Python Bluing Question

[Shrevy]

I was looking at some Pythons and the bluing on them was different. On two different guns (same seller) the cylinder release was almost purple. The rest of the gun was a dark blue/black. Why is this the case? Could the gun have been reblued?

Thanks.

 

[dfariswheel]

The cylinder releases were blued separate from the rest of the gun, and for some reason, some Colt cylinder releases have a slight purple color that tends to deepen as the bluing ages.

Purple or red gun parts are a sign of an improperly operated bluing operation or a steel that causes the off-color.
Since no gunmaker uses steels they know won't blue properly, this is usually the bluing operation being slightly "off".
Why many Colt releases have the purple tint is just one of those things.

If an entire gun or a major component like a barrel, slide, or cylinder is off color, THAT'S almost always a sign of replaced or re-blued parts.

 

[harmonic]

It didn't happen to have some idiot's initials on the side, did it? Cause I had a Python initialed, reblued, and the gun came back with a purple cylinder release lever. And I've heard a ton of different explanations. The lever is a different steel. The bluing tanks weren't hot enough. The salts (whatever that is) were old. Whatever.

I sold it.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I have seen quite a few purple or "plum" cylinder releases. If it is not a Royal Blue gun and it has a purple cylinder release and normal blue on the rest I look at it as a sign of never having been refinished.