doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Who does the best St Ledger style case colors

I have an English double rifle that needs totally redone and I want to have it color hardened. Who is the best in the US that can generate St Ledger style colors? Thanks

Nobody. Matter o' fact, there's nobody in England besides Ledger that gets Ledger colors.

You can call J. Gillette at classic guns inc. in Illinois and talk with him about the style you want, he might be able to come close, but don't expect the colors or mottling to be exactly like Ledgers.
http://www.classicgunsinc.com

Is it a newer double rifle that would've been originally equipped with Ledger colors? If not, it'll be fine with an English style of case colors, lots of blues, straw, etc. English guns normally didn't have the pinks and orange colors Euro and American guns (think lc smith) sometimes have.

I wished I knew what kind of witchery was occuring at the St. Ledger workshop during CCH'ing.

Heres where im at with it:

I think Turnbull does a great job, but.....it isn't the same as St. Ledger.

St Ledger does a very good job, as does Robin Brown. So easy to get it wrong and ruin the gun.

Ray spent 40 years getting it right . He has passed that knowledge on to his sons and they wont tell any one .
Colour hardening is not difficult any one can do it and get terrific results , but to get them every time take years of patience practice and experimentation . Don't forget Ray has been doing this all his working life and that's all he does .

Thanks guys, the double rifle was built in the mid 1880's and is an 8 Bore. It has been blued! I am also worried about the very large action warping, and it has a dolls head to complicate the refitting if needed. Should I just remove the bluing and call it a day? It locks up as new now.

Gunmaker, you did that color hardening yourself? It really looks fantastic! Do you color harden for others?

Agreed, that is more than close enough. Beautiful work.

Best,
Ted

I have had the good fortune to visit Ray St. Ledger's place in Birmingham a few times. It is only a small workshop with two people working. Legend has it that his father was interviewed for a magazine piece and the writer said that he couldn't colour harden a gun action that already had the gold inlaid because it would melt. He was furious as he could and did and refused to give any other interviews ever again. Friendly place but secrecy has to be respected. Lagopus.....