[ithacaartist]

Joe,

Original pistols of this pattern have their "safe" areas milled/created after rust bluing. One expects to see slight swirls left by the tool in this area, but what gives this one away as a refinish is the lack of straightness/crispness to the lines that are the edges of the area. It appears to me that this one's finish was applied after the safety area was shined up.

Perhaps it's the tones of the photo, but the sear bar appears to have been heated near its pivot. The part without the finish seems to display the gradient of colors that develop when unfinished steel is heated. Strange, indeed.