Rifle finish

[fast14riot]

My long term rifle project is this Eddystone 1917 .30-'06. It is fully functional and shoots great, but I'm getting to the point of having the rest of the metal refinished. I guess my options include blueing, Cerakote, Lauer gun paint, and Parkerizing. This will be my "one rifle for all game" gun, it has a yet unfinished AA grade quilted maple Monte Carlo rollover stock that wil get a satin finish. The barrel cannot be removed from the action, these were prone to cracking when the barrel is pulled/reinstalled and I want to avoid that at all costs.

I am concerned that the seam at the barrel and action joint will capture the caustic salts from bluing and leech out causing rust. Also, if heating for other finishes, there may be issues. This gun was built in October 1918 and has lots of character marks and such, I know if I did a bright blue these would bother the hell out of me. So does anyone have any opinions of what finish is durabl and able to be done without pulling the barrel? I'm not looking for heirloom grade finish, this isn't the gun for that, but I want a darn good looking gun.

-Xander

 

[PJ Garrison]

One of the spray-on finishes will provide the most durability, and you won't have to undo the barrel to apply it. That's what I would do in your situation. It comes in a variety of finishes (from gloss to semi gloss to flat) and colors. For a traditional gun I'd recommend a flat black or semi gloss black.

Grey parkerizing looks okay on military type guns with bland wood, but since you're going with a satin finish on a monte-carlo stock, I think the semigloss black would be a better fit.

 

[UffDa]

I know a few people who do Cerakote. It is very tough stuff. I watched one guy who applied the wrong color on a revolver and it took him almost a hour of bead blasting to get the stuff off.

Bead blasting blue or Parkerizing take a few minutes.