doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Receiver Case Coloring Methodologies

I've wondered for a while if there are decent applied patina options. In my case, I have a rifle that some genius started to remove the finish from the receiver. It functions extremely smooth, and parts would be like hens teeth, so I'd rather it not have to be refit or otherwise messed with.

ole col, just a reminder to you and utters...contrary to popular mythology, i do no gun work of any kind, including receiver case coloring via any method, including flame broiling...i am but an observer of what passes before my eyes and thru my hands...in fact, over the years, i have come to the conclusion that receiver coloring is counter productive to classic gun preservation and involves too many risks to justify the expense...

craig: as to your rifle receiver, how about some type of rust bluing? a case colored rifle receiver sounds inappropriate?

That's udderly ridiculous. Just kidding ed, it's an old American single shot that were known to originally be case colored.

like maybe a stevens?

Just for the record....The steel X patinas can look very nice. It is an alternate "finish" to a gun that has lost it's coloring.... obviously not something for a collector value gun, but as an alternate to bluing just leaving blank
Jerry

Thanks Jerry, ed, I'll leave your 'favorite' out of it for now.

I'm kind of wondering if I can use and admire something without looking at the sides of the receiver being in the white. All else looks appropriate for its age. Maybe, there's a very reversible tide over till someone else gets to decide when I'm long gone. I'm not thinking to buy any particular product, only that there may be options available with a little different intention than perking up a bargain truck gun.

The cold blue @ 200� F I mentioned was taken from an Ithaca Service Manual.
They recommended it for restoring the finish on the frames of the Perazzi's they were then importing when color was worn off. These were made of an alloy steel unsuited for case hardening & was apparently similar to the Factory finish.
These were not exactly what one might call a "Cheap Truck Gun". To add some yellows they mentioned another chemical which could be used in conjunction with the cold blue. I don't recall the name off hand, would have to look it up. I tried some but personally I liked just the blue better. Ithaca recommended Numrich 44-40 cold blue. I tried both it & Oxpho & could tell no difference in the final results.

You are correct that I judge your torching by reputation. I have not the energy or concern to go back and research all the threads to prove it. I remain comfortable anyhow, on this one anyway.

As for stirring the pot by asking a question on this subject, I doubt anyone other than you would argue.

I hope you are now sincere in opposing torching and will correctly identify any gun you sell that has been torched as such.

PS all of us make errors at times in our posts from time to time. Deliberate Lil Abner stylizations are just plain irritating. Then again that may be why you do it?

I think you can admire in the white, if I can, craig. During restoration of a mint Sterlingworth found for me by John Mann---"a standard by others to be judged by"--- one of the continent's best 'smiths advised against receiver case colouring because of the risk of warping.