I have a Ruger rifle that has a spot on the barrel that is about 1/3 of an inch by 1/3 that the blueing has been scratched off. Any suggestions/preferences on blueing agents to use and any tips on application of the agent would be appreciated.

Greg

Gun is no good anymore...just pack it up and send it to me.

Oh really, better just give me your address. Ha ha, fat chance.


Greg

I was using the regular bottled blue stuff from wally world, but you have to keep putting the stuff on, and on, and on. However, in the last edition of American Rifleman there is a product review of Blue Wonder gun care products. One is called Gun Blue Kit and the evaluation states it is $3. Try going to the website www.bluewonder.us and maybe you can order some right from the company. It looks like it worked pretty darned good. Tom Purdom

Oxphlo Blue from Brownell's. Degrease with laquor thinner, dry, apply blue with q-tip, rub with fine steel wool, whipe off, rub with fine steel wool, apply more blueing, rub with steel wool, let dry, wipe with cloth soaked in WD-40, you sould be done. OR, one application of 44-40 (Brownell's)wiped off with cloth soaked with gun oil.
I use these products only, nothing else works as well.
Now if only I could get more here in Canada!!

I just did a large area on a millsurp bbl with Oxpho paste. It's simply the best as cold blues go IMO. My method of application is to heat the bbl with a propane torch then card with 000 steel wool. (This is assuming that the metal has already been preped as far as polish and degreasing goes.) This brings all moisture to the surface and dries it, the steel wool then removes its residue. Repeat this until no trace of residue shows when heated. Then heat it again and apply Oxpho with steel wool, allow it to dry and card it. Heat again and apply a liberal amount of oxpho with a soft clean grease free rag or paper towell. The heat should be enough to cause steam and the blue to be evaporated quickly but not enough to splatter it. Do NOT card it with steel wool this time, apply brownells water displacing oil and allow it to cure for 24 hrs first. If the heat and amount of blueing are applied evenly then it should come out very good. Mine ended up looking better than the original blue and is quite durable for a cold blue.

Good luck!

I use 44-40. Some hints about it's use.

I use alcohol to clean/de-grease the spot.

Heat the area to touch up. Not too hot but
real warm to the touch. I put it over the
heater vent.

Use a paper towel to apply rubbing it in.

Rinse with water. This is important! I used
to just use gun oil afterwards and the touched
up spot would always rust on me. But the water
rinse removes the salts used to create the blue
color.

Dry and when cool use gun oil.

Well, since you are insisting on keeping that "ruined" rifle, I guess I will offer some advice.

Don't use ANY of the touch-up cold blue stuff on the market. No matter what you use, you will not be able to match the finish on the rest of the gun, and a touch-up will always look like a touch-up.

When this hunting season is over, take the gun to a reputable gunsmith (and not a clerk in a catch-all sporting goods store) and have it completely polished and hot blued.

Another tip is to apply the blue with a toothbrush and scrub it in vigorously. Pour a little blue into a small container and just dip the toothbrush into it.

I'm not a big fan of cold blues but they do have their uses, the 44-40 works OK.