Refinishing a 1871/84
- Thread starter Dosing
- Start date
Yeah I can see some of the original bluing, and could probably do a good Prussian Blue to match it, or get near it, but the colour case hardening colours etc are not something I think I could get quite right. Likewise the reciever polishing is not something I personally want to be bothered with. Mainly though its the little piddly parts, one certainly can't say that the Germans were flippant with thier finishes...
If you read up on it, rust blueing can be done at home by the amateur but you have to be dedicated!
Some places will do color case, but be aware it tends to warp parts. You might have to settle for strawing or chemical casenit in these instances.
I don't know of anyone in Canada doing real Rust Blue anymore. Possibly in the US though. You CAN ship that gun stateside too as it's a non-registered antique in both countries.
Any decent gunsmith can prep the parts for a price.
Some places will do color case, but be aware it tends to warp parts. You might have to settle for strawing or chemical casenit in these instances.
I don't know of anyone in Canada doing real Rust Blue anymore. Possibly in the US though. You CAN ship that gun stateside too as it's a non-registered antique in both countries.
Any decent gunsmith can prep the parts for a price.
The 71/84 is not an antique - it's a centrefire repeater.
It's rarely economical to restore a bubba'd milsurp, so if your heart is set on an "uncut" version, I'd suggest you get to looking for one rather than trying to restore what you have.
You appear to have a gun that would make a great shooter, so why not start shooting it?. I'd be happy to advise you on what has worked for me, but you need to be prepared to make your own brass and to cast bullets.
It's rarely economical to restore a bubba'd milsurp, so if your heart is set on an "uncut" version, I'd suggest you get to looking for one rather than trying to restore what you have.
You appear to have a gun that would make a great shooter, so why not start shooting it?. I'd be happy to advise you on what has worked for me, but you need to be prepared to make your own brass and to cast bullets.
Well the one I have is likely destined to become a 'carbine', certainly a fictitous one, but your right Andy, it is mechanically 100%, but the finishes are toast. Like I say I can simulate the blue, but the reciever in a polished white is not something I am eagre to do, or in truth maintain. The rifle has been bubba'ed badly enough, the thing of course is that selector switch, and bolt catch are totally stripped of the case colouring.
Mine has been 'Eatoned' most likely. And regrettably undoing the damage, or even converting it to an ersatz carbine is going to get costly. The parts needed are adding up to more than I paid for the rifle to start with.
When the rifle was modded, they cut the piling/stacking hook off, and the cap was on so tight I had to heat it to get it off (ewwwww the contents of that mag tube were quite disgusting... :lol: ). Additionally the FRONT sight mods are less than helpful. They have filed the base and it appeared even soldered the front sight blade in place. So just getting the blade out of the dovetail is a project that is not finished.
I have found that Outers cold blue seems to do a good colour test on the metal.
I will likely refinish the whole gun, and leave the reciever polishing for someone like Swedeshooter at a later date....LOL
I will see if I can carefully get a little heat bluing into the case coloured parts...sigh... should make a lamp out of it like Swedeshooter suggested...
When the rifle was modded, they cut the piling/stacking hook off, and the cap was on so tight I had to heat it to get it off (ewwwww the contents of that mag tube were quite disgusting... :lol: ). Additionally the FRONT sight mods are less than helpful. They have filed the base and it appeared even soldered the front sight blade in place. So just getting the blade out of the dovetail is a project that is not finished.
I have found that Outers cold blue seems to do a good colour test on the metal.
I will likely refinish the whole gun, and leave the reciever polishing for someone like Swedeshooter at a later date....LOL
I will see if I can carefully get a little heat bluing into the case coloured parts...sigh... should make a lamp out of it like Swedeshooter suggested...
:lol: your doing good there Andy.
Thats the critter. Except that barrel needs to come back a bit.
Yours could be another mass mutilation item. Thing is on mine they butchered the rear sight, and I have a bent bolt. I was toying with the idea of a bayo-lug nose cap, but am not sure now.
Thats the critter. Except that barrel needs to come back a bit.
Yours could be another mass mutilation item. Thing is on mine they butchered the rear sight, and I have a bent bolt. I was toying with the idea of a bayo-lug nose cap, but am not sure now.
Doc Sharptail
Regular
- Location
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
The bent bolt isn't so historically incorrect- some of the jager units were outfitted this way. I can't remember if it was an arsenal, or factory mod- I'll have to read up on it.
Best cold blue I've seen is Brownell's Oxpho blue- seems to go deeper than most of the dept. store cold blue available.
Just a reminder if you plan to shoot it- keep the loads to current factory loads or milder hand loads- she ain't made to handle the hot ball loads for the 98....
Regards,
Doc Sharptail
Best cold blue I've seen is Brownell's Oxpho blue- seems to go deeper than most of the dept. store cold blue available.
Just a reminder if you plan to shoot it- keep the loads to current factory loads or milder hand loads- she ain't made to handle the hot ball loads for the 98....
Regards,
Doc Sharptail
Well there are variations on rust bluing. Angier's book on finishes is a good source of info, and I did post an old recipe and proceedure for British military guns once. Usually you treat the metal, and then set it in a sweat box or the like. This causes a finish to form. Then you card/scrape some of the rust off, and do it again (sometimes re boiling the metal, sometimes not), sometimes 4 or more times. Its an involved process, and can take a week from start to completion. I have seen recipes that call for boiling in a solution, others that call for dipping in a solution etc. It is in effect though, the building up of a controlled oxidation. It leaves you a much more durable and thicker finish....usually.
For purely cosmetic issues I have found some of the cold blues will do a good job on some of the older metals, and in somecases a repeated application will do a good job, but it isn't as durable as any of the slower methods, or a good tank job.
For purely cosmetic issues I have found some of the cold blues will do a good job on some of the older metals, and in somecases a repeated application will do a good job, but it isn't as durable as any of the slower methods, or a good tank job.
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
Bluing IS just a pretty form of RUST. :wink:
A reminder: Barrel bands, most screws and triggerguard were nitre blued . Barrel band springs and selector lever were strawed and/ or fire blued. If you are planning to polish or sand the receiver keep in mind the casehardening is quite thin so don't go nuts!
I have an un-bubba'd one if you'd like to cross check on what it used to look like. Let me know and I can send you more pics if you have high speed connection.
Model 71/84 Danzig Mauser (Mfg 1887)
Regards,
Badger
Model 71/84 Danzig Mauser (Mfg 1887)
Regards,
Badger
Mine has continued to give me a few problems, and I may well ship it off for a matte blue yet. I have a few of the daintier parts done, but am now facing the barrel trim, recrown, and the decision of what to do with the sights etc.
Buying the parts for the rear site, piling hook, and bayo lug/band is looking to be more than I paid for the gun.
Additionally the bolt is too badly stained to come truely clean. I may swing by the chemists and see if I can buy the stuff to do a good blacking, if not sending it off to have all the work done on it may be an option. I am hesitant to put 3-400$s into a 100 dollar gun though.
Could be a crib board yet ....LOL
Buying the parts for the rear site, piling hook, and bayo lug/band is looking to be more than I paid for the gun.
Additionally the bolt is too badly stained to come truely clean. I may swing by the chemists and see if I can buy the stuff to do a good blacking, if not sending it off to have all the work done on it may be an option. I am hesitant to put 3-400$s into a 100 dollar gun though.
Could be a crib board yet ....LOL
