Blueing a STEEL/ALUMINUM rifle.....help needed

[Boeing]

I just bought an older Remington 742 (30-06) It appears to be in good shape EXCEPT.....some moron has SPRAYED a thick coating of varnish or clear Lacquer on everything metal. In some areas the spray is thin, (as in over spray), in other areas there are thick puddles dried and "fish-eyed" where the gun wasn't even cleaned before doing this.

I used lacquer thinner and managed to get the coating off of one of the MAGAZINES. It left the steel bright steel or slightly blued. I understand that the receiver is aluminum and the steel barrel screws/bolts into the receiver.

Any suggestions here? Do I continue with lacquer thinner or is there some other method to return this gun to it's former beauty? And will blueing work on aluminum?

Thanks, Rob [/FONT]

 

[Larry Jones]

Laquer thinner or paint thinner shouldn't have any effect on blueing, maybe it was painted. I want to point out that the receiver isn't aluminum, but a rather soft steel, which is the main problem with that gun, Oxpho-Blue, from Brownell's is probably the best wipe on blueing there is for use at home, otherwise you will need to send it out for hot tanking. Good luck.

 

[k0ua]

I just bought an older Remington 742 (30-06) It appears to be in good shape EXCEPT.....some moron has SPRAYED a thick coating of varnish or clear Lacquer on everything metal. In some areas the spray is thin, (as in over spray), in other areas there are thick puddles dried and "fish-eyed" where the gun wasn't even cleaned before doing this.

I used lacquer thinner and managed to get the coating off of one of the MAGAZINES. It left the steel bright steel or slightly blued. I understand that the receiver is aluminum and the steel barrel screws/bolts into the receiver.

Any suggestions here? Do I continue with lacquer thinner or is there some other method to return this gun to it's former beauty? And will blueing work on aluminum?

Thanks, Rob [/FONT]

Well Birchwood Casey makes a touch up black for Aluminum but ordinary gun blueing will not work on Aluminum at all. Blueing is sort of a controlled rusting process and only works on steel. There are many modern finishes that could be put on the gun, but I don't know about do it your self.

here is one place to buy the Aluminum black touch up product. You might look around on their site, and see what else you can find.

ALUMINUM BLACK | Brownells

 

[westcliffe01]

Cerakote is the answer. For life...

 

[MotorSeven]

I like Aluma-Hyde II. Brownell's carries it but shipping a can is expensive so call around to your local gunshops. Mine stocks all the favorite colors and I have done a couple of 10/22's with it. Proper prep, heating the metal before and after application is the best way. The finish is extremely tough & a can goes a long way(two long guns) for under $20. Wear a filtered mask...this is not Krylon and trust me you do not want to even breath this stuff even is spraying it outdoors.

 

[jbooth]

The trigger guard assembly is the only part on the 742 that is aluminum. (At least that is all I ever encountered) I used to hot blue and the solution will destroy an aluminum part rather quickly. I used Brownell's oxpho blue on some touch up jobs. It worked satisfactory. Birchwood casey had a cold blue that was quick, but not very durable.

 

[tlbuser]

Cerakote is the answer. For life...

I'm a big fan of something similar.
DuraCoat Firearm Finishes

 

[dusty3030]

Cerakote is the answer. For life...

I second this.
Laquer thinner shouldn't have taken off the blue off the magazine or any blue off any steel. The OE mags are steel and they are blued. It may have been stripped before and painted then laquered (what joy).

A spray on bake on will never have the shiny lustre of a good blue and polish, but they are durable if done right. Especially if the shop does a parkerize before the shake and bake.

 

[TripleR]

Yep, the receiver on my wife's 742 is steel, aluminum doesn't rust.

 

[don45640]

The only gun I've got with an aluminum receiver is a small single-shot 22 magnum Savage rifle and the receiver is Aluminum with what looks like a baked on black paint finish.I wouldn't know how to blue aluminum and make it look right. don-ohio