In the white

The only "in the white" are the barrels for my benchrest rifles. They only keep peak accuracy for 800 - 1,000 rounds so they are just a consumable item that needs to be changed fairly often.

I would think a gun in the white could be treated with clear cerakote , it would keep it from oxidizing and keep it looking good. Not sure if that necessarily adds a glossy look or not.

I have no idea why they sell various traditional guns in the white unless they intend them to be engraved or have some other type of special finish applied - like color case hardening or high polish blueing . could be totally wrong though, I doubt they intend for them to stay white forever.

Hoyte, what part of the country do you live in? As a smith I used to shoot guns I was working on in the white for a short time before finishing but carbon steel must have some kind of finish or humid air will rust it. And some people's hands will sweat acid and etch their prints into the steel. I have tried clearkote but it doesn't hold up for long.

Breakfree CLP is pretty good stuff (at least the Mil-spec version was)

From consumer tests I've seen, looks like Ezeox and WD-40 Professional Long Term Corrosion Preventative are among the best products for rust prevention.

As far as guns in the white, coin finish shotguns appeal to me.

I wouldn't want to do it to a firearm, but have done this to a couple of knives. Instead of trying to keep the metal clean I've used chemicals to speed up the patina. There are several options, but I used a mixture of mustard and lemon juice which I coated on the knife blade. Let it set for a few days then clean it up.

Some images on knives. If done right this would look good on some firearms.

knives blades patinas - Bing images

When I get a new carbon steel knife I just take it to the kitchen and start using it. It'll turn dark pretty quickly if you cut fruits and veggies with it. I have never felt any need to "speed it up". Just use it. I have a rack full of Old Hickory knives that are all black from use and so sharp you would freak. Stainless steel is lousy for making blades (or guns).

I have a Ross Mk III that was in miserable shape so I decided to clean it up a bit. It has no collector value. I refinished the stock and blued everything but the barrel and receiver, which were polished and left in the white. I have made no attempt to protect the steel and I have never seen any sign of rust. I live in Illinois, so the gun has seen all types of weather, from hot and humid to cold and dry. Go figure. It is the gun on the right

tark said:

I have a Ross Mk III that was in miserable shape so I decided to clean it up a bit. It has no collector value. I refinished the stock and blued everything but the barrel and receiver, which were polished and left in the white. I have made no attempt to protect the steel and I have never seen any sign of rust. I live in Illinois, so the gun has seen all types of weather, from hot and humid to cold and dry. Go figure. It is the gun on the right

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Probably a relatively high nickel alloy steel would be my guess. Nice guns!

NIGHTLORD40K said:

Probably a relatively high nickel alloy steel would be my guess. Nice guns!

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Thank you! Actually, now that you mention it, my reference book by Phillips & Knap DOES mention something along those lines. When I polished off what little was left of the original blueing, there were many areas that had been worn right down to the bare metal. There was no rust. And the bore on my Mk III is as pristine as the day it left Canada. Could be the reason!! The rifle next to the Mk III is my M-10 sporter in 280 Ross.