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Posted: 7/10/2017 10:17:22 AM EDT
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What would you use to blue or rust protect a barrel that was cut, crowned, and threaded? I had my savage 93r17 17 hmr choped to 16.5" and threaded for my suppressor. Morgan did a great job and I couldn't be happier. I just wish I would have had a stainless barrel.
I want to keep the machined steel from rusting, what should I do. Cold blue? Keep it clean and oiled? I'm not really concerned with the look as much as possible rust. It is just a squirrel rifle. I am mostly concerned about the crown. The threads and shoulder can be lightly greased, but the exposed crown inside the suppressor or thread protector is my main concern. |
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Cold blue and a coating of oil over it will work fine. Basically you just want some form of controlled oxidation to coat the surface.
I recommend either Oxpho-blue or 44/40 cold blue, as both give nice finish colors. As a tip, while both are "cold" bluing, the color will be significantly improved if you warm up the metal first (a few seconds with a propane torch or a heat gun, just about 100-120f on the surface) as it speeds up the chemicals so they're more even in color. |
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Quoted:
Cold blue and a coating of oil over it will work fine. Basically you just want some form of controlled oxidation to coat the surface. I recommend either Oxpho-blue or 44/40 cold blue, as both give nice finish colors. As a tip, while both are "cold" bluing, the color will be significantly improved if you warm up the metal first (a few seconds with a propane torch or a heat gun, just about 100-120f on the surface) as it speeds up the chemicals so they're more even in color. Lacquer thinner, MEK, Carbo-sol [trichloroethylene] type degreased. With the last rinse being brand new solvent. I would swish the muzzle in carbo-sol in a clean glass jar or metal can. Do not touch the cleaned surfaces with hands or much of anything else. Warming with a heat gun does work well. More than one application with heating between them helps. |
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The simplest solution is to just keep a coat of a good rust resisting lube like CLP Breakfree on the threads.
As long as the coating is intact, it won't rust. There are other rust proofing products available said to work as well or better. Cold blue is not a protection to rust, and due to the acid in them they can actually cause rusting. If you want to color the steel just for appearances, I recommend Brownell's Dicrophan T4. This colors steel a dark Black, not Blue, and seems to be more durable then most of the cold blues. The Black color tends to blend in better with the factory blue. Unlike many cold blues T4 can have many coats applied and not start puddling up. To degrease the steel I recommend Acetone. Lacquer thinner contains other chemicals that do leave a slight residue. After thoroughly scrubbing and flushing with Acetone, flood the area with 90% or better alcohol. This completes the degreasing. Warming the metal will force any moisture to the surface and dry it. When warming you'll actually see the moisture form and evaporate. To warm the metal I recommend a hair dryer, not a heat gun or torch. A hair dryer will WARM the metal not make it really hot. If the metal is too warm the heat will actually prevent a good "take" of the cold blue as it dries way too fast. After applying the blue with a q-tip wait about one minute, then flush thoroughly with hot water. Spray with alcohol again and brush with a CLEAN toothbrush soaked in alcohol, let dry, warm with the hair dryer and apply another coat. Continue a few times until it's looking dark and dense. Flush thoroughly with hot water a last time, brush gently again with alcohol and toothbrush, then apply your favorite lubricant to prevent rust. |
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