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Question, was the bore of a Winchester blued when new? If so what models or time periods? I have not found any information in books.
I also collect Colt SAA US marked Cavalry models. They have the inside of the cylinder and barrel blued when new and can be plainly seen on guns 140 years old. Did Winchester ever do this? T/R
I know that on Model 70’s, 52’s, any barrel that is rust blued will not have the bore blued, while if blued using Dulite hot salt bath, bore will be blued.
Steve
I don’t think there is a an official cut off date for the browned (rust blued) barrels on the 70’s. It is typically considered that after WWII, the change was made to the Dulite process on barrels. It was again revived for the S/G barrels in the mid 50’s.
Steve
I have a 1950 model 70 with a crowned blued muzzle, I think I see remnants of blue in the rifling. The gun’s finish is original of the dulite type so I’m guessing it’s correct. Does this hold true for 94s?
Thanks Steve, T/R
The blue in the bore did not last long after shooting commenced. That said, I have seen remnants in bores on mine that have not been shot much. I would say it would hold true for about any rifle of the time period.
The rust blued barrels were plugged when bluing to keep the acid & rust from pitting barrels throughout the process. I have seen some custom barrels that were rust blued and not plugged that were terribly pitted.
Steve
TR said
I have a 1950 model 70 with a crowned blued muzzle, I think I see remnants of blue in the rifling. The gun’s finish is original of the dulite type so I’m guessing it’s correct. Does this hold true for 94s?Thanks Steve, T/R
Winchester made the switch to Dulite bluing on the Model 94s in the late 1930s. Rust bluing was still in use for the Model 94 barrels through 1937.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 5, 2014
Offline
Thank you seewin for those insights!!! 
I’m taking notes… The M70 barrels that were acid rust blued had the bore plugged for the reason mentioned, so the bore and muzzle face tended not to be blued. Once DuLite was adopted the muzzle face is blued like the rest of the barrel. At least I think so… Please correct me where I’m wrong!!!
As for WHEN the blue process for M70 barrels changed… Looking at the “survey”, I’ll estimate that DuLite blued barrels become prevalent around S/N 56000-58000 (1946) in the commoner calibers (where barrel date and receiver PR date tend to be the same year). This suggests to me that M70 barrels made pre-war (1942 or earlier) were rust blued, while those made post-war (by 1946 anyway) were DuLite blued. I have very few (known to be) ’45 dated barrels recorded, so not sure how they were finished when production first resumed in 1945. 
That said, my data are a little fuzzy thus far because only several hundred of the 5000+ entries in the survey represent guns I’ve personally handled. You can imagine that judging the type of blue finish from on-line photos (even whether it’s original) is unreliable except in those few instances of sellers providing clear well lit photos. Worse, of course, is that barrel dates are (almost) never mentioned in on-line listings. But I think the “sensitive” time frame (where more data are needed) is 1945-1947 in the common calibers.
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
TR said
Question, was the bore of a Winchester blued when new? If so what models or time periods? I have not found any information in books.I also collect Colt SAA US marked Cavalry models. They have the inside of the cylinder and barrel blued when new and can be plainly seen on guns 140 years old. Did Winchester ever do this? T/R
I wouldn’t rule it out as possible. But I’ve never seen a “Collector’s” or antique model Winchester with a blued bore.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
seewin said
I know that on Model 70’s, 52’s, any barrel that is rust blued will not have the bore blued, while if blued using Dulite hot salt bath, bore will be blued.Steve
seewin said
I don’t think there is a an official cut off date for the browned (rust blued) barrels on the 70’s. It is typically considered that after WWII, the change was made to the Dulite process on barrels. It was again revived for the S/G barrels in the mid 50’s.Steve
Steve, Would I be correct if I went with the “theory” that Winchester after WWII when using the Dulite process, blued the inside of barrel on some models. If so can this statement be narrowed?
Steve when your talking I’m learning, please keep on talking. Thanks T/R
TR, not sure what you mean by “narrowed”? Are you asking to narrow down to specific models, date of this change over, or narrow down the statement to unequivocally state that any “Dulite” blued barrel was blued inside the bore?
Also, as Lou stated on the model 70 barrels, the rust blued barrels had a white, unfinished crown or muzzle face. To add to that, the chamber face was always in the white as well when the barrel was rust blued.
Steve
Steve, Maybe narrowing is not the right word, how about is their anything else you can add on the subject. T/R
One thing I did forget to mention is that the stainless steel barrels will also have the crown and chamber face in the white since they were rust blued after iron plating. I have inspected not only the Swift SS barrels, who most relate exclusively to stainless steel barrels, but also the 270 and 300 H&H Stainless Steel barrels. They were all done the same way.
Steve
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