I picked up a pre-64 FW in .30-06 at a local show today ($600), in good shape overall. I just want to restock it in synthetic stock, and refinish all the metal in a matte blue. I will use the rifle here in the Adirondacks this fall, and it will be a back-up rifle on future guided hunts. I understand it is difficult to re-blue the aluminum floorplate. Suggestions? Teflon? Other? Thanks

I don't think it is possible to blue aluminium, I suspect it was anodized to match. the original blueing on the steel. I had a Mod 64 reblued several years ago, it was made in 47. I turned out real good and it will never be sold so I did not damage the value..P

You can get steel replacement floor plates or orignal ones for your pre-64 FW. These of course can be blued. I switched to steel on my pre-64 FW 30-06 that I hunt with. I know the steel floor plate weighs more, but not enough to even note. A new steel floor plate and trigger guard are NOT cheap.

Hello,
Brownell's sell several spray on type finishes and most are fine. Some require a baking process but that is not problem in the kitchen oven. Just avoid the fumes when doing so, but the can tells you the safety items to be aware of when using.
Another suggestion is find a upscale hobby shop and they will most likely sell a spray on finish for model airplane builders known as 21st Century and it is impervious to the fuel those guys use in the models airplane engines so you can guess that bore solvents, oil, etc. will not harm in anyway. Matte black, or medium gloss is available and is very durable. In salt water environments, corrosive atmosphere it works very well where even rust blued finishes go away quickly. Just a suggestion.
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dsiteman

quote:

Originally posted by nyrifleman:
I understand it is difficult to re-blue the aluminum floorplate.

It isn't difficult. It's impossible. Blueing only works on ferrous metals.

OK so rebluing aluminum is a no-go. I have no desire to make this a do-it yourself project, so what other options do I have for the floorplate/trigger guard? New bottom metal is not an option. Will teflon take to aluminum?

It will bring more money on resale just the way it is than if you do all that to it..If your going to keep it forever I guess it won't make any difference....I personally would shoot it just like it is...

I would just leave it how it IS too and just clean it oil it and use it. Cant beat the looks and character of a old original pre 64 with worn blueing and scratched stock . Now thats beauty.

The reblued/altered pre64s I see for sale are just "Bubba'ed" !

Yup, if it's in good shape and more or less original, I'd leave it alone as well (both stock and action). JMO...

If you decide to restock in plastic, let me know as I would like to buy the take off stock. I might trade you a steel trigger guard and floor plate for the stock depending on its condition.

nyrifleman,
Save the wood stock and the bottom metal and pick up a steel one on ebay. They go fairly cheap. use the barreled action in your synthetic (shudder) and if and when you want to part with it, you still have the original. Or put it in the synthetic (damn I said it twice - I need some something to settle my stomach) with the al bottom metal as is, it will not rust.

The difference in weight between an FW guard and floorplate and the steel standard is approximately 4 oz. I long ago switched my pre64s, none of which are fancy customs, to the dural parts.

While probably not practical for this project, refinishing of aluminum alloys is definitely possible. Your typical gunsmith or bicycle shop will not have the facilities, however. A full-service commercial metal finishing company is required; these typically exist in industrial centers, particularly areas heavy in manufacture of aircraft parts. But expense would be an issue for the few items involved in M70 bottom metal.

The original finish on the FWT bottom is a thin color anodize. It comes off more or less instantly when given a light glass bead blast. For many, the resulting bare 'bright' finish would be fine, as it is non-reflective and, of course non-corrosive. (Please, no one take me to task about bare aluminum 'corroding' naturally.) The problem is that the alloy Winchester used is fairly soft. It marks very easily, and any marks are all the more obvious against the bead-blasted surface. Function is not a problem, of course, and anyone accepting the esthetics of a synthetic stock (there... I said it too!) might just find the effect pleasing.

To refinish this bead-blasted bottom metal, we first must remove the ferrous parts: floorplate latch, spring and pin, and hinge pin. Get these blued.

Then we hike our few parts down to the industrial metal finisher and ask for an 'industrial hard color-anodize', spec MIL-A-8625. This process results in a finish several thousandths thick, and is all but impervious to any reasonable handling firearms receive. When asked, we specify that the color should be black or dark grey. At this point, the finisher will likely inquire, "What's the alloy?" We will respond that it's *probably* in the 2000 series, but we really don't know. The finisher will then state that he can't guarantee the color; that it might come out something between black and grey. We will think to ourselves, "Hey, it's a synthetic stock, so it really doesn't matter!" and respond "OK" to the finisher.

And in about ten days we'll have our parts back. When picked up at 'Will Call', we will accept them without complaint, no matter what their color.

As mentioned above, the real problem with all this is cost. Several years ago the minimum charge was $75. No doubt it's considerably greater now. And there's the aggravation of finding a metal finishing shop that is both capable of the work and willing to do it, and then there's either the shipping expense or the driving time to and from during business hours.

As an example of one very capable metal finishing firm, see the website for Asko Processing in Seattle. No doubt there are others just as capable.

But vigillinus has it right. Leave it alone and hunt it as is. There's nothing much to improve upon. And when we can't find a deer willing to stand up in front of us we just look at our rifle and admire what has to be one of the supreme achievements of 20th century American industrial design and manufacture.