Model 25, 25-20 Part… what are we up to, 9 total?

Blued and 99% finished!

 Just need to mount a simple but plate(need to scrounge some brass plate wide enough for it first), and some sling swivels, and she’s done!

This is about 4 applications of the blueing, as per the directions, with propper cleaning and de-greasing before and after each coating. It took a LOT better than the last time I put this stuff on a gun barrel.

  It took, and was getting darker with each application, but I honestly got tired of the process and stopped.  Wasn’t sure of the darkness I left at first, but it actually “cured” some over night and got a little bluer, and I really like it.

I’m really liking the mottled almost case hardened look to the receiver!

Its a nice less than clean look for a vintage gun. Hides the old  pitting from rust in the metal pretty good too.  From more than a foot away its fantastic, its just up close or in certain light that it looks really grey, it really is a mottled blue tint in most light.

This first pic is a 95% true representation of how it really looks at first glance; blue and dark, but mottled.

The barrel finish, I’m not so sure of, but it grows on you. I MIGHT put another coat or two on the barrel. Might not too. 😉  The barrel is decidedly greyer than the receiver, but like the receiver, from more than a foot away its fantastic, its just up close or in certain light(like a camera flash) that the grey stands out so much.  

I did it in parts, and hadn’t done the trigger guard/tang piece yet, so I went ahead and assembled it as is, and I really like the contrast! SO its staying “in the white”, and will just get a protective coating of wax/oil to stem off any rust.   The action bar where the loading gate is was the same way, hadn’t gotten to it yet… Not sure if I’ll try to blue it. Its OK as far as contrasting looks go, and it is a high wear area anyway with the loading gate on the front, and the cartridge stop ridding on the back, I have a feeling most of this type of blueing will wear off of it pretty fast anyway.

The stock came out great too, up to 10ish coats of True Oil… Its sealed real well, and just starting a slightly gloss sheen but still pretty matte. I like it. Its sealed and protected, but not glassy and has a good vintage look. Fits the gun nice.(even on a brand new rifle I wouldn’t really want glassy full gloss anyway!)

I’ll be putting a couple coats of a good wax finish on it to harden it up a tad for further weather protection, and call it good.

Now all I gotta do is get some range time!