doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Speaking of Tony Treadwell . . .

I have had several guns redone with case color and rehardened at he same time. There have been zero problem with any of them. I've heard others have less positive results. The decision to redo colors is a personal one and I don't care to debate it. If you want to do it yo your gun then do it.

The more guns I've owned the less important it seems to me to recolor gms when restored. That said I have one more Lefever project gun that I am thinking of a complete upgrade, stock bent, with both barrels redone in black and white, metal engraved and case colors. A money pit of classic proportions but a gun to leave to my middle son when I can hunt no more or pass on to the limitless bag limits of the after life.

if cosmetic enhancement of the receiver is the goal, then there are less risky ways to accomplish that goal, without subjecting the receiver to a high heat recoloring process...

and as ky said above, it seems less important these days...

perhaps it is best to leave old guns alone and preserve them as they are?

It's debatable as to if the high-heat method (above 1333F) is necessary. If temps are kept just below the 1333F critical temp, (like CSC) colors can be restored yet hardness maintained. It becomes a recoloring process rather than a rehardening one. It greatly reduces the chances of deformation. It requires a digital controller that slows the initial heating of the oven, to prevent exceeding the critical temp when heating up.

Regards
Ken

I do not believe you can keep the hardness and still get colors without reaching critical temp. at least that has been my experience.

Steve,

I'll be testing the theory shortly. We'll have to see.

Regards

Ken

Ed, we been over this countless times before. Your "torch" method is crude and looks like hell. It's like a plastic surgeon using a razor knife and duct tape to do a face lift. I'd rather leave rust on a gun than use a torch to recolor it. It that plain enough for you? Pretend all your want it is a "safe restoration" method if you want I am not having any part of it.

There are craftsman who can properly recolor and re-harden a gun if the owner desires it but they do not use a torch. It cost more to be sure but if you have spent time and money restoring a gun you have to be prepared to do it right. And after spending many hours and more than a few bucks on a gun I tend not to cut corners at the end.

I am referring to mild low carbon steel, you have many more options with modern steels. When you subject mild steel that has had the CCH process done to it to temps. above 400 degrees or so you draw or temper it making it less hard. The critical temp. must be reached to impart hardness but the colors can be obtained at lower temps. If your tests yield something else I will be VERY surprised.

ky: respectfully, i do not have a "torch" method, nor any other method for recoloring shotgun receivers...in fact, i do no gun work of any kind... is that plain enough for you?

Merry Christmas Ed. Hope you and your family have a nice Chritsmas and happy New Year. Jon

Ed, are you forgetting that you told us here about some muzzle loaders that you built? I do believe that would count as "gun work". Is that plain enough for you?

Is it any coincidence that ed also stands for erectile dysfunction? Is your brain getting limp, or are you trying to deceive us?