Color Case Hardening
 

I have a 16 Gauge Parker Bros., Serial # 132749, Frame size 1, bbl weight 3, Bbls are Titanic Steel, Grade is DH, manufactured 1905. I am trying to find out if the original receiver and forend iron were color case hardened?

Thanks,
Warren Sonne

Warren:
As a rule, yes. These parts were generally colour hardened. But... special orders do exist.

Yes. Receivers and forend irons were case hardened, it's now after years of use the colors have worn off.

Warren, The frame , fore end iron and tip would have originally been charcoal case hardened. Oh and fore latch also. Most are now silver from handling over the decades.
Erick

Great serial number range for a DH Parker. Congratulations.

Thanks all. Would it make any sense to have it color case hardened again? I am not looking to sell it, so maintaining its current patina is not an issue. I plan on using it again. So, I guess I've answered my own question, but I'd like your opinions.

Thanks, Warren

use it and enjoy it, new color will eventually wear off during use just as the original did

To paraphrase the great OSU football coach, Woody Hayes:

"There are many things that can happen in a re-case. And most of them are bad."

The loss of colors in on case hardened parts is no reflection of the structural integrity of the parts. The surface "case" hardening is still there, just the cosmetic colors from the process have worn off from handling.

Unless you are intending to restore the entire gun, there is no real need to restore the colors. New case coloring should always be the last thing considered to be done in any restoration process.

If you have the colors restored through recase hardening you run the risk of warping the frame. I've seen a number of redone guns with poor barrel to frame fit and I believe it's because the frames were slightly warped during the case coloring process.

At the risk of repeating myself:

"There are many things that can happen in a re-case. And most of them are bad."