[DaddyO66]

Our oldest son passed and left some guns behind. I regularly take them out to make some NOISE. That being said, I've changed some grips, added a scope or two and done a few modifications that I thought he would have done. I could be wrong, he may of hated them but it makes he happy to think he would approve.
It's your pistol now, do what makes you happy.

 

[66groundthumper]

IMO the 586 is one of the best revolvers Smith ever made! I have a four inch and would never sell it. These are the guns that have super slick actions from the rounds they have fired over the years. I could just sit and look at how handsome mine is. The barrel and wood target stocks really set these guns off. You are lucky to have this gun from your friend. Enjoy shooting it!

 

[jj63]

Man, that is one good lookin piece! I'd love to have one just like it, imperfections & all! A good thing to have from a great friend. Fix it up like new, or not. It has special meaning either way.

 

[ngashooter]

IMO the 586 is one of the best revolvers Smith ever made! I have a four inch and would never sell it. These are the guns that have super slick actions from the rounds they have fired over the years. I could just sit and look at how handsome mine is. The barrel and wood target stocks really set these guns off. You are lucky to have this gun from your friend. Enjoy shooting it!

I remember when the L frame guns were introduced. I had a Colt .357mag so I kidded my friend that his S&W's cylinder rotated the wrong way. Those grips felt so good to the hand that there was no need to change them. My Colt needed Pachmayrs to feel that comfortable.

 

[bearcatter]

I'll be the devil's advocate, I'd let S&W do their magic. If it were my friend, he'd be pleased that you cared to have it pretty again. He'd feel cheap if all you did was some touch-up. Refinish or not, it's still his gun.

 

[Corndog]

I think you have to ask yourself…..

Keepsake or shooter. I only have a few of the former and plenty of the latter.

 

[Jack Ruger]

I agree with leaving as is. You can deep clean, cold blue touch up, refinish stocks yourself and the action isn't rocket science to "dress" and lube, if it even needs it. My thought is if your pal wanted it shiny and in a case, he'd have done it. Use that baby like your pal did.

No need for me to say anything, @DQL5150 said it best.

 

[Old School Wheelgunner]

If it functions well, just keep it clean and shoot it a lot. These are great revolvers.

Patina does not bother me. Rust does. So I removed rust from the slide of my later brother's Star BM, added some cold blue and new stocks (saving the originals) and called it done. Now I have a shooter to enjoy and I think of my brother when I go to the range.

 

[FireEscape]

Do you need a 586 to shoot a lot? In that case, you could/should certainly have it rebuilt (although reports I hear is that it might be a toss-up as to it coming back like they were originally made).

If you do have it re-done the only thing that will still be your friends gun is the serial number, all the bumps and scratches that made it HIS gun will be gone!

I would not change it but it isn't my decision to make.
I have several guns which belonged to my best friend of 40 years, other than adding receiver sights (easily reversible and it lets me shoot them with some chance of hitting my target) to two lever guns I have not changed them.

Bruce

 

[JVogler]

I would keep the gun in the condition it's in now. Any changes I'd make would be ones that could be changed back to the original condition as received . If after years of using the need for new springs arise then replace or repair as your friend would have.

 

[RugerGuy21]

I think you have to ask yourself…..

Keepsake or shooter. I only have a few of the former and plenty of the latter.

100% aligned with you. A few I will never shoot. All the rest are costing me a fortune in "batteries"!

 

[davidesand22]

Leave the cosmetics alone. But have Smith and Wesson go through the internals. Primarily for safety sake.

 

[DQL5150]

Call me cynical but I wouldn't ship that gun to SW or anyone else for that matter. Not worth the risk of losing this one in todays shipping climate.

 

[ngashooter]

Leave the cosmetics alone. But have Smith and Wesson go through the internals. Primarily for safety sake.

After checking barrel/cylinder gap, end shake, and timing and finding everything good I decided there was no need to send it to S&W. I spent several hours working on it myself taking care of several issues. If you zoom in on the photo with the cleaning rod the bare steel at the muzzle, rust on the sideplate, and gouged grips are visible. I will not tolerate active rust on any firearm and it was easily removed with oiled steel wool. A couple of treatments with Birchwood Casey Paste Blue covered the bare spots without erasing them. Stripping and sanding lightly brought the original stocks back to presentable shape. Some BLO helped to seal them up and restore the shine.

 

[pasound]

That works. Good looking S&W. Keep it, shoot it, clean it. It's a keeper indeed.

 

[ankrklankr]

I wouldn't do anything to that firearm other than clean and oil it. Some folks just don't understand just how much character an firearm like that has when it is properly cared for. Put touch up, cold blue, return to S&W for reblue, etc.,out of your mind. Once it is properly cleaned and oiled you will see what I mean. Treasure it, use it, care for it.

 

[ngashooter]

I wouldn't do anything to that firearm other than clean and oil it. Some folks just don't understand just how much character an firearm like that has when it is properly cared for. Put touch up, cold blue, return to S&W for reblue, etc.,out of your mind. Once it is properly cleaned and oiled you will see what I mean. Treasure it, use it, care for it.

Umm, the picture above that shows the cleaning rod was taken after cleaning and oiling but before any touchup. The other photos are AFTER a little bit of touch up work was done. The 586 will certainly be treasured, used, and cared for.

 

[Bob Lewis]

In my mind's eye you made the most appropriate choice a great looking revolver, remember and enjoy.

 

[KEN L]

If you’re unable to thoroughly go through it yourself, find a competent gunsmith locally, but don’t re-blue it. It’s not worth the expense to do so. As others have said, “just shoot it and enjoy it in you friend’s memory!”

 

[pineyman50]

This early S&W 586-1 was my friend's first quality handgun. It was his everything gun. It served for home defense, range toy, hunting sidearm...you name it. It rode many miles on his right hip, and it shows it. As his collection grew he just retired it to the safe. The finish is worn and has some pitting, the grips are beat up, and I know it's fired many thousands of rounds. It has the M stamp from the upgrade S&W did to the first L Frame revolvers. I am torn between leaving it as is or sending it back to S&W to be re-blued and gone through. As a tribute to my departed friend I think I would enjoy shooting this fine old .357 that holds so many memories. What do you guys think? View attachment 181042 View attachment 181043 View attachment 181044 View attachment 181045 View attachment 181046

When I die and they paint me up and stick me in a coffin with my finest clothes and people file by I hope they remember my old life and the scars and how they were acquired…