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Post by longoval on Dec 13, 2023 23:13:19 GMT -5
I rust blued (browned) a complete revolver a few years ago and it turned-out great. Took a long time and not a lot of specialized equipment to do if you would like to try it yourself. I can't remember the acid solution that I used, I remember that I got it from Brownells. Also need a vessel to boil water and the parts in and a carding wheel on a drill press. Requires a time commitment and some patience. It took me over a week to apply 18 coats. Be sure to plug both ends of the barrel so the acid and water do not get inside and rusts the rifling. I have a thread that showed some pictures of the gun when it was complete here on the forum a few years ago, I think it is in the gallery section likely 15+ pages in by now - My #5 Quest - or something like that if you would like to take a look at how it came out. I went and looked it up, page 16 so I guessed close, here is the link: singleactions.proboards.com/thread/27523/5-quest?page=1Don D. Incredible #5, incredible thread. Thanks for posting
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Post by needsmostuff on Dec 14, 2023 0:25:15 GMT -5
When turning brown into blue do you have to boil the parts after every coat or just the final coat? And do you card before you boil or after?
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Post by bigbore5 on Dec 14, 2023 3:33:05 GMT -5
There's a few videos on YouTube on how to do it. Or you can send it to one of the smiths you see on there to do it for you. I'm doing my own. Do you mind if I ask what kind of project you are browning? Mines actually high polish rust bluing next. It's a Blackhawk 45 I got cheap from a police auction I call the beater 45. Apparently it was thrown from a car window,so was very rough. Hammer spur broken off, gripframe bent, road rash, etc.. But for $26, I got a good project. After piecing it together from random parts, it shoots fine, so at least the barrel is straight. If I could just get some time at home from traveling for work, I could get it finished. It's going to get mods for the internal free spin and trigger stop now as well. Thus far I have polished it out, cut another turn on the barrel threads to close the cylinder gap, removed the billboard lawyer notice, fitted 2 acp cylinders (one will rechamber to 460R), recrowned the barrel, fitted oversize bolt, 11° forcing cone,polished and nitre blued all pins and screws, relieved hammer sides on a new Bisley hammer to clear frame, and did a trigger job. The frame and new loading gate went out for case color. Still left to do is polish a couple cylinders, a 2Dogs TLA front sight soldered on, the rust bluing, and fitting a reshaped Wells Hager BB5 gripframe I've been working on to get the looks better, yet keep it's recoil control.
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Post by Gunny268 on Dec 14, 2023 12:43:33 GMT -5
No problems. Let it set for time as per instructions. Then card the fuzz and set it up for another coating. Took six or seven coats. Humidity down here in Arkansas was perfect for this.
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Post by blacktailslayer on Dec 14, 2023 15:25:25 GMT -5
Thanks for the complements, it was quite the project. I carry it most weekends when I check trail cameras from late June through September and then hunt with it for the month of October and a few weeks into November for the past few years and it shows no sign of holster wear yet. I do keep it covered when it is raining outside by raingear so it is not directly in the rain. Holding up nicely so far.
Don D.
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Post by Gunny268 on Dec 14, 2023 21:00:09 GMT -5
Needsmo, I just reread the instructions...after metal is prepped (1) apply browning solution (2) after enough time allotted, scald in boiling distilled water (3) card the surface. Repeat 1 /2 /3 until desired color is achieved. Hope this answered your question.
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Post by needsmostuff on Dec 14, 2023 22:22:36 GMT -5
Hope this answered your question. Yes Sir, I believe it does.
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Post by northerngos on Dec 20, 2023 15:03:55 GMT -5
Do you mind if I ask what kind of project you are browning? Mines actually high polish rust bluing next. It's a Blackhawk 45 I got cheap from a police auction I call the beater 45. Apparently it was thrown from a car window,so was very rough. Hammer spur broken off, gripframe bent, road rash, etc.. But for $26, I got a good project. After piecing it together from random parts, it shoots fine, so at least the barrel is straight. If I could just get some time at home from traveling for work, I could get it finished. It's going to get mods for the internal free spin and trigger stop now as well. Thus far I have polished it out, cut another turn on the barrel threads to close the cylinder gap, removed the billboard lawyer notice, fitted 2 acp cylinders (one will rechamber to 460R), recrowned the barrel, fitted oversize bolt, 11° forcing cone,polished and nitre blued all pins and screws, relieved hammer sides on a new Bisley hammer to clear frame, and did a trigger job. The frame and new loading gate went out for case color. Still left to do is polish a couple cylinders, a 2Dogs TLA front sight soldered on, the rust bluing, and fitting a reshaped Wells Hager BB5 gripframe I've been working on to get the looks better, yet keep it's recoil control. This sounds like a super cool project, I’ve heard you refer to it but didn’t appreciate the level of “beater” you are starting with! Will you be documenting it here?
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Post by bigbore5 on Dec 20, 2023 18:39:02 GMT -5
@northerngoes, I really haven't thought about it, it's a long learning as I go project. I've built many precision things over my career, but it's my first all in gun. And I mean all in. The only thing I know that I am keeping is the frame, but even that's getting looked at hard. I'm really thinking heavily about a Linebaugh style oversize 6-shot cylinder with tight Linebaugh-spec chambers. That'll require opening the window before he starts case color.
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Post by singleaction on Dec 24, 2023 23:42:13 GMT -5
@northerngoes, I really haven't thought about it, it's a long learning as I go project. I've built many precision things over my career, but it's my first all in gun. And I mean all in. The only thing I know that I am keeping is the frame, but even that's getting looked at hard. I'm really thinking heavily about a Linebaugh style oversize 6-shot cylinder with tight Linebaugh-spec chambers. That'll require opening the window before he starts case color. Have you considered properly heat treated 4340 for the cylinder? I doubt you would need to go oversize if you went that route. I have a mid-frame Blackhawk in 500 S&W special with a 4340 cylinder, and another on the far horizon. Pretty tough stuff.
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Post by bigbore5 on Dec 25, 2023 4:23:12 GMT -5
@northerngoes, I really haven't thought about it, it's a long learning as I go project. I've built many precision things over my career, but it's my first all in gun. And I mean all in. The only thing I know that I am keeping is the frame, but even that's getting looked at hard. I'm really thinking heavily about a Linebaugh style oversize 6-shot cylinder with tight Linebaugh-spec chambers. That'll require opening the window before he starts case color. Have you considered properly heat treated 4340 for the cylinder? I doubt you would need to go oversize if you went that route. I have a mid-frame Blackhawk in 500 S&W special with a 4340 cylinder, and another on the far horizon. Pretty tough stuff. The cylinder would have to be either a 5-shot or oversize to handle Linebaugh and Casull 45 Colt loads. 50-60,000psi.
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sharps4590
.30 Stingray
I'm a Christian first, husband and father next then a patriotic, veteran, firearms aficionado.
Posts: 205
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Post by sharps4590 on Dec 25, 2023 6:41:59 GMT -5
As has been said, Laurel Mountain. I've also had good results with Birchwood Casey's browning solution but it isn't a rust brown.
There's a dead stop for Laurel Mountain to quit browning but I'll have to check with a friend, if you're interested.
Ok...a friend who made barrels and built rifles for Gun Works in Oregon before he had a stroke used Windex to kill Laurel Mountain. He said the ammonia in it kills the acid better than baking soda.
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Post by bigbore5 on Dec 25, 2023 12:22:46 GMT -5
As has been said, Laurel Mountain. I've also had good results with Birchwood Casey's browning solution but it isn't a rust brown. There's a dead stop for Laurel Mountain to quit browning but I'll have to check with a friend, if you're interested. Ok...a friend who made barrels and built rifles for Gun Works in Oregon before he had a stroke used Windex to kill Laurel Mountain. He said the ammonia in it kills the acid better than baking soda. I never thought of ammonia. I just always boiled in distilled water.
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