Blued receivers
 

Can receivers and foreend iron that have been "modern" blued be taken to the white and then case hardened colored to restore them to original? I recently saw a nice little 26" 20 ga. some misguided owner had 're-blued". What a shame.

Yes it can be done.





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The surface hardening still exists. So from a functional standpoint there is no need to. The bluing can be chemically removed, leaving a silver/gray finish, and be just fine. However if you want case colors for cosmetic purposes, the frame can be annealed, polished out and re-case hardened.

For any hope to have it ever look "right" include having the engraving picked up in the above!!

Of course. The only way that would not have to happen is if there are NO flaws or pitting in the metalwork. Which is almost not heard of. Nearly all of them need some extent of engraving work.

The best way to avoid any of this hassle is to just not mess with a gun that someone has messed up in the past with incorrect work. Or just be happy with using it as is.

Removing the blue is no problem. I have done it to several guns in the past, a couple of them brand new. If I remember, the simplest way was a quick dip in regular white vinegar and a rinse. This is what the charcoal hardening guy recommended to cut his cost.

Hadn't considered it but I can live with the silver/grey finish like Brian talks about, the blueing is just wrong. The engraving while not new was pretty sharp and this is not a high grade gun, I had no plans to completely restore it to original. I'm weak, I just got a thing for short, light small bores.
Thanks All.
Art, the vinegar thing intrigues me, can it really be that simple? Gotta look into that.

I like to use the birchwood casey bluing and rust remover. It works quick enough, but not too quick.

Vinegar will remove hot bluing quite well, though I have found it needs a tiny bit more than a quick dip. It leaves an appearance not unlike French gray. The problem with guns that have been hot blued is that the receiver is often polished before bluing, and usually does require picking up the engraving.

However you do it, it is pretty simple. I just recently removed the blue on a trigger guard of an English double and it took a little soak. The first time I tried this I was stripping two Ruger No. 1 actions (new) to get case colored, and they literally turned gray instantly. I always suspected this was due to a combination of the gluing process used by the factory and the 4150 steel.

Art, what did you use for the "instant result" on your Ruger? Was the resulting grey a pleasant appearing grey? Thanks.

The Birchwood-Casey remover sure does work slick. Took a few minutes to remove the blue from a Parker action and it left that nice gray patina with some CC showing.

Evaporust is a liquid soak for removing rust. Sold in car parts stores. Gently converts oxide without eating into the steel the way white vinegar does. Vinegar will eat away sharp edges on screw treads and engraving. What’s in it is proprietary. I suspect citric acid. Caution, case coloring will be removed. The end result is a dull medium grey. But it will make any rust blue, cold blue or hot blue convert to a dull medium grey without any abrasives

Evaporust used to be sold at harbor freight too. It does work well. And it is supposed to be completely harmless health wise, non-toxic. I have found though that it works best when something is soaked in it as it takes time to work. Vs some other, previously mentioned, products are faster acting.

I just looked at a 20 gauge Trojan which has been blued, but otherwise seems perfectly sound
At $895, it seems like a good price for a 20 gauge shooter.
Am I wrong in thinking that even a Trojan in 20 gauge would bring 2k, if it was nice and clean?

No…. I bought one two years ago for $1,200.






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In high condition other than the blue receiver, it may be worth more than Dean's price.

That’s what I am seeing.
And even “shooters” are going for more than what Dean paid!
Dean, sounds like you just made a good deal on that gun.

Is that the one from Bass Pro in Maine?

I bought mine from a Pennslylvania PGCA member and it was in excellent shape except for the brown paint/varnish on the stock and forend. Easily remedied with a strip and TimberLuxe.
It is an excellent shooter…

PS - everyone on this forum could have had this gun as it sat with no activity for several days.





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Everyone told Ed Muderlak he was crazy to pay Ed Ulrich $6K for his unfired NIB Trojan 20 gauge some years ago. Ed said something like, "Yeah, you'll feel my pain!" When he finally sent it to auction a few years later just before he died, it hammered for somewhere around $10K. Condition, Condition, Condition!!!

Kevin, I believe it sold closer to $12k at Jim Julia’s.





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Condition sets the upper limit, but utility sets the lower.

Hello All,
I have a question for those more informed . I've been see a number of parkers on GB and GI that look like they were re case hardened. But the colors to me seem artificial . Almost as if they were sprayed on. Because , looking closer it looks like the engraving is filled in. Is there a technique to do a faux case harden?

Yes Harry - the Parker Reproductions have faux case hardened colors.





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I have a very nice 28 gauge VH, blued receiver, average restock, paid $2600 for it. A member put me on to it. Thanks. I have never tried to remove the blue. When 28s become valuable, I may send it to Doug Turnbull.

Thanks Dean, Interesting. Do you know how it's applied?

I’m sure I don’t but I believe it was chemically applied then heated.





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Household white vinegar. It turned in just a few seconds. The Ruger blueing always looked to me like some sort of surface finish, for want of a better term. It doesn't look like a normal hot blue to me. The ones I have seen reblued remind me of the old Winchester nickle steel guns reblued with a little plum cast to the color.

Harry: a nice example of DelGrego cyanide colors

https://photos.smugmug.com/Gun-Stuff...ors%20GH-M.jpg

Bone charcoal recase. Note 'ghosting' around some of the pins

https://photos.smugmug.com/Gun-Stuff...0re-case-M.jpg

It is possible to recolor actions using cold blue and an acetylene torch, and the results are...uh...not attractive

https://photos.smugmug.com/Gun-Stuff...20Leader-M.jpg

Krieghoff bone charcoal case coloring, again with 'ghosting'

https://photos.smugmug.com/Gun-Stuff...20colors-M.jpg

Krieghoff cyanide colors; used primarily now related to difficulty case coloring the chrome moly (and maybe other stuff which they are not sharing) alloy frames

https://photos.smugmug.com/Gun-Stuff...roll%202-M.jpg

More on cyanide coloring
https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums...55072&page=all

Thanks Drew,

Is it safe on wood, or is it best to remove the stock?

It’s always a better idea to remove the stock when using chemicals and solvents on the rframe.





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There is a high con dition Trojan 20 in Wheeling, he is asking 3000, I want a shooter 20 with 26 in barrels, so i Ipassed.

$3k is not out of the realm of reality for a Trojan 20 in very high condition… I could seriously be tempted…





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This is the 20 gauge 0-frame candidate for bluing removal of the receiver, rust bluing of the barrels, and application of Timberluxe on the stock.
It needs work, but I should end up with a nice looking shooter. I bought it for the way it feels between the hands - just delightful!

Do what you will, it’s your gun. If it were mine I would just reblue the barrels.





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If it were for hunting Dean. I wouldn't even do that.

My completely blued VH 28 is, as I recall, the seventh 28 made, #97,032, and is still in crispy mechanical condition. It is a 26" gun bored cylinder and full, and is a great hunting gun. I am reluctant to send it away to be refinished.

Food for thought.