Case coloring/hardening
I just bought a Model 94 Classic made in 1968 with 20" octagonal barrel. Thanks to Zink and others who helped point me in the right direction. I found one from a dealer in South Dakota who had one still new in the box...for only $375!
Anyway, I am curious about case hardening or case coloring...not sure which is the correct terminology. I would like to get an idea of what it would cost to get the receiver and forend cap case hardened/colored, strictly because I like the way it would make the rifle look. Can this process in any way weaken the rifle? And finally, who does this sort of work?
Thanks for the input.
Anyway, I am curious about case hardening or case coloring...not sure which is the correct terminology. I would like to get an idea of what it would cost to get the receiver and forend cap case hardened/colored, strictly because I like the way it would make the rifle look. Can this process in any way weaken the rifle? And finally, who does this sort of work?
Thanks for the input.
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the guys here can direct you to pro's that do it, but on the weakening question, not to worry. it wont hurt the gun. even though the flame gets pretty hot, its gun metal and its use to it. a quick stab would be the same for refinishing a gun. my iver johnson sbs cost about 200.00, 20 years ago. hope it helps. (btw: color/hardening...all the same.)
former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, former navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.0 -
Case hardening can be done without coloring. To get the typical colors you are used to seeing requires packing the part (after careful polishing) in a bone/charcoal mixture inside of a properly constructed crucible. This is heated to 1400 degrees or so, then quenched rapidly. This causes a 'carbuerized' skin of hardened steel on the surface of the part.
Color casehardening is considerably more expensive than bluing.
Scrappy Doo sleeps with the fishes.0 -
gsmith...whats the cost difference btwn coloring and hardening? 0 -
We would reblue the entire rifle for $175.00. Color case-hardening the receiver and the forend cap would run $250.00. Of course, I am assuming I would have to pull the barrel, etc, myself.
Scrappy Doo sleeps with the fishes.0 -
Hey CG- So you don't have any trouble color-casehardening or bluing those early post 64 receivers?
Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob
Yeah, thats what I was thinking.If I remember correctly,Ithink Winchester had to iron plate them first, then blue[still didn't look good[8D]] Thanks.0 -
Woops, I missed the date of manufacture. Yes, those late-1960's guns are a booger. I have reblued them successfully using Oxynate-S, but its hit-and-miss. Sometimes good color, sometimes purple. Some years ago I offered a black chrome plating for the receivers, but I'm not set up for the black chrome in the current shop (electroless nickel, yes, but not black chrome).
If I remember that rifle correctly, it was not a true color casehardening on that receiver. Perhaps a cyanide process like was used on the Stevens 311.
I usually recommend a matte finish spray-and-bake for those receivers now.
Scrappy Doo sleeps with the fishes.0
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