Has anyone had luck achieving a matte finish on bright nickel parts by bead blasting at low pressure?

My only other option is to have the parts refinished and I'd rather not spend that money.

I've done this on several pistol and rifle parts. Bright ornamental chrome will come off easily. Hard industrial chrome does not. Industrial nickel plating is usually nickel/chrome. (I worked, in the '70s, at AAD metal refinishing shop. Presently at Metal Samples/Alabama Laser Technologies QC.) Have plated 1911 slides in hard chrome, nickel, and copper on top of nickel.) I'd suggest bead blast with low pressure and don't get carried away. Doesn't take much.

Try using some steel wool and doing it by hand.  I would imagine that would be a gentle way to start.  If it didn't work, bead blasting could be next.  Go slow and see how it comes out.

I had a polished stainless part that I made matte by doing that.  It had some scratches, so I dulled it down so the scratches were less obvious.  I also cleaned up a bead blasted stainless slide that was marred up from the plastic shipping container. It ended up with a brushed finish which I liked.