Cold blue a fresh crown or let it be?

[bikemutt]

I just had a barrel threaded and noticed it has a fresh crown. Any thoughts as whether I should cold blue the threads and crown or just let it be and let carbon blacken it?

It's a Howa 1500 barrel, blued. Thanks.

 

[horsemen61]

I'd leave it alone if it were me I'd also ask the smith who did it why he left it in the white so to speak and what he would charge to touch it up

 

[bikemutt]

I'd leave it alone if it were me I'd also ask the smith who did it why he left it in the white so to speak and what he would charge to touch it up

Well, I have asked the question, but this one I shipped 1500 miles away for threading, I don't want to send it back again. My guess is they re-crowned it because they indicated the cutter off the bore, or perhaps they felt the factory crown was imperfect.

 

[boom boom]

The cold bluing and the way it looks depends on the alloy used and it won't give you rust protection. It may or may not blend with the rest of the rifle. Oxpho Blue does a good job on heated carbon steel but not as good on nickel or other alloys when blending to some existing bluing for example.

On a muzzle, depending on which one you use, it may wear pretty quick. Do you need it to reduce a chance of the crown flashing on a hunting rifle or just hate the look of bare steel? Then I would cold blue it. It won't wear very well on the threading if you take muzzle devices on and off repeatedly.

I would also go to Brownells and read the reviews of each of the cold blues as some brands may blend better colorwise than others.

 

[bikemutt]

The cold bluing and the way it looks depends on the alloy used and it won't give you rust protection. It may or may not blend with the rest of the rifle. Oxpho Blue does a good job on heated carbon steel but not as good on nickel or other alloys when blending to some existing bluing for example.

On a muzzle, depending on which one you use, it may wear pretty quick. Do you need it to reduce a chance of the crown flashing on a hunting rifle or just hate the look of bare steel? Then I would cold blue it. It won't wear very well on the threading if you take muzzle devices on and off repeatedly.

I would also go to Brownells and read the reviews of each of the cold blues as some brands may blend better colorwise than others.

I was hoping for rust prevention. Most of the time I'll shoot this rifle with a brake installed, and from time to time with a suppressor. I think I'll just leave it the way it is, doesn't bother me cosmetically and as long as I keep it clean, which I generally do anyway, I'm sure it'll be fine.

 

[boom boom]

Try applying something like Boeshield or some other rust preventative that is not a grease or lubricant to the threads. I wouldn't use grease based preservatives unless it was something like antiseize (holds up to sparkplug heat) as it might cause your muzzle device to unscrew especially given suppressor use with its heat liquefying the grease.

 

[carbine85]

Just cold blue it with what ever have on hand. It's a very small area and won't be noticed. Most likely you will have to touch up again in the future. I touch up crowns and cold blue a lot.

 

[rbernie]

I always use cold blue after re-crowning; 44-40 works well for me.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Look into express bluing. You can do it at home (but plug the barrel to keep it away from the functioning crown) without any fancy setup.

 

[bikemutt]

I always use cold blue after re-crowning; 44-40 works well for me.

Advice taken, thanks rbernie.