To remove the bluing or not to remove the bluing, that is the question....

[rolfyrolf]

I just got a vz24, scrubbed Romanian contract with that ugly blued bolt. I also have a SVT40 with the usual plum blued bolt cover. These are just refurbs, but would taking the bluing off "screw-up" the gun's value down the road since it is not original to the rifle's state when imported? They are cheap guns now, but who knows later.

 

[flying pig]

Yes in those cases I wouldn't do it. Unless you have no interest in keeping them for collecting purposes anyway.

 

[smellie]

They may be "just refurbs" but they are refurbed the way the factory wanted them.

That makes them original NOW.

Value? I don't care a lot about "value".

I do have rather a nice SMLE Mark I*** Naval conversion which I have a whole $12 invested into. It is my favourite SMLE, although I don't shoot it much.

Folks today think it's "worth" more than $12, so there is your answer.

Every single original rifle wrecked by Bubba reduces the finite supply of those remaining. As time goes by, more and more will meet Bubba, for he is a persistant creature with no scruples at all. That makes EVERY other original rifle scarcer and more valuable.... even those "ugly" factory refurbs.

 

[Magellann]

If the rifle is a real nice all matching collector grade, I'd leave it alone as is. If its a shooter grade, go ahead if thats what you want, you can always cold blue it again someday.

 

[Ganderite]

Please scrub the bluing. It will make mine worth more.

 

[larrysmith]

Shakespear right. Yes I knew it.

 

[bp2626]

The SVT-40 bolt was probably plum from the time of manufacturing. It's a misconception that plum bolts were only done during post-war refurbishment.

As for the vz. 24 bolt, the Russian's felt that bluing would hide imperfections and offer corrosion resistance so that's what they did before putting them in long term storage.

 

[Tinman204]

Please scrub the bluing. It will make mine worth more.

I just spit my coffee out!! Well done!

 

[desporterizer]

You can put all the makeup on a woman you want but it wont make her twenty again!

 

[cornelunc]

I just got a vz24, scrubbed Romanian contract with that ugly blued bolt. I also have a SVT40 with the usual plum blued bolt cover. These are just refurbs, but would taking the bluing off "screw-up" the gun's value down the road since it is not original to the rifle's state when imported? They are cheap guns now, but who knows later.

How can you take the bluing out?

 

[rolfyrolf]

Soak it in vinegar for 1/2hr and rub it up. Nice and shiny. The original rifles had bright bolts and bolt covers. Just call me Rolfubba!

How can you take the bluing out?

 

[rolfyrolf]

You can put all the makeup on a woman you want but it wont make her twenty again!

In this case, take the makeup off and make her look old again!

 

[silverfoxdj]

You can put all the makeup on a woman you want but it wont make her twenty again!

 

[cornelunc]

Soak it in vinegar for 1/2hr and rub it up. Nice and shiny. The original rifles had bright bolts and bolt covers. Just call me Rolfubba!

Thank you Rolfbubba, I will try tommorrow.

 

[cornelunc]

Soak it in vinegar for 1/2hr and rub it up. Nice and shiny. The original rifles had bright bolts and bolt covers. Just call me Rolfubba!

Tested , does not work, now my bold is ugly grey, no silver color, no shiny. I will not recomand this way.

 

[Philthy1]

You may need to use blue remover on that. The vinegar process is good for the SVT 40 because that isnt bluing at all, but Anodization (at least in my opinion). Vinegar will still help on bluing, but you may need to carefully rub it with soft 00 steel wool, but whats wrong with ugly grey? Thats what its supposed to look like

 

[rolfyrolf]

You now have to use a brass brush or a fine scrubber, I used a sponge that has fine abraisive , goes nice and shiny easy. I bet vim or steel wool works too.

Tested , does not work, now my bold is ugly grey, no silver color, no shiny. I will not recomand this way.

 

[Hightrailtracker]

Put the bolt and / or bolt cover in liquid "Lysol advanced toilet bowl cleaner " takes less than 5 minutes and it comes out bright and de blued .

Rinse under water and dry and oil , a light 0000 steel wool polish if needed .

 

[Hightrailtracker]

I agree that some mil surplus rifles that are in excellent shape , all matching numbers and no signs of repair(s) should be left untouched due to long term collector value .

That said , if a person like my self wants a shooter and wants it to still " look Good " then redoing the stock and refinishing the metal work ect does no real harm in the short or long term as it is a " Shooter grade "

I was Very lucky to have a fellow CGNer will to trade me one of his STV 40's still in the grease for one of my rifles .

He showed me the stock repairs and forced matched parts via excellent pictures before we made the deal .
It was exactly what I wanted , a STV 40 shooter that I could tinker without worrying about long term value .

You will see in the pics below that both sides of the stock had repairs and on the bottom left side near the mag the repair was glued incorrectly and the wood was sticking out ,
it was only a matter of time before it got caught on something and break off . So a full stock redo was in order to fix that repair and make the other repairs less noticeable .
Well the bolt and cover got the toilet bowl cleaner cleaning too , no polishing was required .

So I hope the Purest's don't burn me at the stake for this post !!

The first three pic's are the Before the make over , the last 4 are the completed make over .

YES ! I am Very happy with my new STV 40 and many thanks goes out to the great CGNer who traded it to me !

 

[XTGUN]

I'd say go for it. Not like you're drilling holes in it or cutting up the wood or cutting the barrel or messing up the sights. That's what I consider true bubba'ing.