Nickel plating/plated rifles. For those that have, your feedback?

[cody c]

I want to nickel plate a lever action rifle, to be honest it wont be used for hunting so much, probably just plinking, and maybe brought out for the occasional bush walk that isnt based around hunting where I'm concerned about game seeing something reflective.

The more I think about it, I also am kinda thinking about doing the same to an old rim fire (pump action winchester .22)

Some folks say that nickel plating is a bad idea, with the reflection of the sun off the barrel making it difficult to see the open sights, and it gives your position away to game too easily.

What I'd like to hear those is first hand experience from those that actually have/had nickel plated firearms. Some feedback about if they were difficult to shoot on a sunny day and if they would buy another, or if they are best for plinking with a scope or as a safe queen.

Those with negative remarks and have not owned/shot a nickel plated arm, need not apply their comment.

 

[blargon]

I have a nickel plated shotgun and a muzzleloader, no issues shooting them. The nickel is a dull finish, more so than stainless even. If you are talking about shiny chrome type finish, I don't know.

 

[sawzall]

I looked into nickel plating my post '64 since the receiver finish was toast...a previous owner took a virtually new extremely low round count rifle and used what looks like 80 grit sandpaper to artificially "age" the rifle. I looked into doing it myself and also tried to find someone else to do it to no avail. I came up with another finish-I stripped the old factory finish off which seems like some kind of paint and polished the receiver. Both operations were done in 1 step with mag wheel polish and felt polishing drums on my dremel. Came out beautifully! The polish left a protective silicone coating on it,I did a water test and the water beads up and rolls off it. Everyone who has seen it thinks it's amazing! The rest of the steel is probably going to be either reblued or Arma-Coated. Come to think of it, I probably could have Arma-Coated the whole thing. Just needs the wood refinished and darkened and a polished stainless big loop lever now

 

[cody c]

So that's just bare steel then, with what ever residue the polish left on it? It did come out quite well! I'm thinking about the whole thing being nickel'd, and the issues with reflection probably relate more to the barrel then the action, but that does look purty.

 

[sawzall]

So that's just bare steel then, with what ever residue the polish left on it? It did come out quite well! I'm thinking about the whole thing being nickel'd, and the issues with reflection probably relate more to the barrel then the action, but that does look purty.

Yep, bare steel with silicone left over from the polishing compound. Held up pretty good so far, but really the only moisture it's seen has been the water I dropped on it to see the reaction. Beads up and drips off. No sheeting what so ever. Hasn't got any marks from my finger prints either. The acids and oils from my skin don't seem to penetrate it.

 

[blargon]

matte nickel plated finish...

 

[The Kurgan]

The nickel finish on my Remington Marine Magnum has been very durable and 100% rust free, and the only area where there is some very limited flaking is on the very tip/edge of the barrel where is connects to the receiver. Even stainless steel can and will rust with enough neglect and moisture, but nickel (when plated correctly) is truly rust proof.

 

[cody c]

The nickel finish on my Remington Marine Magnum has been very durable and 100% rust free, and the only area where there is some very limited flaking is on the very tip/edge of the barrel where is connects to the receiver. Even stainless steel can and will rust with enough neglect and moisture, but nickel (when plated correctly) is truly rust proof.

any issues with glare from the sun while shooting it, or other cons?

The matte nickel plating looks pretty good for a hunting rifle, though I guess I'm kinda liking the polished chrome look. This would be for the .32WS with the box elder stock that I posted in the lever-#### section. It's kind of beyond rational for a hunting rifle and headed more in the direction of a neat looking plinker/safe queen, and for that old .22

 

[The Kurgan]

All exterior surface are matte... no shine.

 

[stickhunter]

All exterior surface are matte... no shine.

The 870 Marine Magnum finish is probably the same as what's on my 7600 Weathermaster. The surface finish has a bead-blasted texture and the nickel is matte and subdued. No doubt the shine of the nickel finish is probably almost entirely a product of the surface underneath it, so you can go shiny or matte. I like the matte finish very much; even more so than stainless because it doesn't seem to show up any scratches. That being said, I've seen hard-chrome finishes on lever actions that are similar to the Remington nickel plating and I wasn't too enthused by the appearance; they appeared quite "cold". I think with your fancy wood stock, I'd either go with a shinier nickel finish or a classic rust blue (my preference).

 

[sawzall]

Hey if you send me that wood, you can see what it looks like with a shiny receiver! . JK. Pretty cool wood though! I like it.

 

[blargon]

I'll admit, shiny would look better with that wood...

 

[cody c]

ya thanks guys, you can my interest in nickel plating based on the furniture im using eh?