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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Building Double Rifles & Gunsmithing

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Oz
.224 member

Reged: 24/05/08
Posts: 39
Loc: Australia

Finish for an old snider sporter
#114741 - 18/09/08 01:00 PM

Hi all,
I've 'inherited' a snider 577 sporting carbine that an acquaintance had started to 'restore'. The first thing they'd done was buff all the metalwork to a clean, bright, steel (I guess I'm lucky the engraving is still there). Give the age, a blueing job would look like a spoiler on a vintage car so I was thinking of trying to apply a brown finish, does anyone have any favourite recipes? Any other suggestions?
Cheers
Oz

--------------------
Once upon a time, long long ago
there was a contented young woman
happy with the choices made by her husband

But it was only the once,
and it was a long long time ago

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beleg2
.375 member

Reged: 15/08/07
Posts: 591
Loc: Bahía Blanca - Argentina

Re: Finish for an old snider sporter [Re: Oz]
#114762 - 18/09/08 09:01 PM

Do you have pictures?
Im some cases you can clean rust leaving some bluing.
I do not like to reblue original guns.
Thanks
Martin

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tinker
.416 member

Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada

Re: Finish for an old snider sporter [Re: Oz]
#114787 - 19/09/08 02:01 AM

Oz-

Post some photos!!

I very much like the Snideer sproters, and would like to see what you'e got thee regardless of it's 'orig-ness'

From there it'll be easier for the rest of the gang here to suggest solutions to your metal finish issues.

-Tinker

--------------------
--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--

"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...

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bigmaxx
.375 member

Reged: 13/06/07
Posts: 660
Loc: Bowling Green KY U.S.A.

Re: Finish for an old snider sporter [Re: tinker]
#114880 - 19/09/08 11:01 PM

Dixie Gun Works site may sell browning solution, and may even have a formula to mix your own. I have heard its not very hard. I shoot traditional black bowder rifles. I have a Hawken repro that is a lovely plum brown and I simply love it. Nothing looks more at home on an old firearm than a rich patina brown.

--------------------
One day at a time...

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88MauSporter
.375 member

Reged: 06/06/07
Posts: 530
Loc: Alaska / Texas

Re: Finish for an old snider sporter [Re: bigmaxx]
#114901 - 20/09/08 05:18 AM

Oz:
I have an old Snider action sporter .577 out of India. The metal finish on the lock plate and action show some old worn blue, but the barrel is brown. The blue hints may be case color left over. The original military seemed to be a blue type finish.
But for the lenght, lack of bayonet lug, eslight engraving and checkering of the stock, mine looks much in the military configuration. It is a full rifle rather than a carbine. The rifling is narrow deep grooves of about six. Most of the military I have seen are three shallow wide groves.
I posted a photo of the action with a Webly revolver related post a few weeks ago.

--------------------
"A hunter should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everthing goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." 88MauSporter

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Oz
.224 member

Reged: 24/05/08
Posts: 39
Loc: Australia

Re: Finish for an old snider sporter [Re: 88MauSporter]
#114937 - 20/09/08 02:19 PM

Thanks for the replies, photos to come. It was one of many from a lot. One of the other rifles was a Weatherby 300, the owner had arc-welded the scope (complete with hole blown in the side) and bases to the rifle because he thought they moved under the recoil. His family finally decided his 'use by' date had come and gone and convinced him that it was time to let go of shooting, especially since he'd been known to try out some of his loads from the bedroom window if he didn't want to drive out to the range.
Cheers
Oz

--------------------
Once upon a time, long long ago
there was a contented young woman
happy with the choices made by her husband

But it was only the once,
and it was a long long time ago

Post Extras:

Oz
.224 member

Reged: 24/05/08
Posts: 39
Loc: Australia

Re: Finish for an old snider sporter [Re: Oz]
#114939 - 20/09/08 02:33 PM

As for browning solutions, this would have to be one of my favourites;

Spirit of Nitre, 3/4 Oz
Tincture of Steel, (?) Oz
Black Brimstone, 1/4 Oz
Blue Vitriol, 1/2 Oz
Corrosive Sublimate, 1/4 Oz
Nitric Acid, 1 Drachm
Copperas, 1/4 Oz
Water 1 1/2 pints
Mix well and bottle

I couldn't find anything to say that it had to be done in a cemetary or on a full moon but I imagine reading Shakespeare while waiting for it to settle wouldn't go amiss.

--------------------
Once upon a time, long long ago
there was a contented young woman
happy with the choices made by her husband

But it was only the once,
and it was a long long time ago

Post Extras:

Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3592
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: Finish for an old snider sporter [Re: Oz]
#115362 - 24/09/08 01:58 PM

Oz:
My recommendation would be to rust-blue in the normal manner, boiling after the first and maybe second rustings, then simply carding without boiling for the last couple of 'rusts' (depending on your rusting formula).

This should give a good approximation of a rust-blued finish turning brown, but is subject to variation due to different types of steel and therefore requires some trial and error.

I once read of a gun-forger in the US who would spend hours in front of the telly in the evening bashing up the metal-work with an old bunch of keys to give it the proper aged patina!

I can imagine the look on your local pharmacist's face when you tossed that shopping-list on the shop-counter!

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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