Finishing a cast iron buttplate

[greyling22]

I'm working on a couple of marlins that I am restocking. The 336 is getting a recoil pad, and that is not problem to do. The other is getting a cast iron butt plate, as seen here http://www.treebonecarving.com/id11.html

I can file it to fit, and I can polish the edges no problem, but I don't really know how to finish it. He shows his as case colored, which is nice, but I don't have the tools or know anybody who can do it. (I think you need a kiln and some charcoal and skill) I suppose I could try and hot blue it. I guess you can hot blue cast iron? (Ruger probably does it on vaquero's right?) Or I could hit is with a midnight blue cerakote or something. Or even cold blue or a can of spray paint.

It's all going to cost me something, I'm just looking for what might work best without breaking the bank. The stock is semi-fancy walnut and will be going on a well used but not abused, blued marlin 1894c. Lot of honest wear, but in pretty good shape.

 

[rcmodel]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...luing-chemicals/oxpho-blue-reg--prod1072.aspx

rc

 

[Sam1911]

Those aren't cast iron (and neither are Ruger revolvers). That's cast steel. Big difference in physical properties, but the long and short of it is you're finishing steel and any of the bluing chemicals should work.

 

[desidog]

I agree with the above.

If you want to go more of an antique look, you can do it with this stuff
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...browning/barrel-brown-degreaser-prod7780.aspx

 

[greyling22]

You're right, steel, not iron. I've started school again, starting with a couple summer crash courses in addition to a full time job and I'm a little fried right now. Yes, steel, not iron for both rugers and butt plates. It's the cast part that I got hung on.

So yeah, cold blueing. I've got a tube a perma-blue, and it's ok, but I've never been real pleased with it and I've never seen a cold blue on a large piece that looked any good at all. The prema-blue doesn't seem to finish very deeply. I tried it on a bolt action bolt one time and it wore right off. (might have been poor prep, but I followed directions and tried it several times.) Does that oxpho blue work a lot better? I figure a buttplate will get a lot of wear and sweaty shirts on it here in Tx, and I don't think the perma-blue will cut it.

Maybe I just need to find some local guy who will throw it in the tank with everything else the next time he hot blues.

 

[Sam1911]

Maybe I just need to find some local guy who will throw it in the tank with everything else the next time he hot blues.

That's going to be the easiest and maybe even the cheapest way for you to go.

However, bluing can be a lot of fun and a neat challenge. I like Classic Rust Blueing and you can do all you need to do right in your kitchen. But it is a bit of work and patience. Whether it's worth it to you to have done it yourself you'll have to decide.