SS receiver or blue it?

[savetheclaypigeons]

Purists don't look!!


I have a Mauser M98 that I got sporterized with a tapped receiver and swamped barrel.

The receiver is now polished and I have ordered a SS fluted .308 barrel. The stock is far from finished (also needs a recoil pad), but should turn out to be a stunning piece of walnut.

My question is how would you finish the receiver? Just polish it up? Blue it? Maybe even parkerize it?

 

[rcmodel]

You will have to hot-blue or Park it to keep it from rusting.

rc

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I would blue it. Parkerized in grey would probably match the SS barrel better. Whatever finish you decide on will be fine but finish it DO NOT LEAVE IT BARE METAL!

 

[savetheclaypigeons]

B/c of the rust?

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Yes,the bare metal will rust rapidly unless you constantly monitor it and keep it polished. A good wax will go a long way to keeping it shiny but it will require constant vigilance on your part. If you want it to look like polished bare steel,you can have it nickled.

 

[slicksleeve]

As someone who is currently working on a similar project, I vote to blue it. My Mauser won't have a stainless barrel, but I think a stainless barrel and a blued receiver would look nice. Also, if you like to tinker enough to build a Mauser, I recomend you gather up the equipment to slow rust blue. That's a fun project in and of it's self.

 

[highorder]

You need to polish and blue it to have a chance of matching wood that nice!

 

[Jolly Rogers]

Hard chrome comes close to a stainless finish depending on how much polishing is done first. Works good for corrosion resistance and wear also.
Nickle is done over copper and is usually highly polished which is a gaudy look to me. YMMV though.
Joe

 

[Chawbaccer]

Gun-Kote is available in a brushed stainless version.