doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - color change

Bought a nice LC about 10 years ago with the receiver in the white...partial renovation. Sent it to my gunsmith to be charcoal case colored. Came back perfect. Put it in a sock and stored it away. Took it out several times over the course of 5 years and then left it alone. Recently, I pulled it out again and all the color has gone black on it. You can still see some color on it but basically it looks like it was re blued. My gunsmith uses Galazan lacquer and he has never heard of this happening...have any of you?

Well, the results are in...it was the lacquer, the color is back. Before I send Ted updated pics, I'm gonna do a thorough cleaning.
Carl

Carl, Try running it through a sonic cleaner.
Mike

Take a small part off of the gun that is CCH and has turned black.
A couple screws, or the forend latch plate if it has one.

Try cleaning just these small part(s) with something like acetone and see if the black disappears and the Colors re-appear underneath.

Acetone shouldn't harm any real case hardening colors.
It will cut through any lacquer or most any clear coat finish applied over it.
Maybe just that clear coat has turned color for some reason.

This will let you find out w/o disassembling the entire gun or having to take it/send it somewhere to have someone do a super-sonic cleaning.

There was an older discussion about sonic cleaners and several mentioned that they brighten the colors on CCH actions. My intent was to try the least destructive methods first.
Mike

I have seen a '50's vintage J. P. Sauer on which the lacquers were flaking and the case colors were coming off with the flakes. You could peel pieces off with your fingernail. What was left underneath was a dull French grey.
JR

My opinion is, screw the lacquer. I don't use it on my guns with case color remaining and don't intend to. Keep a light coating of oil on them and keep it them in the dark.

Congratulations, Carl. Glad you had a successful outcome.

A long time ago, maybe ten years, I threw a bid on a 16 gauge Lefever Nitro Special, that was listed on gunbroker, with poor photos that showed barrels with furry rust on them. I regretted doing so almost immediately, but, consoled myself with the fact it was the first bid, and probably wouldn’t be the last.

I was wrong. I ended up winning the gun, a late production 2 3/4” with 26” tubes choked cylinder and mod, for $257. 6lbs, 2 ozs, for those silly enough to ponder such things, on a $250 gun.

When it got here, I was stunned. Yes, the barrels had some rust, but I turned those over to Ken61, a poster I haven’t seen in a while, and they looked like new when he was done. I had to tell him not to go finer than 320 grit, he thought they were nice enough to go London best, which, wouldn’t have been right in this gun. The stock finish was about 100%, as were the case colors. Stunning, stunning old gun.

I dismantled, cleaned, lubed and lacquered the case colors. I used the artist grade Krylon crystal clear in the can, laid it on a bit too thick, stripped it off in a pan of gun cleaner grade lacquer thinner, and then laid it on too thick again. Left that be.

The gun looks phenomenal. Working grade guns usually end up as beaters, and this one is anything but. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, but, not to a typical old gun.

I take it out to a spot that requires non toxic shot, I have a small stash of heavi-metal 1 oz loads, and enjoy the fact that my C R eligible 16 gauge is my non toxic gun.

I’ve lacquered a few. Depends on the gun, I wouldn’t do it to just any gun, but, some things that come my way that are very nice, I try to be a bit of a curator, rather than the guy who used it up.



Best,
Ted

I've got a Cole custom Beretta that was color case hardened by Doug Turnbull. I emailed Rich Cole about putting lacquer on it and here was his reply: "Even with a coat of lacquer the case colors can wear. I have also seen where moisture has gotten under the lacquer and rusted the surface metal. I am not a fan of coating the case colors of a gun."

Carl got his colors back:





Looks better, no?

Best,
Ted

I put good old Tree Wax on. That's good stuff and has carnauba wax in it...tough wax. Anyone heard of it harming finishes?