Rebluing A Pre "64 Winchester Model 94

Barkly

Barkly

Member
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
Location
Squamish, BC
Hi everyone,
I inherited my father's 30-30 a while back but unfortunately it had started to rust due to being stored in damp garage.
I want to get it reblued. I'm trying to bring down the gunsmithing cost by doing as much of the prep work myself as possible. So far I've stripped it and sanded out all but the deapest rust pits with 600 grit and light oil then buffed it on a buffing wheel and a #6 buffing compound.
Is there anything else that I can do before sending it to a gunsmith?
Who is recommended for doing a really good job of hot bluing in the Lower Mainland of BC area?

Thanks,
Any input would be appreciated.
 
if it is a model '94 with nickel alloyed steel , then you can't hot blue it. your options are cold blue, one of the coetings like dura coat and such.
 
Win model 94 bluing

Check the serial number if it is under 2,000,000 then it can be blued no problem.
If over two million it is as the previous post stated, Winchester started using a nickel steel that they had to iron plate in order to hot blue it.

Pete
 
i had a '94 in the shop with a serial number under 1,000,000 DOM about 1924. it was chambered in .32 win spcl. and it had "nickle steel" stamped on the frame.
 
Nickel steel blues just fine. The post -64 sintered iron receivers do not. The quality of any bluing job is determined by the polishing which is done so you have already established your outcome. If you have done a good job of polishing, the bluing will look good. If you have rounded off the corners and edges, dished the screw holes, and blurred the stamping, the bluing won't fix that. Regards, Bill.
 
The blueing will not enhance the value persay, in fact devalue it. but if it is to be kept as a keepsake, then looks may be important. If it is in sad shape, it is questionable if it is worth it. Even if it is altered by the polishing, it may only be a "shooter" or wallhanger.
 
Hey thanks for all the replies!
It's great to be on a forum that is so interactive.
I can't remember axactly, but I know the serial number is between 2 and 2.6 million. The information stamp on the barrel says "Winchester Special Steel" (or something to that effect). I'm resurfaceing the rifle more for sentimental reasons than value as my father passed away in the early 80s and I just inherited it. It is polished to a chrome like finish but I was really careful not to round off the edges or blurr out/remove any of the markings. There is still some rust pitting on the receiver, barrel and leaver but it is pretty minor. I don't want to remove anymore of the pits as I don't want to dish out or change to original surface profile. I was going to let the gunsmith that refinished it be the judge as to whether or not it could be taken down any futher.
 
Last edited:
Deep pits are best left alone, shallow pits can be removed by draw filing.
Draw filing, is not as easy as it sounds. It's really easy to make the job MUCH worse by scoring the surface.
You need a top quality clean flat single cut file with rounded edges, and a good file card. I found I needed to card every single file stroke to avoid scoring. That's tedious, but it worked when I did my 1892 Winchester.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom