doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Blueing Ruger Receiver

Can A Ruger stainless receiver be blued or case colored successfully? I have one of the earlier 20 ga. models with blued receiver and like it much more than my late 28 ga. with bright stainless receiver.

There used to be an outfit in Charlestown ,IL that did black chrome?
bill

Since bluing/blacking/case color, in the traditional sense, are "rusting" processes, stainless will not do well; it is alloyed exactly to prevent rusting/corrosion. Black chrome plating should work and, perhaps, a black "plastic". Perhaps a more complicated layering of plate could be done wherein a mild steel/iron layer wound up on the outside.

Stainless can be hot blued with the right set-up. However, the system is not too common among gunsmiths because of the extra cost for the tanks, burners, etc.

Black chrome is not too durable as I understand it, but I have no personal data. The following do black chrome

http://www.fordsguns.com/index2.htm
http://www.apwcogan.com/Refinishing%20prices.htm
http://techplate.com/firearms.htm also has a technical description of the coating.

OB

I would call Brownells and ask for the name of a gunsmith in your area who buys their stainless steel bluing salts.....if they're reluctant to give out the name of one of their customers, ask them to call their customer and get the gunsmith to call you.

Mr. Orlen,

What is your opinion on the prospects of hot blueing a stainless Ruger receiver? What is the likelihood of ending up with an quality end result that is attractice and also durable? Are you equipped for this work?

Until a few years ago, there was a fellow named J. Korzinek ( I believe John, but he always used the initial)in PA who "blued" stainless steel. He advertised for years in Rifle magazine (is that still around?)and his ads stressed 2 things: bluing stainless steel and .22 rimfire conversions on Ruger #1's. In the late 80's, I made a project of restocking a Ruger Red Label with crotch balck walnut. I put a round knob on the pistol grip and a schanble on the forend, had J. Korzinek blue it and called it my "Black Label." Pretty neat at the time. I sold it to a friend and it's in WI so I can't post a photo. But the action was very attractive. It was a satin matte black and I believe Mr. Korzinek told me that it was the only option; apparently a the process precludes a high polish in the finish. So I had him put a matte reblue on the barrels to match. It seemed to be "dimensionless" like any blue, i.e. it was not a thick layer of anything, and it wore well in the short time I owned it.

I already had a .22LR #1 at the time, so I never hired Mr. Korzinek for one. But 15 yrs later, my rimfire #1 was also gone and I got a hankering for one in .17HMR. That's when I went looking for Mr. Korzinek and concluded he had retired. BTW, I couldn't seem to find anybody doing those rimfire conversions anymore.

Based on this, I believe Mr. Korzinek is most definitely retired.

http://www.guthrie.org/Services/ophthalmology/VisionToday_Spring05_WEB.pdf

Pete