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I’ve begun noticing rifles that have a line of blue removed by a solvent(?). Seems someone cleans the rifle with the butt down. The liquid runs down the outside surface of the barrel, leaving a trail of bare metal–like a garden slug’s trail.
What do you suppose the liquid is? I’d prefer to keep rifles far away from it.
Is this something that has happened while you owned it or the previous owner? Now its possible those marks were doctored up cold blue and over time with normal cleaning its has worn the cold blue away. What ever did that is probable acidic or blood can do that. I have seen those type of loss of blue that looks like something ran down the metal before but its away been before I had the gun.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
I have one like this–prior owner made the trail. I’ve noticed a few others on the internet over the past couple years.
I doubt that it is blood. Too long of a trail, and definitely originating at the muzzle. It is as if someone soaked a patch, and in pushing it into the bore, squeezed enough solvent(?) out of it to cause a run down the outside of the barrel.
Might do well in shining the bore, but is murder on the blue!
In my obsession to remove stubborn gunk from old bores , I have soaked bores with various solvents in the horizontal position for several days, brushing patching and re soaking
Sometimes I have left bores too wet (yes still gunky) when returning guns to the vertical in the safe and been dismayed to discover later that the solvent dripped down and made a streak in the wood
I have thankfully never had a streak on the barrrel or receiver, but suspect that the streaks you describe happened much the same way, with more volatile solvents than I have used
Phil
I am unaware of any commercially made gun cleaning solvents that will harm factory original bluing. There are a number of solvents that will remove cold blue (as Bob mentioned). It takes some form of an acid solution to remove the bluing. Muriatic acid and Naval Jelly will both remove bluing.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I’ve used a product called Evaporust to prep barrels for rust Bluing. Cut and cap a piece of PVC just larger than the barrel and immerse in Evaporust overnight (probably takes less than an hour actually) and the barrel comes out completely in the white. Reusable and safe, but of course you’d never use such for general maintenance.
But I digress off topic…
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
Folks,
I have found two (inadvertent) ways to remove bluing in small streaks or spots, at least on newly manufactured guns with hot tank blued metal. Both from hunting in the jungles on Guam when stationed there. One is cobwebs from spiders! Make some rather interesting, small patterns on the metal work. The other was a product no longer available–100% DEET to repel mosquitoes. It will also remove the commercial varnish finish from gun stocks! How much the sweat that was copious added to the chemicals on the cobwebs and the DEET, I do not know. My Remington 870 slug gun has a number of bright spots from the above, plus a totally refinished stock. Also, when spilled, the 100% DEET eats up asphalt floor tiles! That is another story.
The only streaking I have found, so far, on old Winchesters is from seemingly rubs from going into and coming out of cases. Usually accompanies a bright edge to the muzzle, and goes down the high side of the barrel if it were on its side of the receiver. If someone is using some rust remover from the muzzle to clean the bores, then for sure will also remove bluing. I have yet to notice such though.
Tim Tomlinson
Off topic But that Deet is a Bad chemical. I had used it for years being an avid outdoors man in mosquito country. Once noticed my overspray melted plastic Radio.
Once at a redneck party we were using a potato canon using the dry hair spray as our standard Propellant. Someone tried the can of Muskol sitting there and discovered it was more powerful and increased velocity and range so the guys used at least 1 large can
Next day I looked at the cannon laying in basement with weird lines on it . I picked it up and it shattered like an automobile window glass even the thick 6″ diameter sewer pipe section ( Chamber Part) The cannon had previously ingested all kinds or aerosol propellants (ignited in chamber with a BBQ lighter) without issues
Scared me and never used it since but wonder how much I breathed in over the years , and how much of the burning fumes we inhaled that nite
Phil
Have been banging away with all manner of guns since the late 1950’s and have never had the need to use anything but Hoppes No. 9 and some oil (CLP for the last 35 or so years) to clean and protect the bores of my guns. In my case, if I had attempted to use copper bore cleaners or similar products there would have been inevitable damage to either the wood or metal finishes. Ymmv….
I’m wondering if they would of used old homemade lye soap and water to clean black powder from the bore and with poorly made lye soap it would be alkaline. I’m not a chemist so I don’t know if that would remove the blue.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
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