SLOW RUST BLUING REFINISH

[SPO1SHADOW]

It is something on that order. It is a true transitional model. When I received it nothing but a factory magazine would enter the frame, if you did manage to get it in it took 30 minutes to get it back out. It has the Pre-B safety on the frame but has the squared trigger guard and ribbed slide and pinned front sight. So far everything from a modern B series has fit it other than the safety and the rear sight. I fitted a type one disco to it so the trigger has no movement or take up in single action with a very short reset and I also modified the double action so the trigger sits much further back but no second screw in the trigger to boot you out of Production.

[GordonF237]

Looks awesome!  Do you know what chemicals are in the rusting solution?

What would happen if the metal wasn't smoothed out before bluing for example if you just stripped the original finish and then reblued but left the pits/dings?

[SPO1SHADOW]

Rust bluing is a lot like a box of chocolates. You never know how it will turn out or how much trouble you are going to have even if you do everything correctly. This was the quickest I job I have ever done. I have done guns it took weeks to do so you just never know what you are going to get until you put on that first coat. I have several brands of rust bluing on hand and some home made solutions. Pilkington's works well on some project, Laurel Mountain is better on others. A lot of the magic depends on the type of steel you are working with and the weather. If you leave rust and imperfections you will still have rust and blotchy imperfections on the gun when you are done. The gray steel under the poly coat on a CZ will not take rust bluing. It also won't take hot caustic bluing and I have not tried it but I would bet cold bluing wouldn't work either. The surface has to be free of rust and grease and polished no finer than 400 grit to get good results in my experience. It is just like painting a car, the prep is much more important than applying the finish, which is a whole subject in its self. Rust bluing chemical goes on as close to a dry patch as you can get with no overlap or extra rubbing. Rust bluing will not fill in pits either and if you leave rust on the surface it will remain rust in the end.

[Rhino]

If you have different hardness of steels it will look a lot different.

[SPO1SHADOW]

My back ordered brass lap finally showed up today but so far no new hammer. It should be here on Saturday so I will still finish before weeks end. Lapped all the chatter marks out today and if the weather holds will shoot some groups tomorrow to check out the new crown job.





While I had the barrel out I loaded a 147 ACME coated bullet out to 1.150 OAL and throated the barrel for an easy plunk and spin. The lead in this barrel was cut very short and was showing some serious looking tool marks. Not only can I load as far out as the magazine would like but I cleaned up the lead nicely. I also went ahead and polished all of the machine marks out of the feed ramp.

[SPO1SHADOW]

I noticed that the slide lock tab was cutting the coating off of the coated bullet so I shortened and polished it up so it does not touch the bullets while feeding or when the loaded magazine is removed. It is still plenty long enough to lock the slide on the last round.

[Goldcomet]

 You really have some talent to bring this gun back the way you did. I think the barrel crown looks better than the factory barrel but will it affect accuracy either for the good or bad?

[SPO1SHADOW]

Well, the gun had been dropped at least twice landing on the muzzle. The end of the barrel was shaped like an egg instead of being round with a big gouge of metal sticking up into the bore. I shot a group with it for before and after comparisons. Today, weather permitting, I will shoot another group at 15 yards and we will see. I have never seen a re-crown or a lead throating hurt accuracy, most of the time it is improved, in this case it should be vastly improved shooting from a perfectly concentric crown. The proof will be in the pictures either way, we shall see later today. 

[SPO1SHADOW]

The top group was shot today the lower group was shot a couple of weeks ago when I brought the gun home. Obviously there is a drastic difference between the 2 groups. This is a better group than I can get out of my Shadow at 15 yards. I think I am pleased  enough with this one that I now have a new #1. The Shadow and the BD will go into the back up gun position. The group is shot with ACME 147 grain coated FP's, 3.3 grns of N320 loaded to 1.135 OAL using new Federal brass and Federal small pistol match primers.

[straightwall01]

As an aside, SP01, in your experience, does the 75 shoot 124 grain & 147 grain bullets better than 115 grain bullets?

[SPO1SHADOW]

I don't think I could make a broad statement and say every gun likes one bullet weight better than others. In my experience you just have to experiment to find out. Today I am just lucky that I found a load right out of the gate that this guns seems to like. My Shadow seems to prefer 124 grain bullets but my BD likes 147's better. I don't ever shoot 115 grain bullets unless I find I cannot get a decent group with the other 2 mentioned. If pressed I would say that most guns will shoot 124 grain bullets decently and there may be some small advantage by going either up or down in weight. If I could only have one bullet weight it would be the 124's.

[straightwall01]

Thank you. I have mostly shot revolver cartridges in my day. As I get into 9mm, it does seem that the world standard is 124, but all the cheaper bulk ammo is 115. <shrug>
Thanks again!

[Goldcomet]

The groupings are night and day difference. I don't think it would get any better with a high priced target pistol.

[Rhino]

You must be proud of yourself on the rebuild.

[SPO1SHADOW]

When I get the hammer installed tomorrow and fit the safety and fine tune the trigger bar lift spring I think I will be satisfied with all the time spent. I had a good time and had something to keep me out of trouble during my Holiday vacation.