bluing

[joshua9578]

a friend had given me a stevens 620A in pieces. I have finally got it back together (except for the fact the last shell of the magazine wont come fully out jamming the lifter). the barrel, trigger housing, and magazine tube have a lot of rust spots on them. so i have practiced bluing. i started on something small and cheap like a couple peices to my Sig 228. everything worked well and looks good. i tried on the release on the stevens yesterday and the stripper didnt take the bluing off? it melted it right off my sig. any ideas? does a gun this old have a different bluing on it or is it not blued at all? i dont want to end up sanding all these parts, ill leave it like it is and put it over the fireplace. but i would like to see the gun get back into a good shape. thanks guys. (i have been using a birchwood casey bluing kit for the record)

 

[Scorch]

Birchwood Casey is cold blue, basically just a scratch cover-up and nothing at all like hot caustic bluing. As you discovered, it wipes off easily after it has been applied, and even if it does not, it will discolor and turn a brownish grey within a short period of time. If you want the gun to be black again, take it to a smith and have it disassembled and blued, but be prepared to pay for it.

 

[joshua9578]

well that is what i was tryin to avoid. the gun was given to me and i wasnt planning on droppin much money into it hopefully just some sweat and knucklegrease. i was just looking for an easy way to make it look good, but if what you said is true about it turning brown then the fireplace it is. thanks.