I've been photographing all my guns to catalogue them properly for appraisal and dug out my Savage 311 which I purchased new in 1973. It was my only shotgun for 16 years and I still use it occasionally. I used it hard in its early days and I'm now on my third butt stock having split the others. Threw it in the trunk, shot ducks before school in the morning and then headed out right after school ended in the afternoon, often with a teacher/hunter. It hung on a gun rack in the mud room in exposed daylight and in those days I don't remember cleaning it very often. Those were different days but I digress.
What I noticed is the cyanide case colouring on the 311 remains very strong and vibrant on all exposed surfaces showing very little wear. I have not had a charcoal/bone case hardened gun for anywhere near the time I've had the 311 and it got me wondering if one method is more durable than the other?
