How would you refinish the bolt on this Whitworth Mauser .375? It shows multiple rub marks on the bolt body(from the bolt release) and on the extractor. Would jewelling or some other finish be best?




Thanks.

I'd leave it. Shows the rifles gets used from time to time.

Rebluing, especially caustic, will just wear again. A sgood slow rust blue will stand up better but may not match the receiver's finish.

Jeweling, well, Momma said, if ya cain't say nothing nice.... Well, you get the idea.

quote:

Jeweling, well, Momma said, if ya cain't say nothing nice....

My Momma said the same thing. To me jewelling just doesn't go on a Whitworth.

Hmmm.. that action looks nicer finished then my single shot Withworth action.

Polish it and leave it be. Jeweling will show the same marks after a while too.

It looks nice.
Anything that removes the marks removes the material around the marks.

I personally like jeweling or engine turning on the bolt and the follower. Especially when done with a small size swhirl. Mine are all the stock size from Brownells. That must be the standard size since they fit the tool I made in gunsmith school in 1952. It's a lot of trouble and requires a good indexing jig that we also made in school. And it does seem to hold oil better to me.

Get over it. No matter what finish or polishing technique is used a Mauser is going to demonstrate rub marks on the bolt.

You can refinish it and jewel it but if you use it those marks will come back..its called wear and it will come back...The best thing to do is have a skilled smith work it over for smoothness and he will hone out most of those marks, but in time they will return and as they do the action will become smoother and smoother.

I think it looks great, I have no problem with jeweling, but for me it would be to make it lovelier (i.e. little pits or something) this bolt doesn't need it.

Red

I've jeweled a lot of bolts.....and like it....but I'll be the first to say that a briskly polished bolt is a very handsome bolt.