DH restoration advice

[Jeff Davison]

I have a DH, the action was blued some time ago as it had started to wear off. I took the rest of the bluing off earlier this evening to see what was there. As I thought, there was no case color left. The action, and trigger guard are both silver now. The gun also has a stock that was broken and professionally repaired some time ago, it looks nice and I've had it checked by a stock maker. The barrels of the gun are perfect, Titanic steel, look new. I'm thinking of having the case hardening re done. Thoughts? The gun just looks odd to me without some case coloring. Thanks in advance.

[Christian Gish]

The Spring issue of PARKER PAGES which just came out has an article on case hardening.

[Patrick Butler]

Hi-

Some more information on your DH (gauge, serial number, stock measurements, and most of all, lots of pictures might help our many expert members (certainly not this guy) to give you some advice re how to proceed.

Was your DH hot-blued? If so, that might be a factor-as it might have weakened the parts within.

All I can say is that most any DH with good tubes has worth. I did buy one 20 VHE (my first Parker) that had the receiver hot-blued and decided to have it completely rebuilt a few years back as sporting clays daily driver. I even opened the chokes, the only time I have ever done so. I spent more on this VHE than it will be worth for longer than I will live, but it is a great go-to 20.

[Ed Blake]

Personally, I would not recase a Parker receiver. The silver finish looks age appropriate and you run the risk of warping the action. Why make a 100 year old gun look new?

[Jeff Davison]

I know Ed, I agree. I like the old stuff with character marks. I'd like to find the person who did the work in the first place and ask them why. It just doesn't look quite right. I'll post some pics later.

[Brian Dudley]

Anyone who thinks there will be case color under bluing when removed is fooling themselves since metal has to be polished to be blued.

You may find your gun may look even more odd with new case colors. But that is without my seeing the gun to give an informed opinion.

[Bill Murphy]

I agree with Brian Dudley. I own two nice Parkers with blued receivers and I am leaving them as is. New colors would take something away from both of these guns.

[Brian Dudley]

I'm not saying to not remove the bluing.

Any silvered receiver will look better than a blied receiver.

There yet may not be a need to re-color.

[Ed Blake]

A 100 year old Parker with new case colors would be like me with brown hair.

[Brad Bachelder]

Bluing a Parker receiver is akin to painting a Deere tractor hot pink. The problem with simply removing the Bluing is that the metal is totally unprotected from corrosion. To mechanically remove the Color Case for Bluing, you also remove the carbaceous hardened layer that protects the base metal.
If the engraving is not too compromised from the polishing, it will be from handling. Blued receivers can be properly Re-cased as long as the existing caustic salt staining is pacified.
In my opinion any D grade in reasonable condition deserves to be preserved and re-cased. It is important to understand that Case Color is not simply good looking. It is a finishing protective layer. If you are fond of a silvered, worn finish, rub off the colors with Flitz polish. Time will do the same thing.

Brad

[Bill Murphy]

Brad, if my blued 28 gauge had an original stock, I would probably submit to a refinish of case colored parts. I just can't face a freshly redone Parker with a non original stock and forend.

[Patrick Butler]

I really like the look of a blued receiver-on a Winchester 21...

[John Powers]

Winchester 21's where blued, charcoal blued. Also, a case hardened receiver, yet surface hard will still rust if not protected with a layer of oil and out of a humid environment. It is not protective as bluing is.

[Patrick Butler]

Winchester 21's where blued, charcoal blued. Also, a case hardened receiver, yet surface hard will still rust if not protected with a layer of oil and out of a humid environment. It is not protective as bluing is.

John:

I was, as a novice in the art of collecting SXS, just speaking of the aesthetics (vs. the chemistry), and noting that I pay a lot more for a higher-grade Parkers with the exact same condition as VHEs.

I just like case colors over blue/black guns...

Best,

Patrick

[Jeff Davison]

I appreciate the discussion my question has raised. I believe Brad is in line with what I'm thinking. So the the question is: Do I harvest my hay in a hot pink tractor, or do I correct something some one did quite some time ago? My wife can pull off hot pink. I really can't. It sounds like at some point bluing was an acceptable method of preservation, as there are a few out there. I would imagine given what I found under the bluing on my shotgun that there would be fewer Parkers in good condition if they hadn't been blued. Thanks for all the input.

[charlie cleveland]

if she a shooter the blued frame will keep her from rusting..i have a coupla blued frame guns to bad but when i shoot a dove or asquirl i never notice the blueing at all...charlie

[CraigThompson]

We had a fairly decent VH 16 gauge in the shop a couple months ago that had a blued receiver . The stock also needed refinishing . It was part of a collection we sold for someone . Think there were six Parker's in the lot I got two and all but one are now gone . That VH 16 is one of those that went and I kinda kick myself for not scooping that one up as well !

[Larry Frey]

if she a shooter the blued frame will keep her from rusting..i have a coupla blued frame guns to bad but when i shoot a dove or asquirl i never notice the blueing at all...charlie

I'm with you Charlie. This old Tom never even noticed the blued frame on my VH 20 gage.

[Drew Hause]

Your gun Jeff, and your choice. I sent a 1913 Fox to Dan May that had been blued to check an old stock repair. He strengthened the repair and removed the blue from the receiver leaving a remarkably authentic aged gray appearance. I should have inquired as to the technique.
http://www.classicgunstocks.com/

[Jeff Christie]

Larry- Nice Tom!! Jeff