Just made a worthless rifle IMO not so worthless!

[Tripplebeards]

Well, I did the other Lee Enfield. It’s a 1942 long branch that someone drilled 4 holes in the receiver...right through the MK marks and shortened the barrel...so the gun will never be worth anything imo accept for a every day deer gun. I made the mistake of using Phillips head screws. I pounded then flat like last time and when I filed them flat they opened back up to the Phillips cross mark. Well, to try and make them look better than the noticeable Phillips mark I took a screw driver and tapped around them making stars...kinda like the * on the enfield. I’m sure it will look fine one I blue them VS a bunch of open screw holes. I figure since this rifle is too far gone imo I’m going to order a $40 Jungle Carbine flash hider and cut the barrel down to the 18.5” original size and try and figure out on how to attach it. This one didn’t turn out excellent like the other rifle. But I figured it’s a practice rifle and a learning process. I’m glad the other one turned out pristine since it’s barrel and receiver numbers match and is going to be a lot more valuable between the two if all things were equal.

[Tripplebeards]

I tried cold bluing the complete rifle pictured directly above today with Oxpho blue. I put on six coats so I believe used enough. It has a lot of dark spotting on the barrel. I wonder if I had a buffing wheel if it would remove the dark spots to make it look more even? All in all the stuff works good.

The other rifle when I get it back will just get touched up where I filled in the receiver tap holes.

[troyboy]

Ive found that removing the old bluing then meticulously prepping the metal prior to refinishing works best. Any finish is prep dependent. It all boils down to what your expectations are. Keep up the good work. Doing is what gets it done....

[Tripplebeards]

Here are the pics. I put 6 plus coats on. I wonder if I put it on too thick? I used the liquid not the paste. The metal was stripped bare. I rubbed it down with 0000 steel wool afterwards. I wonder if I have to do some more rubbing with steel wool to get rid of the black spots. I did notice that some of them went away with rubbing. I just didn’t want to rub. it to bare metal. I did the whole gun. From action to muzzle. It covered great just dark black spots that look like build up. Well, it’s a lot better than what it started out with worn off bluing in most spots with surface rust on a lot of the barrel and drill holes in rather receiver. I am down to just replacing the front sight now. The original was loose and popped off when I tried to knock the sight blade off. Luckily it it didn’t strip the threads. Anyone have an extra front sight laying around?

[RustyReel]

Take it to bare metal. Quick shoe shine motion with some 220 will take it down quickly. You want the base to be an even finish, not necessary to buff it bright but make it even. I know the Oxpho labels says it will blue over oil but it is best to degrease and then warm up the metal (heat gun works fine) and then use the blue. Should look good after 3-4 coats.

[Tripplebeards]

I sanded it to bare metal and then I even used birchwood rust and blue remover and then buffed it with steel wool before starting. I used my heat gun to heat it up before applying. The mental was perfectly clean and warm. Instead of one base coat I kept going over it a good four times before I buffed. Maybe that’s what went wrong. I believe if I rubbed real hard the black spots will go away.

[Texas by God]

Black enamel is proper, old chap!

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[Tripplebeards]

The wood on the 1942 long branch is pretty nice! I figured since it is never going to be a restore rifle I might as well jazz it up. I stripped and sanded the stock and refinished it with minwax tounge oil finish. I polished up the trigger but I don’t think it helped at all. I also did a three day cleans of all the bluing out of the barrel and cold blued it and installed a Remington front ramp.

I’m thinking of alumihydeing the gun?

[Texas by God]

Looking good

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[Tripplebeards]

I passed on a reproduction 1917 stock set today. It was at the local gun show for $150. I know it was a good deal but I wanted an old school weathered looking stock. The guy also had MK4 stock sets. Never asked a price. I wonder how far off it would look from my mk1***?

[Geezer in NH]

Second the black enamel on an Enfield.

[Tripplebeards]

I figured out what I did wrong with the bluing process. I ordered another bottle to try. I didn’t wash and clean with steel wool between coats and got a build up. I figured it out on the magazine, trigger guard, and front sight. I’ll give it another go and post pics when done. I’ve been acraglassing the front stock area so it floats and dosent wiggle around. I’m on glue number three and figure I’ll have to add one more time to get it perfect. Worse case scenario I’ll have to add a pressure point in the front area which I don’t want to do since imo it will hurt the accuracy.

[Tripplebeards]

The forend wiggled just a hair and of course the free floated barrel touches after the third go with acraglass. I decided to add some accuraglass to two different pressure points and do the Remington philosophy. It should be rock solid now. I did also get the trigger brake to 3 3/4lbs. Between the trigger and the loose forend wiggle elimination Along with a three day copper soak removal I would think I should have an accuracy improvement.

[LAGS]

Just make sure that you rinse your steel wool in Acetone and handle everything with gloves.
Steel wool is coated in oil , and your skin will leave oil that will not let the bluing do it's thing.
Same for cold bluing as is with slow rust bluing.
Oil and build up are not your friends.

[Tripplebeards]

Thanks for the tip. I washed,steel wooled, then wiped with alcohol for the small parts and they turned out great Imo. At least the gun looks presentable now.

[osteodoc08]

That stock is gorgeous. Let’s see the new bluing job.

[EMC45]

Looking like a pretty old girl now.

[Tripplebeards]

Bluing came today. Tomorrow’s project! I’m missing a rear sling mount and swivel if anyone has one laying around. My acraglass pressure points should be dry by morning so I can unassailable and get my blue on. I’m going to have to order a b square no drill scope mount for it as well.

[Tripplebeards]

That stock is gorgeous. Let’s see the new bluing job.

My fingers hurt from non stop steel wooling this morning. It’s done. The barrel looks better than some of my factory Remington blue jobs...and definitely better than my Ruger Americans...









I think I’ve got the Oxfo cold blue thing figured out. One thing off my bucket list...to cold blue a complete rifle. Three coats on the barrel and I lost count on the receiver trying to get it even on the side with the long branch stamping. I learned the key was to steel wool the living heck out of it till I received an even looking coat. Then wash, clean with rubbing alcohol, heat with my propane torch and coat. I also kept wiping off the excess so I didn’t get an orange rusty build up when it dried so it went on more even.

[JoeJames]

Excellent work. Probably better you are in Wisconsin rather than Arkansas; otherwise I might have fallen for it, and gone home none the wiser. Looks better than factory.