Rust bluing and the inside of the barrel

[lebshiff21]

I plan on rust-bluing my barreled action and am wondering if I need to worry about the inside of the barrel. Most things I've read on the 'net don't seem to address it. Also, what about the inside of the reciever? Treat it and let it rust and finish it just like the outside?

Thanks

 

[Old Fuff]

Usually in the past barrels were rust blued before they were attached to a frame or receiver. The bore at the muzzle and chamber ends were plugged with wood dowel that also provided a way to handle the barrels during the blueing process without touching metal. Frames and receivers were blued seperately, sometimes using different processes. Winchester for example, rust blued barrels and magazine tubes, but niter blued receivers.

 

[Clemson]

Protect the bore when rust bluing. Caustic bluing won't hurt the bore.

Clemson

 

[Jim K]

Use wood plugs to close up the chamber and muzzle. They should be a very tight drive fit with long enough "handles" to provide a way to handle the barrelled action without touching the metal, and to be easily removed when the job is done.

Jim

 

[lebshiff21]

Thanks for the replies - next question:

What do I use for a tank for the water when I boil the parts? The barreled action is kind of long, any recommendations there?

 

[Jim K]

Unless you know of some alternative, you will just have to buy a tank from Brownells or have one made from scrap steel. Buying would probably be less costly and quicker, but every time this question is asked, some hotshot welder describes how he made a tank in five minutes out of steel he had on hand, so I will include that alternative.

Brownells has them. You can get the gas heater with it or sit the tank on stove burners or whatever else will work.

Jim

 

[lebshiff21]

What about using a silicone caulk to keep the inside of the barrel safe?

 

[Jim K]

I have never tried silicon caulk under boiling hot water, so I can't answer that. It could be the caulk would dissolve or alternately that it would set up so hard you will never get it out. Besides, you will still need some way to handle the barrel without touching it and/or burning your hands, and wood plugs work fine for that.

Jim

 

[lebshiff21]

Doh! Forgot about getting it out of the boiling water

What about pouring boiling water over the barrel?

 

[Jim K]

Pouring boiling water on the barrel won't let the heat soak in enough (IMHO) for a good rust blue job.

Jim

 

[chris allen]

rust blue

Wood plugs are simple and cheap way to go.Check them occassionally as they will loosen up.

The steel needs to get up to near the boiling point between coats of rust blue solution therefore pouring boiling water over the project will not give satisfactory result.You need to immerse into boiling water ands let it get back up to temperature.

It is a durable and relatively cheap and simple way to blue a firearm.It is more time consuming than hot blueing but much more durable,

good luck,
Chris