All,

I wanted to get the opinion of the knowledgeable here as to whether or not a barrel "should" be removed from the receiver prior to hot caustic bluing?

I will be having a Cr-Mo action with a new Cr-Mo bbl re-blued in the near future and have gotten conflicting advice on this....hence the question.

It would seem to me that it would be difficult to ensure that all of the bluing salts get out of the threads, and you might make future barrel removal a serious problem, but I don't know.

What is the current common wisdom and best practice on this?

Thoughts and input welcomed!

Bob

no - leave the bbl on. just make sure the after wash is good

I am not wise nor have I had a lot of experience, but I do have an opinion....

All of the jobs I sent out for hot bluing I have removed the barrel except one. That one I decided to try it without removing the barrel. I got it back and everything looked great. But after a few days I could see salts seeping into the bolt recesses. So I pulled the barrel. Sure enough some salts worked there way in there.

I would not do it again myself. It is not that hard to pull the barrel and then you can clean everything really well before assembly.

Just my 2 cents.

Pull it.

I've done it both ways and now I always separate the parts, otherwise there's a chance of A)not being able to properly match the polish marks next to the receiver ring and B)salts later seeping out of the threads and, if not fully neutralized, rusting the steel.

Just a little insurance.
Regards, Joe

Thanks, guys!

You have pretty well confirmed my instincts that the barrel should come off.

Bob

If you have Anti seize on your barrel threads Salts are going to have a hard time getting in there anyway.

I have reblued a number of rifles over 35 years and never pukk the barrel or had the problem of salt creep afterwards, because after coming out of the salts tank hit it in a cold water tank then boil it for 20 minutes in the same tank that I started the process which the cleaning solution which is boiling..

I have reblued a number of rifles, many pistols, a few shotguns, and rarely remove the barrel. Proper procedure removes the bluing salts after the salt bath by boiling for a period of time.

I usually dunk in the cold rinse prior to boiling as Mr. Wright mentioned.

From one who has blued hundreds of firearms, it is totally unnecessary to put the barrels. It doesn't hurt, but it is a waste of effort. Not one manufacturer does it either.

I have blued a number of barreled actions over 35 years. I always rinse in cold water then boil in distilled or rain water for 20 minutes. Then dip in automatic transmission fluid. Never had any creep or rust. I've had a few of them apart down the road, no creep or rust.