doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Questions on gun finishes

Zero case color left, and not sure if the action is worn silver or has been polished at some point (guessing the latter); short of re-coloring, is there any quick and/or easy way of toning down or graying out the shiny silver look?

Also, if an action that once was cc'd has been blued, is there any fix there short of a full refinish? Thanks...

Someone here recently suggested rubbing raw onion over a polished receiver to tone it down and age it. I have not tried it.

I recently picked up a 12 ga. field grade L.C. Smith quite reasonably, but it's frame has been blued. I intend to strip the blue and probably leave it silver, or try the onion trick. It, like many lower grade guns in average condition, would be hard to justify spending $2-300.00 on new case colors. The case hardening is still there. Only the colors are gone.

If someone named Ed should suggest torch coloring your gun, politely laugh your ass off. Then decline.

Fin:
Go to a good pharmacy and get some boric acid. Make a 7% solution with distilled water. Dunk the striped/degeased parts in this for about an hour. See how they look. Continue longer for a more softened texture. It's very slow acting and very nice on results.

Best, Kensal

Thanks guys. Kensal, this would be to tone down the silver? Also - for reasons of both laziness and lack of expertise - I'd prefer not to take the guns apart.

Try dabbing with your finger some blueing, blueing cut 50% with water, and cold browning on the receiver. Gives it a fake case coloring. Some look better than others, depending on the heat treat of the receiver. Paul

I once used a
Dremel tool with a small buffing wheel (3/8") to give a hot blue reciever worn case color appearance.
bill

KY Jon's torch questions reminded me I wanted to bring this thread back up. I've looked at two guns - one has a buffed receiver and one a blued receiver; both would originally have been CCH. Any other suggestions for toning down the buffed one and/or changing the look of the blued one without taking the guns apart or pulling the stocks? Thanks...

Keith, don't be in a hurry to remove the blued finish on your elsie. A few left the factory with blued frames instead of color case. I have one of these and my first thought was it had been reblued. Go to the L.C. Smith collectors forum and ask questions........ Bill

As Bill Meyer stated some were shipped with blued receivers. Some were also shipped with nickeled recievers such as this 12 ga. FW E Ideal gr. made in 1927.
Never say it never came that way. Most times the records do not tell what was done to them, except the obvious options like ejectors, HOT trigger, etc.

Bill and JDW,

I have heard that also, but there is no doubt in my mind that this blued L.C. Smith 00 grade is not factory. There are visible buffing wheel marks running at 90 degrees to each other behind the breech balls that can be seen under the blueing. I don't think they would have allowed the least experienced apprentice to put out work like that. Still, the gun is tight and sound, and I bought it too reasonably to pass up... even with its' poor receiver bluing. But can you tell us if the real factory blued guns were from one era or scattered throughout production