Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Well, it's a little better.

Doc
Couple years ago I saw a 5" Colt Army Special (c. 1924) at a local show tagged at $375. Butt was stamped "St. Louis PD" and that added to its charm. Given its near total loss of bluing I figured it was worth no more than $250 so I kept walking. The next month at another local show it was back. This time it was reduced to $275. I looked at it again and offered the $250 I had in mind. He was firm on the 275. I walked around a bit, then circled back and bought it.

Turned out I had trouble living with the patina finish. It would cost $500 to send it off for professional refinishing and that was not feasible. So I wiped it down with solvent, gave it a good cleaning with steel wool, and cold blued it.

It doesn't look new and it doesn't look beautiful. But I think it looks a little better than it did and hopefully it won't corrode away due to the bare metal. It would have turned out better if I had actually buffed the metal but I didn't want to invest the reuired time and effort. I can live with the results.

Before and after: (It actually looks a little better in person than it does in the photo.)


standard.jpg

standard.jpg
0

Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • mogley98
    I think it looks good enough to shoot :)
    0
  • Irish 8802
    I liked the "before".JMO
    0
  • wpage
    Like the after...

    Well done Doc!
    0
  • spasmcreek
    OK
    0
  • remingtonoaks
    I've code blued a couple of firearms when I was younger,


    That was before I found out that you lessen the value of it by cold bluing it.

    But if it's something you're going to keep just for yourself, and you like it... Good job
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity