Is it hot blued or Rust blued
 

Stumbled upon a GH that I can't afford yet but has a nice price on it. Its a 12g on a 2 frame made in 1908 I believe.

It has a skinny little butt pad that I don't think is factory and the stock has been refinished. Checkering is original, and it has some of the nicest look Dam patterning I have seen, except for the light bluing treatment. The pattern looks like it is perfect and someone just wrapped the barrel in dark blue/black celaphane.

So the question is, if I ever get my finances straight, is there a way to tell if it was hot blued or rust blued?

Oh yeah the tag has the annoying only shoot black powder loads written on it.

If you can clearly see the contrast in the pattern the barrels have most assuredly have been rust blued. Hot bluing will normally provide a uniform black color or a very faint Damascus pattern may be evident.

What do the inside of the barrels look like? If they aren't pitted, the ribs are tight and have been blessed by a competent gunsmith familiar with classic doubles the barrels are quite useable with low to medium chamber pressure ammunition such as that sold by RST.

I really don't understand what you mean by the "wrapped in cellophane" comment.

That GH was designed for smokeless, proofed and patterned with smokeless powder by Parker, and likely has never shot black powder Smokeless powder quickly became favored over black powder by 1900, and by the mid 1890's many matches were requiring the use of smokeless powder.

Many Parker patterning tags from 1891 on show use of Wood's powder , a bulk smokeless, as the powder used.

Bruce I am guessing you meant "never shot black powder "?

The celolhane comment was just about how thin the bluing is.

Shouldn't that be 'and likely has never shot black powder.' ??

Yes. Sure. Mea culpa.

So here is the question then, if I get my pennies saved up and the gun is still there, will I be able to remove the bluing without damaging the damascus pattern or will I likely have to send the gun off to have the barrels redone?

The barrels will very likely need to be refinished correctly to bring out the Damascus pattern.

Thanks Dean. Was just curious since the pattern is very visible and it is basically like someone tinted the barrels.

Depending on the steel/iron used to make the barrels and the blacking process used a black/gray or black/silver color is quite normal. You really need to post a photo for a good evaluation but if the pattern is strong and the colors are pleasing I say leave the barrels alone. Look at some of the barrels on Dr. Drew Hause's Damascus knowledge web site and in the photos albums on this web site they may help you.