doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com factory vs nonfactory case colors

notice a lotta guys like to take their pictures under uv, flourescent or other non natural lighting. i like natural sunlight, as if the gun was in the field...learned this trick during my early selling days on the original 1997 vintage gunsamerica web sight. that way, when customer gets his gun it looks the same to him as the pictures he saw on the web...

reminds me of the time years ago, when i walked into a fall gun show in the ball room of the holiday inn in scranton, pa. it was a bright saturday afternoon outside. inside, it was very dark like in a cave. but with small uv lights here and there. anyway, picked up what i thought was an 870. gave the guy $250 and when i got it out side discovered that i had just bought a model 70 at a bargain price,,,,

nice pictures tho... keep em cumin...

It doesn't matter what light you use. Your torched guns still look like shit.

Original case color from the interior of a Model 1885 from 1885.






An 1928 NID.



A 1916 Flues.

1902 L.C. Smith 2E 16ga Live Bird Gun with correctly restored case colors. This gun also has several unique features that do not appear on any other L.C. Smith. Notice the lack of a top lever screw in the trigger plate that would normally be just in front of the trigger guard and the ejector screw in the barrel lug. Several L.C. Smith researchers have examined the gun and all agree that this was done at the factory.











Below are pictures of the internals that show the prototype top lever retaining system. The advantage of this setup is it allows the butt stock to be removed without affecting the top lever spring which is the biggest pain in the ass if you've ever tried to reassemble a Smith.





This picture shows the differences between a normal receiver and the one on this 2E. Notice the milled slot for the retaining plate.



All the components that make it work.

Yep, those M70's and 870's are hard to tell apart.

Must'a burnt his eyes real bad weld'n....

What are you talking about? I was referencing the none silver processing of photographic prints. Platinum printing is a difficult technique to master and results in archival prints that will last for centuries. Do have a clue as to why the use of a torch is wrong and just plain dangerous?

Pete

I am at a loss to KNOW how anyone can 100% be sure what "original case colors" on American SxS's looked like 100 years ago. Who really knows how Parker colors differed from Elsies, Lefevers, Foxes, etc. Each used slightly different processes and materials.

And, any/every 100 year-old gun has faded somewhat by now, so there is no real basis for factual comparison that I am aware of..

At best, all this dicussion this is just speculation.

There are many careful SxS craftsmen/gunsmiths that recreate case colors in an excellent manner. Why not just let it be?

JERRY

Neat Chris! I put your images here under "Problem Solved!"
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/15525639

jerry: wow! some body finally got it! congrats! as a reward, you get a free torch job for the gun of your choice!

now, does this really mean that after all is said and done, does it really make a difference how the receiver recoloring was accomplised, so long as the guy paying for the work is happy? and, of course, the gun should be test fired with proof loads and then inspected for receiver cracks...just to be sure that no harm was done as result of the recoloring process.