Ruger PC Carbine Turning Purple . . . Worry or Relax?

twofewscrews

twofewscrews

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Location
Mill Creek, WA
The receiver/frame of my Ruger PC Carbine is turning purple. It's made of aluminum and is less then 4 years old.
20241207_155629.jpg 20241207_155623.jpg 20241207_155625.jpg

As far as I can tell this is the result of either some kind of error in the anodizing process or due to the alloy and dye combination used by Ruger.

Is this something to worry about?
I don't give a hoot that it's turning purple unless of course the discoloration/color change is a sign of something more serious.

Thanks for your input,
Screws
 
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W.E.G. said:
www.pfonline.com

Anodized and Dyed Black Extrusions Turning Green and Purple

We notice that the black extrusions have a greenish cast to them when we receive them from the anodizer. When the parts are exposed to plant lighting and to indirect sunlight, they turn a purplish color after six months or less.
www.pfonline.com www.pfonline.com
Click to expand...
Read that article. It basically lives in a safe or inside my house. It's probably been exposed to then 30 hours of direct sunlight and less then 2 hours of phosphorescent lighting. Also the inside of the receiver is also turned color and that has had literally no expose to either of those two light sources.

Not saying that's not what caused it but it doesn't seem likely, however it does suggest it's a color issue and not a protection issue.

I don't care if it turns bright pink or pee yellow as long as it's not a sign of something serious 🤔
 
One of my Dan Wesson 15-2 frames is getting the famous DW purpley hue. Gun shoots just fine, it just doesn’t color match the barrel sets as well as it used to.

Stay safe.
 
Riomouse911 said:
One of my Dan Wesson 15-2 frames is getting the famous DW purpley hue. Gun shoots just fine, it just doesn’t color match the barrel sets as well as it used to.

Stay safe.
Click to expand...
That's steel though, a result of contaminated bluing salts.
I've seen it in lots of old German guns, and old Rugers. I find it kinda attractive myself. 😊

The OPs parts are anodized aluminum, however, a bit different.
 
BreechFace said:
Yes, they are pretty responsive. They may want to see that one back and provide a replacement.
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Honestly, so long as it's a cosmetic issue I'm inclined to just let it be. I've never had to send in a firearm for repair or replacement and am leery of the process. I've heard good things about Rugers customer service and turn around time but my faith in the USPS is not high.
 
twofewscrews said:
Honestly, so long as it's a cosmetic issue I'm inclined to just let it be. I've never had to send in a firearm for repair or replacement and am leery of the process. I've heard good things about Rugers customer service and turn around time but my faith in the USPS is not high.
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Ruger (and S&W, Colt, Etc.) sent me RMA labels that sent the gun back to them FedEx 2-day. I have sent guns back to their factories numerous times, never an issue coming or going. :thumbup:

But if it doesn’t bug you, it will shoot just fine.

Stay safe.
 
twofewscrews said:
turning purple
Click to expand...
From a mix of 2 solvents/oils that dont work well together?

Wiped a new Ruger SBH with the shop rag, to remove the factory preservative, back in the 1980s. The bluing started comming off. Solvents, oils, factory preservative on that rag.
Had to sell that 44 mag at a deep discount.

Opened box on a brand new Rem 1100 skeet gun. Barrel was reddish/ purple from the factory. Untouched by me. Just poor bluing??
Sent barrel back. Reblued, no charge.
 
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243winxb said:
From a mix of 2 solvents/oils that dont work well together?
Click to expand...

I've used RIG grease, Superlube, and Clenzoil. At one point I was applying a mix of Superlube and Clenzoil. Now it's Clenzoil only, but when I moved across the country I used Superlube as I was unsure as to when I'd be using it next. It sat in Superlube for 3-4 months.

Never any solvents as a squirt of Clenzoil and a little time let me wipe away any crude that built up.
 
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It's not unusual to see black anodized aluminum with a purple tint.
I suspect it is something to do with the dye process used to color the anodizing.

It isn't common with firearms aluminum, but you see it on other products.

The reason you see reddish or purple colors on blued guns is because either the chemicals were about used up, or the bluing tanks were out of control.
In the days when a lot of small local gun shops offered bluing, it was common to see reddish colors of the bluing in sunlight.
This was because the people running the tanks didn't do enough of it to learn how to operate it properly and let things get out of control.
 
243winxb said:
From a mix of 2 solvents/oils that dont work well together?

Wiped a new Ruger SBH with the shop rag, to remove the factory preservative, back in the 1980s. The bluing started comming off. Solvents, oils, factory preservative on that rag.
Had to sell that 44 mag at a deep discount.

Opened box on a brand new Rem 1100 skeet gun. Barrel was reddish/ purple from the factory. Untouched by me. Just poor bluing??
Sent barrel back. Reblued, no charge.
Click to expand...
My older 1100 .410 vent rib barrel is doing that. Too bad it’s too late to send back to Remington.

Stay safe.
 
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