Is there are standard, or tradition, around what is blued and not, color cased and not, etc. for English boxlocks? I ask because I see some with blued top levers, but white top lever screws, trigger plates blued, and the action floor plates left white, and vice-versa. Additionally, when the trigger plate is blued, it's screw is not sometimes.
Color casing: would anyone have a good example of what factory new colors would have looked like on a typical mid-grade English boxlock? I'm not sure I'd like the look of one with new colors that looked more at home on a Parker, Fox, Elsie, etc.
I've got an $80 Charles Osborne BLNE basket case that I can't leave like it is, and wanted to get some guidance on the norms of English gun finishes.
Thanks.
If it were my basket case I would be looking at any Charles Osborne BLNE models or any Osborne guns to see how those parts were finished.
Jack K
If it were my basket case I would be looking at any Charles Osborne BLNE models or any Osborne guns to see how those parts were finished.
Jack K
Have done so, which motivated the question. There's a variety of different finish choices. I was curious about the existence of a traditional standard.
Nitre finish on top lever and lever screw. Also, nitre on floor plate and trigger plate and guard. Color case on action. Sear and hammer pins silver. The parts to be nitre finished are very highly polished.
Thanks Joe.
I'm still not picturing what the color casing of American guns would like on an English bloxlock. Seems to me like the colors would look to loud.
Do a search for Ray St. Ledger guns. Maybe you can find a few pics to see what proper English colors should look like when new. He was the recognized best in England at the restoration work of case hardening colors, before passing about four years go.
SRH
Here is another source fo some great information, with some good pics, about the British methods, specifically Robin Brown, of A.A. Brown & Sons.
http://www.doubleguncraft.com/uploads/PDFs/GunCraft_Book.pdf SRH
For the Lefever I colored recently I made blocks and sleeves for the side plate and tang screws, to help prevent warping and such. Since the trigger plate is not color cases, how do folks brace the top tang, or is not at risk of warping? In this case, all I’m planning to color is the action, iron, and forend bits.
Top lever, trigger guard tang & screws, safety button, floor plate, would’ve been blacked. Modern high quality hot blue is what’s used now.
Case colored parts are trigger plate, frame (obviously), forend iron. Forend fastener. Pins & Screws
Polished parts, were usually triggers and internal bits.
Refinished Guns usually sport fire blued pins & screws, sometimes the trigger blades are fire blued or blacked. Sometimes floor plates were blacked after they’ve been polished and even trigger plates have been blacked. Different strokes for different folks...some shops had a style all their own.
All depends on the maker, so as a rule of thumb . Most English guns colour hardened the action , forend iron , trigger plate, breech pin, tailpipe ,triggers,forend diamond and pin ,side plates if fitted , Deeley catches , snap box , cocking dog pins .
Cover plates ,push rods top levers and pins guards and pins were normally blacked /blued .
BUT some blacked forend irons and trigger plates this being dependent on the type of safe work and whether the gun was ejector , snap boxes. Safe buttons could be either as could many pins .
No pins were left white originally and trends have changed as to what and is not done in renovation , what is brushed an what is blacked . This I feel is down to the individual and the specific gun .
Looking at the Brit BLEs that I own or have owned, the case color is pretty much gone. I think that traditionally on the better Brit BLEs the pins were nitre blued and the lever and bow were charcoal blued. The barrels, of course, were cold rust blued.
YMMV.
p.s.: Have a look at Dig Hadokee's "The British BOXLOCK Gun and Rifle" Lots of photos, but most of the guns shown have lost their case colors.