Plum Color change on bluing
The pink/plum color that some blued guns can change to has been seen by many of us I'm sure. I have a K-38 that has a blue frame and a pink/plum blue barrel. Since the barrel is original I must assume that something different in the steels between frame and barrel exists. Question is can the plum color be removed safely? Should it be removed? It is not unsightly and not noticed at first glance but closer inspection gives it away quickly. Your advice is appreciated, Ed
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Ed--You are entering my field of endeavor, and I will try to tell you what I know on this subject (plum colored bluing); but I also have unanswered questions, and I've been fooling around with it for 20+ years now. I have had cast steel/cast iron shotgun receivers turn plum colored, and all of the other parts turn a blue/black. Some Ruger M-77 receivers turn plum. Winchester Mod. 94 receivers in roughly the serial no. group 2,500,000 to 5,000,000 will turn purple. I own a 1934 Beretta pistol that I reblued. It was initially blue/black, but after a couple of years sitting in a box in the dark it turned plum. I have since reblued it, and the 2nd time around it came out very black, and has shown no signs of changing color again. I reblued a Colt Police Positive awhile back and it came out well except for the cylinder release thumb piece which was plum colored, and stayed that way despite being repolished and reblued 3 times. I could continue to cite example after example--but you get the idea. It is not an uncommon condition. No, you will not hurt the gun or the metal by removing the plum color, but the color is the bluing and you will leave the gun shiney and unprotected. I know of no way to change the color from plum back to blue without going through the rebluing process, and there is no guarantee that it will come out blue. Yes, I believe that the primary cause is the composition of the metal. Sometimes it is because it is cast, sometimes it is because of a high nickel content, etc. It is possible that different metal alloys respond different to different bluing salts formulas. I have never seen an S&W with a plum barrel, but have seen them with plum cylinders a couple of times. If the color doesn't bother you just leave it alone as it has simply become bluing of another color and is not detrimental. 0 -
Der, just to hopefully add some info for you:
I have a Win Model 94 in the serial number range you mention -- 2,544,2XX -- and the receiver has not turned plum.0 -
My best friend has a beautiful thick plum bluing on his series 70 1911 from the Colt custom shop,If reasons don't turn up here you may try contacting Colt's custom shop and inquire there...
"LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE WITH THE INTENTION OF ARIVING SAFELY IN ONE PRETTY AND WELL PRESERVED PIECE, BUT, TO SKID ACROSS THE LINE BROADSIDE, THOUGHRLY USED UP, WORN OUT, LEAKING OIL, SHOUTING GERONIMO!!"0 -
Some of the variables that can affect the "color" of blueing are the nickel content and the hardness of the steel, as well as the temperature of the blueing salts. It's common practice for gun makers to use steels of differing alloys on parts such as frames, cylinders and barrels.
And, as Der Gebirgsjager points out, the pinkish/plum/purple color doesn't signal any trouble ahead.
I had an early Super Blackhawk (S/N 94XX) that had a plum loading gate. The finish on the gate was as new with no wear signs, but the rest of the gun's finish hadn't fared as well and it went to Ruger for a refinishing. I specified that the gate not be reblued because the color of the loading gate was one of the things that had attracted me to that particular gun in the first place. The rest of the gun came back with the "normal" deep blue/black color that it had before it was reblued.
I also have a '59 vintage Model 70 with a bolt shroud that is of a different hue than the rest of the gun. Nothing to indicate that this isn't the original factory finish, and my guess is that the mis-matched color is a result of a slight variation in the alloy or the hardness of the steel in the shroud, but it doesn't matter to me, and I wouldn't change it. [;)]
The issue of "off-color" blueing is basically a matter of personal esthetic tastes. Some people are "bugged" to no end if their whole gun isn't the same color, while others actually seek out guns that have the odd colored parts.
Mark[8D]
Wheelguns is REALGUNS!0 -
I have NO direct KNOWLEDGE! Some observations...I have noted that certain parts (or by design as manufacturers go..) that are castings tend to show this characteristic frequently.
Now to backtrack...Does the alloy typically used in castings have a higer nickle content???
Ruger Model 77 receivers COMMONLY have the plum color after a short time has passed. When loading gates and various 1911 levers show this same color...It makes me believe that the alloy must have something to do with this. A higher strength alloy is used in castings to compensate for the fact that it was not forged???
SEMPER FI0 -
Sundowner--Has your Win. 94 been reblued? That's when they turn plum color, the reason being that the receivers in that serial number range were castings (most from Japan) and even Winchester found them impossible to blue. They sent them out to a subcontractor who plated the machined receiver castings with a thin plating of iron which blued nicely. Since the receiver is the point of balance on this rifle, most hunters carry it with their sweaty hand wraped around the receiver, and pretty soon you've got a rusty receiver. Mr. Hunter takes it to Mr. Gunsmith and wants it reblued; Mr. Gunsmith buffs off the old finish, and the iron plating goes with it. As an aside, you will only find Commemeratives with high polish finishes in that serial no. range; the vast majority are sort of a dull blue. Anyway, when Mr. Gunsmith attempts to blue the brightly buffed receiver it will almost always come out plum colored. They are usually splotchy looking, but I had one that came out a uniform, even plum and the owner liked it! It was unusual looking with the loading gate and barrel a nice blue black and the receiver plum colored. They can be successfully rust blued (like Pilkington's) or Belgian Blued, or painted with Brownell's Baking Lacquer; or even hard chromed. Last I heard Winchester (USRA) wanted $125 just to reblue the receiver, as they must once again send it out and have it plated (and that's old info.--the price has probably gone up!). Anyway, I hope this clears it up for you a little bit--your receiver probably won't turn purple by itself; only if it needs to be reblued. 0 -
Der Gebirgsjager, thanks for the info. You are right, it has never been reblued, never will be. It has a nice spot in the back of the safe and gets oiled 4x year. For such a young rifle, it is something of a family heirloom -- it was the gun that every male in my generation on my father's side of the family killed their first buck with. We were also constantly told to never handle a gun by the metal from practically the day we were born. [:)] 0 -
Bravo, Sundowner! I was taught the same regarding handling the metal and keeping the metal surfaces oiled. My Dad shot many deer with his .30-30 Model 94, usually in the neck, always one-shot kills, using exclusively Remington 170 gr. ammo. His was a very early one with a crescent buttplate and a beautifully refinished blond walnut stock, but the metal was completely shiny; although not a speck of rust was to be found. Slipped away, sold to a neighbor while I was in the army. I have several in my collection, but my hands down favorite has to be a '94 Big Bore in .356 Win. that I restocked with fancy walnut. Anyway--nice to meet someone from "the old school" of doing things. 0 -
I use Belgian Blue when others fail. Haven't been able to get it to do high gloss. Always comes out satin. Color is good and process is easy, quick and reliable for me. 0
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