Reblueing Mini 14

[mattd]

The original blueing on my Mini 14 is like a flat blue finish. Not like any of my sporter rifles or pistols. More like a receiver blue. How can I recreate that? I've reblued barrels before with the birchwood Casey blue and it's def not that finish.

I have a 444 marlin that's up next for some work and its the same finish as the top strap on that receiver.

[Shift1]

bead blast the receiver. Blueing is all about the base metal prep. Shiny surface, shiny blue

[MBTcustom]

Not to be mean or anything, but there is no way that you can match a factory blue job with cold blue. I tried for years, and thought I was doing pretty good, but since I got my bluing tanks, I am working through my guns and doing it right. What really stinks is that I found where rust had started to set up on every one of my cold blued guns. It seems that cold blue offers no corrosion resistance whatsoever, and actually seems to encourage rust while hiding it. You might check around for a local guy that does rebluing. I'll bet you that if you call him up and ask him, he'll tell you that he offers a big discount of you strip the gun to it's parts and polish them before bringing them to him. If all he has to do is wash the oil off and do normal prep, then dip them in his tanks, I'll bet he'll reblue any gun you want for less than $100.

[Lead Fred]

I dont blue any more. I use Duracoat on everything.
I did Mrs Freds 1949 Winnie in Duracoat gun blue.
After a few months the blue settled down, and it looks like an original lever bluing job

After its cured, your metal is sealed inside the two part paint forever