What to use to paint Trigger Guard of Winchester 69A

FirstFreedom · August 11, 2006, 12:47 PM

I'm not much of a gunsmith, and so needhelp.

I have an old Win 69A which I have had reblued. But the trigger guard, which was never blued - always a silver color - is now still silver but with splotchy rust-like blemishes - looks terrible. Looks to be made of steel, though I suppose aluminum is a possibility. So how to make it look good - just cold bluing, black spray paint, what? I'll sand it first of course. Thanks.

Wildalaska · August 11, 2006, 01:06 PM

Send it to me

WildtakecareofitAlaska

tINY · August 11, 2006, 01:20 PM

Spray paint will work, but it's better to aluminum oxide blast it a bit and spray it with DuraCoat or Cerro Kote.

-tINY

rangermonroe · August 11, 2006, 07:59 PM

Years ago I worked on an FAL kit for a guy. It looked like crap and needed to be "refinished", but it was gonna be a "beater". No funds for a trip to the parkarising tank.

I had some black "appliance" paint, the kind that you use for refrigerators and stoves.

Spray paint on. It stuck, hardened to the gun just fine. After a few dozen rounds through the barrel, some brown oil came to the surface.

After wiping that off, you couldn't take that "paint " off with anything less than a grinder.

It is still a beater, AFIK, but it looks alot better than it did.

If you are concerned with $, and not with looks, get some alcohol. Clean it well, paint, and bake in the oven.

If you want something pretty, send it to WildiallwayswritesomethinginhereannoyingtoreadAlaska.

Promise him a real Phillycheese steak sandwich, and see how quick you move to the front of the line!

Jason280 · August 11, 2006, 08:13 PM

I've also used the epoxy appliance paint, and it works suprisingly well. Regular old Krylon will also work fairly well, as will DuraCoat. If its regular old steel (and not stainless or aluminum), you can blue it at home for less than $10. Go to Lowe's and buy a couple 1lb jugs of Stump Grinder, which is nothing more than Potassium Nitrate. Remove all rust and any old finish off the trigger guard, and make sure you degrease it. Heat the stump grinder over the stove until it completely melts into a liquid (which may take a little while), and simply suspend the trigger guard in the liquid for 10 minutes. Remove it, neutralize it in some good old water, and you will have a nice "old world" blued finish. I've done a few small parts this way, and they all came out very nice.

FirstFreedom · August 16, 2006, 05:17 PM

OK, thanks guys. I might send it to you, Ken, but I dunno if the philly sandwich will survive the trip very well - is $20 enough for this service, and I'll enclose a SASE for return trip?

If I do it myself, how long do I bake it and at what temperature? Jason280, so that's it? Just doing that "blues" it? Do you mean by "old school" - low gloss, or what? I can find 'stump grinder' at Lowe's? In what dept? What's it actually designed for? Do I need to wear mask while working with the stuff, or just goggles? Thanks; clueless here......

Wildalaska · August 16, 2006, 05:32 PM

Just send it with $10 for postage back

WildgratisAlaska

Hedley · August 16, 2006, 05:58 PM

Take a dremel and buff the heck out of it.

JNewell · August 16, 2006, 08:19 PM

Send it to Wildyoudon'tknowhowgoodanofferyouaregettingAlaska

Jason280 · August 18, 2006, 01:50 PM

The Stump Grinder is generally sold with the weed killer and such, and is very easy to miss. I still have a hard time finding it, and I know where to look! I don't know what temp you need to actually heat it to, but it needs to be just hot enough to keep the solution melted and in complete liquid form. You will think at first that it will never melt, but give it time. Once it has completely melted, keep the temp just hot enough that it doesn't begin solidifying.

Stump Grinder is nothing more than potassium nitrate, which was used years ago to blue firearms. I'm not sure how glossy you could make the finish, as everything I've blued with it was bead blasted ahead of time to leave a matte finish. I don't think you need a mask or not, and it really doesn't give off much of a smell. Once its melted, simply dip and suspend the prepped part in the solution for a good ten minutes, and remove it. I've read that you should neutralize the bluing by dipping the part in motor oil, but this has never worked for me. I simply dip it in water as soon as I remove it, and it has worked well for me. I'll post some pictures of some parts I have done as soon as I get a chance.

rangermonroe · August 18, 2006, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Take a dremel and buff the heck out of it.

You can use a dremel tool with a $6 bit to do just about anything...adequately.

With the correct application of about $50, you can create art.

Bench grinder---felt buffing wheel----pretty metal/ really, really sharpknives.

moose fat · August 19, 2006, 05:02 PM

OOh! ooh, me too, me too? Can I send Wildmy69Atriggerguarddon'tpaintitifit'sbluedkeepitbluedit'saniceoldshooterAlaska?

I jokes

mine doesn't need blueing yet.

Harry Bonar · August 21, 2006, 06:26 PM

Dear Shooter:
It is simple to "re-blue" your 69 trigger guard.
Some of them were chrome plated. If yours is it needs to be restored and sent to be chrome plated.

However, if it is blued (or was) it can be polished bright and "color-blued."
Polish it well and do not touch it - suspend it with a wire and take your propane torch over a can of used motor oil - slowly heat it all over and you'll see colors come from yellow to brown to finally blue - immediately plunge it into the motor oil and let the torch light the hot oil on it about three times.
Then quench in water.
Harry B.

Wildalaska · August 21, 2006, 06:29 PM

should have sent it up, we are firing the blue tanks tomorrow

WilseewhathappenswhenyadillydallyAlaska

Harry Bonar · August 22, 2006, 07:09 PM

WILDALASKA:
I apologize for getting in your work - I wasn't sure what he was going to do - and - hot-bluing would have worked better!
Harry B.

Wildalaska · August 22, 2006, 07:14 PM

No work Harry it was a freebie

WildblueboyAlaska

Hedley · August 28, 2006, 03:43 PM

RangerMonroe, I thought my dremel and $6 bit did a pretty good job on this beater. I will admit that I used more elbow grease and polishing compound more than anything though. I think it looks better polished than painted black.

August 11, 2006, 12:47 PM	#1
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	What to use to paint Trigger Guard of Winchester 69A I'm not much of a gunsmith, and so needhelp. I have an old Win 69A which I have had reblued. But the trigger guard, which was never blued - always a silver color - is now still silver but with splotchy rust-like blemishes - looks terrible. Looks to be made of steel, though I suppose aluminum is a possibility. So how to make it look good - just cold bluing, black spray paint, what? I'll sand it first of course. Thanks.

August 11, 2006, 07:59 PM	#4
rangermonroe Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2005 Location: savannah Posts: 758	Flame suit on Years ago I worked on an FAL kit for a guy. It looked like crap and needed to be "refinished", but it was gonna be a "beater". No funds for a trip to the parkarising tank. I had some black "appliance" paint, the kind that you use for refrigerators and stoves. Spray paint on. It stuck, hardened to the gun just fine. After a few dozen rounds through the barrel, some brown oil came to the surface. After wiping that off, you couldn't take that "paint " off with anything less than a grinder. It is still a beater, AFIK, but it looks alot better than it did. If you are concerned with $, and not with looks, get some alcohol. Clean it well, paint, and bake in the oven. If you want something pretty, send it to WildiallwayswritesomethinginhereannoyingtoreadAlaska. Promise him a real Phillycheese steak sandwich, and see how quick you move to the front of the line!

August 16, 2006, 05:58 PM	#8
Hedley Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,279	Take a dremel and buff the heck out of it. __________________ It is imperative to strike down the rise of modernism which would lend itself to folly such as the use of billet components.

August 21, 2006, 06:26 PM	#13
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	trigger guard Dear Shooter: It is simple to "re-blue" your 69 trigger guard. Some of them were chrome plated. If yours is it needs to be restored and sent to be chrome plated. However, if it is blued (or was) it can be polished bright and "color-blued." Polish it well and do not touch it - suspend it with a wire and take your propane torch over a can of used motor oil - slowly heat it all over and you'll see colors come from yellow to brown to finally blue - immediately plunge it into the motor oil and let the torch light the hot oil on it about three times. Then quench in water. Harry B.

August 22, 2006, 07:09 PM	#15
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	blueing guard WILDALASKA: I apologize for getting in your work - I wasn't sure what he was going to do - and - hot-bluing would have worked better! Harry B.

August 11, 2006, 01:06 PM	#2
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	Send it to me WildtakecareofitAlaska

August 11, 2006, 01:20 PM	#3
tINY Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2005 Location: Orygun Posts: 2,589	Spray paint will work, but it's better to aluminum oxide blast it a bit and spray it with DuraCoat or Cerro Kote. -tINY

August 11, 2006, 08:13 PM	#5
Jason280 Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2002 Location: Athens,Georgia Posts: 355	I've also used the epoxy appliance paint, and it works suprisingly well. Regular old Krylon will also work fairly well, as will DuraCoat. If its regular old steel (and not stainless or aluminum), you can blue it at home for less than $10. Go to Lowe's and buy a couple 1lb jugs of Stump Grinder, which is nothing more than Potassium Nitrate. Remove all rust and any old finish off the trigger guard, and make sure you degrease it. Heat the stump grinder over the stove until it completely melts into a liquid (which may take a little while), and simply suspend the trigger guard in the liquid for 10 minutes. Remove it, neutralize it in some good old water, and you will have a nice "old world" blued finish. I've done a few small parts this way, and they all came out very nice.

August 16, 2006, 05:17 PM	#6
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	OK, thanks guys. I might send it to you, Ken, but I dunno if the philly sandwich will survive the trip very well - is $20 enough for this service, and I'll enclose a SASE for return trip? If I do it myself, how long do I bake it and at what temperature? Jason280, so that's it? Just doing that "blues" it? Do you mean by "old school" - low gloss, or what? I can find 'stump grinder' at Lowe's? In what dept? What's it actually designed for? Do I need to wear mask while working with the stuff, or just goggles? Thanks; clueless here......

August 16, 2006, 05:32 PM	#7
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	Just send it with $10 for postage back WildgratisAlaska

August 16, 2006, 08:19 PM	#9
JNewell Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2000 Posts: 1,092	Send it to Wildyoudon'tknowhowgoodanofferyouaregettingAlaska

August 18, 2006, 01:50 PM	#10
Jason280 Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2002 Location: Athens,Georgia Posts: 355	The Stump Grinder is generally sold with the weed killer and such, and is very easy to miss. I still have a hard time finding it, and I know where to look! I don't know what temp you need to actually heat it to, but it needs to be just hot enough to keep the solution melted and in complete liquid form. You will think at first that it will never melt, but give it time. Once it has completely melted, keep the temp just hot enough that it doesn't begin solidifying. Stump Grinder is nothing more than potassium nitrate, which was used years ago to blue firearms. I'm not sure how glossy you could make the finish, as everything I've blued with it was bead blasted ahead of time to leave a matte finish. I don't think you need a mask or not, and it really doesn't give off much of a smell. Once its melted, simply dip and suspend the prepped part in the solution for a good ten minutes, and remove it. I've read that you should neutralize the bluing by dipping the part in motor oil, but this has never worked for me. I simply dip it in water as soon as I remove it, and it has worked well for me. I'll post some pictures of some parts I have done as soon as I get a chance.

August 19, 2006, 05:02 PM	#12
moose fat Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Alaska, Yukon R. delta Posts: 421	OOh! ooh, me too, me too? Can I send Wildmy69Atriggerguarddon'tpaintitifit'sbluedkeepitbluedit'saniceoldshooterAlaska? I jokes mine doesn't need blueing yet.

August 21, 2006, 06:29 PM	#14
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	should have sent it up, we are firing the blue tanks tomorrow WilseewhathappenswhenyadillydallyAlaska

August 22, 2006, 07:14 PM	#16
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	No work Harry it was a freebie WildblueboyAlaska

August 28, 2006, 03:43 PM	#17
Hedley Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,279	RangerMonroe, I thought my dremel and $6 bit did a pretty good job on this beater. I will admit that I used more elbow grease and polishing compound more than anything though. I think it looks better polished than painted black. __________________ It is imperative to strike down the rise of modernism which would lend itself to folly such as the use of billet components.