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Thomson Center Kit/Barrel Questions

kyaggie
Hello,

I am in the process of putting together a Thompson Center 50 cal. Hawken rifle kit that was originally purchased in 1975. I'm finishing up the filing, sanding and polishing of the barrel and that's where my questions come from. In the year that I've been working on and off with the barrel there has not ever been a speck of rust even though we live in a fairly humid climate. Is this barrel stainless steel? What are your recommendations for products to cold blue the barrel? If it is stainless, can it be blued or does it have to be colored by a black oxide process?
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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • tsr1965
    kyaggie,

    Welcome to the forums here on Gunbroker.

    To the best of my knowledge, T/C never made a kit in the stainless version. What does the lock, and breech tang look like? If the lock is case hardened, then is should be a carbon steel barrel. The easiest way to tell is the magnet test. If it is a carbon steel barrel, a magnet will stick to it harder than a stainless barrel.

    Best
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  • asphalt cowboy
    Your Hawken has a chrome moly barrel and will need either blued or browned. I used Mark Lee Express Brown on mine. I also broke down the lock plate a polished them for the MLEB.

    Hawken.jpg

    Don't have any recent pics. I have since relaced all of the mock-up screws.
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  • kyaggie
    quote:Originally posted by asphalt cowboy
    Your Hawken has a chrome moly barrel and will need either blued or browned

    Thanks for the welcome and information! In talking with my son, it's his Hawken, we discussed that a period finish would be browned so that's what he wants to do for the finish. Is Express Brown a good durable finish?

    Thanks again for the help,
    Mike
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  • asphalt cowboy
    As chemical brown goes it's top notch and stands up really well. It's more work to apply than Birchwood Casey and requires stricter attention to cleanliness (no oils on the metal) but is well worth the effort.
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