1 Pistol and 1 Revolver. Sold them both afterwards. Learned my lesson. Once polished it absolutely shows every finger print, Dirt, scratch, scuff. It will latterly show everything.
Love the look but hated the constantly wiping it down after every touch.
My experience only.

 

[Waveform]

It depends on how polished you make it. A true high polish is a mirror finish with absolutely no grain showing whatsoever and yes, that will show everything. But it does wipe down easy. You can give it some shine without going that far and land somewhere in between. It's up to you. And the polished look can always be dulled back down with a scotchbrite pad.

I equate it with a nickel finish but more durable since it's not a plating. If you like the look and are willing to do the maintenance it is stunning to see.

(You might want to shoot a PM to Patriot Gun Metal Polishing and discuss with Robert. They are a supporting vendor here and they do professional polishing that is really spectacular. He might have some insights for you.)

 

[Neon Horse]

Polished guns do look pretty. I had a Vaquero with a high gloss and I polished a SP101 at home. It makes them look pretty, but don't touch them! Fingerprints are the arch-nemesis of the polished metal. So, mine are all blasted steel so I can touch them with my grubby hands.

 

[Trad Archer]

I Love a high Polished GP100 and I have done it on a couple of occasions. 1 Pistol and 1 Revolver. Sold them both afterwards. Learned my lesson. Once polished it absolutely shows every finger print, Dirt, scratch, scuff. It will latterly show everything.
Love the look but hated the constantly wiping it down after every touch.
My experience only.

Agree

 

[RichKeagy]

An alternative:
There are scratches of varying depths on your GP100. This is what Ruger calls 'Satin Stainless'.
I, too, have polished a SP101 to a mirror finish and can attest to what the two gentlemen said regarding finger prints, etc.
Consider sanding down (with oil) visible surfaces to an even 600 grit finish. It takes longer than you think, unless you've tried it.
You can expect a very even finish (close to bead blasted) if you GO SLOW.
Do not round any square edges. Use sanding blocks for flat surfaces, and your fingers or other pliable material on rounded surfaces.
Here again 'it takes a long time' is your best friend. Little mistakes can be fixed right up. Get a magnifying glass of some sort.
Sometimes I sand down to 1500. If you use a little excess oil and 'float' the sandpaper on what you think is finished for some time, you'll see something that looks a lot more like satin.
The result is worth the effort.

 

[RichKeagy]

You get extra points if you disassemble the trigger assembly (watch those springs) and finish the sides of the trigger. You can't do it when it's assembled.
Even more points if you disassemble the crane / cylinder assembly so you can evenly sand the surface where the cylinder latch pivot protrudes. If you think you can sand around it, I admire your fortitude. You won't like the results though.
A lot of insight can be found here: Ruger SP101 Trigger Job Guide

 

[Range safe]

mirror finish

I have polished a GP100 and a Smith & Wesson 686 to a mirror finish and they are always getting comments and questions at the range. Both were done by hand using Mothers mag & aluminum polish. I also agree that they show finger prints but I can wipe them off with a clean rag leaving them perfect again. If a mirror finish is what floats your boat; go for it. The mirror finish will make stainless guns real eye candy so don't let a few fingerprints spoil your day. One word of caution prepare for tired fingers I took several days to bring them to a mirror finish. But hey I am retired, grab a beer put on some hard rocking music and just enjoy. About an hour a day is all I needed and well, maybe 2 beers also!

 

[PatriotGunPolishing]

The other guys pretty much covered it! The pro's are having a great looking gun (depending on the eye of the beholder, naturally). The con's are fingerprints and scratches. In my experience, fingerprints aren't much as much of an issue with a revolver as they are with a pistol. You've got to re-train your fingers a bit to keep them from molesting the polished surfaces, but, with a little practice, it becomes second nature to not get unnecessary prints all over a revolver. Racking slide and hitting the mag release are a different story, though.

Scratches aren't too much of a problem either, if you're careful. I bring one of those green felt mats to the range to set my polished 686 down on, rather than set it on the diamond plate they have there, and I use a soft cowhide holster (no kydex!) for concealed carry. If this is a BBQ gun that's going to get passed around and beat to hell, then either polishing is a bad idea or acceptance of "battle scars" on the pretty surface is mandatory. If a polished gun is treated with reasonable care, though, any scratches that it does get should be pretty minor and will buff out with the tried and true Mother's and a t-shirt process.