doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Case Colour Protection - how to?

Just purchased a 1952 Merkel o/u 16 ga with very close to 100% if not 100% case color. Was told by the fellow I bought it from (orig owner)that it was only hunted around 10 times.
Question is: Oscar Gaddy suggested using thinned True Oil to protect/preserve the case colors. What was his mix/formula?
Thanks!

The formula is Tru-Oil and nothing else. T-O must be fresh, otherwise you'll get the problem with oil drying.
Another good thing is special nitro laquers for metal protection. Its dry in seconds.
Originally East Germans used special laquers, we call it Baket Laquer. This type of laquer dries at 90oC for aprx. 1 hour in owen. Laquer is slightly yellowish, when dried.
Its extremely very high resistant to wearness and I wonder where did you loose it?

Geno has it correct for Oscar's use of True-oil. Oscar liked it because it was "self-leveling", easy to apply, cheap, worked well, and could be renewed easily. He acknowledged it was not super tough however. I've done a few in Brownell's Baking Lacquer. Seems to work well and wear like "iron". Will probably be a bit tough for the next guy to get off however! Best, Dr. BILL

Oscar used some kind of a spray on the 10ga he case colored for me.

I have not used the liquid Tru-Oil for years now. Much prefer the Tru-Oil from the spray can.

As I recall Oscar had switched from "TO" to a spray lacquer made by Behlans?sp.

Store it at room temperature in dry place away from SUN's light.

2-piper has it right. Oscar switched to the spray lacquer from Behlens(sp)a number of years before he passed away. Oscar was not one to run out of anything once he found a product that he liked. I believe that I found at least 6 cans of Behlens in a cabinet after Oscar had passed away.

Doug

Yep, Osacr used Behlens Jet Spray. As I remember it is clear and let's the true colors through whereas Tru-oil has a yellow cast, giving the colors a warmish tone. Think of the diference between old oil paintings and acrylic paintings.

Since the Behlens is a spray I believe he recommended disassembling the receiver before spraying. OTOH I have done a few of my guns with Tru-Oil by brush with good results.

Oscar also was pretty adamant about using a lacquer that would be readily soluble in an easily-obtained solvent (such as acetone or lacquer thinner). He considered it very important that the protection could be renewed easily, to protect well while also look good.