The Accurate Reloading Forums
model 94 blue
18 February 2018, 02:52
hivelositymodel 94 blue
I have a model 94xtr Winchester and the receiver has turned a rusty looking color. no Idea why. Maybe acid or something on the hands. The rifle was mfg. in 1981 really nice wood and checkering, and it has never been shot. Safe Queen.
the only one I have.
No value to anyone but me. I was thinking of getting it re-blued.
Has Anyone sent a rifle to Winchester for a bluing job, what was the out come?
18 February 2018, 03:27
FirearmdocWinchester is no longer in business. The “new” Winchester will not work on your rifle. You are better off finding a local gunsmith who will properly polish and blue it for you.
18 February 2018, 03:31
SnellstromBefore you do anything try liberally coating the affected area in Kroil, let it stay on it over night. Then take some fine steel wool with Kroil on it and carefully scrub the rust.
You will remove it and save the remaining blue.
If you scrub too hard and don't use Kroil you will remove the blue.
18 February 2018, 04:06
hivelositythanks Ill try the kroil.nothing to loose at this point
18 February 2018, 05:07
BobsterLikely problem is that the receiver is cast and they had a lot of problems blueing them and then having it last. The flecking you see is typical. Some receivers were iron plated and then blued.
Rust blueing won't work. I've seen Dicropan M work and Dulite has a product that they claim will blue it. There is an outfit in SC that can titanium nitride it with a dark blue finish. Looks like rust blueing. I guarantee you that won't come off!
18 February 2018, 05:17
speerchucker30x378quote:
Originally posted by Bobster:
Likely problem is that the receiver is cast and they had a lot of problems blueing them and then having it last. The flecking you see is typical. Some receivers were iron plated and then blued.
Rust blueing won't work. I've seen Dicropan M work and Dulite has a product that they claim will blue it. There is an outfit in SC that can titanium nitride it with a dark blue finish. Looks like rust blueing. I guarantee you that won't come off!
Yup. You're right. It's a plated receiver. Don't strip it off because it won't take a blue. You will end up having to get someone to paint it. That's worse than what you have now!
Just sayin!
When I was a kid. I had the stick. I had the rock. And I had the mud puddle. I am as adept with them today, as I was back then. Lets see today's kids say that about their IPods, IPads and XBoxes in 45 years!
Rod Henrickson
18 February 2018, 05:56
hivelositybobster,what is the process for dicopan m ?
the problem lies with the receiver the rest of the rifle is perfect.
definitely do not want to paint it.
Winchester must have had a method for bluing them originally.
18 February 2018, 06:37
BobsterDicropan M was used like a hot water blue. Let me contact the 'smith that did it and I'll see if you two can connect. He did sandblast the receiver prior. I tried to rust blue it with no effect.
Bob
18 February 2018, 06:49
dpcdI polish these receivers and leave them bright. That looks better than a purple blue job, or the flaked finish they naturally get, or, painted.
They are some sort of cast iron alloy.
18 February 2018, 06:51
dpcdI polish them and leave them bright. That looks better than a the flaked coating that they always get. They were some cast iron alloy.
18 February 2018, 08:59
sambarman338I have an XTR 'Big Bore 94' apparently made in 1983 (someone said it is one of the last real Winchesters), but it looks blued and seems OK so far.
Were those receivers plated, too?
18 February 2018, 14:31
enfieldsparesThe receiver is plated. Now if you do strip the blue it'll come up a nice shiny bright white metal. I have seen one here in UK so done.
Almost as if it is chromed. But if you don't like it then, that effect, there is no easy route back to being all blued again save paint.
18 February 2018, 18:00
hivelosityThanks for all the information. not too much you can do unless you want a shiny or a maybe a blotched plumb receiver.
the kroil did make it look a little darker. Ill try a few applications.
18 February 2018, 19:50
Mark ClarkWe have had Robar do a few 94 receivers, came out very nice
https://robarguns.com/custom-f...rm-finishes/roguard/18 February 2018, 21:25
hivelosityThanks mark Ill check them out
19 February 2018, 04:57
BobsterThe finish you have is shiny. Some have them black nickle plated.
19 February 2018, 09:20
kendog94's in those years were made from some weird graphitic cast steel. They were iron plated and hot blued over the iron plating. Polishing them for caustic blue removes the plating and the base metal will not blue very well, if at all. I have had excellent results with Pilkingtons rust blue on one, and others were polished bright and then clear Gun Koted with all the other parts and screws blued. Looked quite nice.
19 February 2018, 16:05
jeffeossoanyone ever try replating them? just wondering
19 February 2018, 19:42
hivelosityJeffeosso, I was thinking about that a few days ago, the most claim its an electro platting.
you would think someone has figured out Winchesters process.
I sent an Email to Winchester to see if they would recommend anyone.
19 February 2018, 23:52
D HumbargerAt this point just durakote or cerakote it.
Doug Humbarger
NRA Life member
Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club 72'73.
Yankee Station
Try to look unimportant. Your enemy might be low on ammo.
21 February 2018, 02:07
kendogWinchester was set up to do them by the thousands for more than 10 years in a manufacturing scenario. Seems like the plating and then bluing process for only one or two receivers would be way too much trouble, unless you are dying to experiment. Slow rust bluing worked excellent on the ones I have tried. Much more durable than the original finish, too.
21 February 2018, 02:10
kendogquote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
anyone ever try replating them? just wondering
Frank Brownell describes how he and a partner did some back in the sixties. The article is in one of the Gunsmith Kink books. The process and equipment they came up with was not reliable.
23 February 2018, 02:29
hivelosityHave you done any around this time period? 1981..
What brand of rust blue do you use?
thanks Dave
23 February 2018, 19:28
Toomany ToolsI’ve redone a bunch of them but was never asked to make one glossy. I beadblast then acid etch before boiling in Brownells’ stainless salts. They come out looking nice.
John Farner
If you haven't, please join the NRA!
23 February 2018, 20:04
kendogquote:
Originally posted by hivelosity:
Have you done any around this time period? 1981..
What brand of rust blue do you use?
thanks Dave
Mid 60's guns. If my memory serves, and it is the second thing to go. Cain't remember the first
I used Piklingtons. Fairly user friendly as far as rust bluing goes.