Blue over stainless on my 10/22

[Zsnark]

Hi there, Gunners;

I hope you're all prospering and finding ammo (I can't).

But on to my topic. Got a 10/22 Ruger. Great gun! It's an International model with a nice wooden stock. I, being a practical type dude, chose stainless which is terrific. However, it ain't a pretty as it could be in a deep blue.

Is blueing on SS something that can be done at reasonable cost (hopefully meself), 'cause I am essentially existing on my Social Security checks (Thank you FDR).

Anyway, any feedback would be greatly appreciated by me.

Be well and three big cheers for this THR site.

AAW

 

[ivankerley]

while im no expert

im fairly certain stainless cant be blued, at least no way ive heard of, there maybe other finishes that might work but gun blue wont
Gene

 

[rcmodel]

+1

Bluing is the formation of black iron oxide on the metal.
Or a form of rust.

And stainless steel is almost totally rust resistant.

There are plated coatings that can be applied to stainless to make it black.

Or you can use a baked paint finish like Duracoat in any color of the rainbow.
That's your only option for a inexpensive DIY finish.

rc

 

[BBBBill]

Brownells sells Oxynate 84 as a SS bluing product. Not a DIY project, unless you have the bluing tanks and plan to do a lot of SS bluing.
Of course you do realize the 10/22 receiver and trigger guard housing are not steel. The receiver is aluminum and the trigger guard housing is either aluminum or plastic, depending on vintage.

 

[Zsnark]

+1

Bluing is the formation of black iron oxide on the metal.
Or a form of rust.

And stainless steel is almost totally rust resistant.

There are plated coatings that can be applied to stainless to make it black.

Or you can use a baked paint finish like Duracoat in any color of the rainbow.
That's your only option for a inexpensive DIY finish.

rc

When I was getting SGN, I was more stationary geographically speaking, I remember ads for Duracoat. I always wonder about what it does to tolerances on the gun. Also, I believe I bake it. How hot? That also gives me pause. And, has anybody got first hand experience with the product?

 

[slicksleeve]

Duracoat can be air cured, but I bet it looks better now than it would if it were duracoated. The first one I did with it, I used their color called "gun blue." I was hoping for something that looked like what you want, and it came out looking like the color of a Ford tractor.

 

[45_auto]

Sell the stainless and get a blued one if that's what you want. You'll come out WAY ahead instead of trying to make stainless look blued.

 

[Zsnark]

Thanks gunners...great feedback...

Hey You all (I'm not a southerner so I can't say y'all),

Appreciate all the great info and suggestions, I believe I'll keep it plain vanilla and maybe get another 10/22 at a later date. I want it to look nice and it sounds like it's gonna' come out weird.

Be well,

AAW

 

[carbine85]

I have used Brownells Gun Kote in the Gloss Gunmetal Blue. It looks pretty good. I think you can apply it to stainless.

 

[Blue68f100]

Callswell sells a blackening solution for SS. It will turn the SS to a more of satin black, no shine. It's quite involved to get a good even finish. You basically have to treat the surface with Muratic acid then apply the blackening solution. This is a etching process so you will NOT have a polished finished afterwards.

 

[Kp321]

One point that has not been addressed is that the barrel is the only true stainless steel item. The barrel and trigger group are clear coated aluminum. The products mentioned for coloring stainless will not work on the aluminum parts, only the paint on finishes will do.

 

[jmr40]

There are ways to get a "blued finish" on stainless. Not true blueing, but reasonably close. The very first production Rem 700's chambered in 7mm mag had stainless barrels with a blue finish on them. Many people own them and never knew they were in fact made from SS.

But, if you want blue instead of SS you will be much better off financially to sell the one you have and buy blue. I wouldn't do it because the barrel is the only steel part. The receiver is black coated aluminum and I've never seen a 10-22 that has actually been used that did not have the coating peeling off in places on the blued version. It isn't nearly as noticeable on the SS rifles.

 

[CraigC]

Now I realize this is not the color or style you're looking for but bear with me. It started life as a stainless carbine. I refinished it with Brownells Aluma-Hyde II and it works beautifully. I did this rifle several years ago and after tens of thousands of rounds and a lot of serious use, it has held up wonderfully. The only wear on the finish is around the magazine well and a few scratches from crossing a barbed wire fence. Infinitely better than Ruger's cheap teflon coating that's so prone to flaking and peeling. It's available in a bunch of different colors and you don't have to bake it, just let it cure. I would suggest this finish for the receiver and triggerguard and buying a cheap take-off blued barrel. Or if you want the black color but with the corrosion resistance of stainless, just finish your barrel in the same stuff.

 

[nulook45]

For the cost involved find a used 10/22 thats blue steel and anodised black not that new crinkle paint they are using now and simply replace the stainles with the blued parts . To blacken SS profesionaly will run you at least 150 to 200 dollars . the same price as a used 10/22 . Problem solved