Firearms Terminology

Kevin P. · Mar 15, 2009

Is there a book, manual, whatever that explains firearms engraving terminology?
I read posts where someone asked of Phil Coogan whether the piece was case hardened or 'what?'.
The reference was to a very colorful job he did. It looked like gold work; but some of the colors were alloys(?) I find hard to imagine.
I'm not planning on taking up firearms engraving; but being a person of curiosity I'd like to know the terminology and what it is that I'm looking at.
Thanks
Kevin P.

John B. · Mar 15, 2009

Kevin P.
It's not exactly a manual of firearms engraving terms.
You may find the FEGA " How To" manual helpful.
It was recently revised and updated by Andrew Biggs and is available to members of FEGA for a few $$$. www.fega.com go to books and publications. Just an idea.

Roger Bleile · Mar 15, 2009

Kevin,

We gun people throw around gun terminology like "case hardening", "choke", "fences", "action flats", and "back action lock" as if everyone knows what we are talking about. Since gun engravers are a dominant force in the hand engraving community it is easy for us to forget that those in other branches of the trade are unfamiliar with our jargon. My book, "American Engravers" contains a glossary section in the back that would be of assistance to you but I realize that with my book going for around $150.00 on the used book market that it is a high price to pay for someone not in the gun field.

Color case hardening is sometimes referred to as case colors, color hardening, or case hardening. It is a heat treatment process whereby the metal to be hardened is packed into a flask with bone and charcoal and heated in a furnace. The process and color results vary somewhat by practitioner. The result is a mottled blue-gray finish with a thin surface hardness. Another process is cyanide hardening which can produce a similar (though less attractive) surface hardening. This process is often found on Italian replicas of vintage Colts and Winchesters.

I hope this is of some help. When you see some term here that is unfamiliar, just ask and someone will surely have an answer.

CRB

keykeeper · Mar 15, 2009

I've found my Shooter's Bible "Small Arms Lexicon and Concise Encyclopedia" by Chester Mueller and John Olson to be pretty indispensable when I've needed to know what certain terms mean. I located several copies online for short money. Good reference to have in your library.

beegee · Mar 15, 2009

What do they call that long tube-thingy, where the little pointy-thing comes out with a big noise, when you pull the curvy-switch thing under the whatzit?

keykeeper · Mar 15, 2009

beegee said:
What do they call that long tube-thingy, where the little pointy-thing comes out with a big noise, when you pull the curvy-switch thing under the whatzit?

I'm not even gonna comment further. Now I remember why I rarely come to this forum. Try to be helpful. Jeesh.

Kevin P. · Mar 15, 2009

Thanks Keykeeper, I'll check that out.
Kevin P.

Kevin P. · Mar 15, 2009

Thanks John B. I had forgotten about FEGA's "How to . . . ."
Sometimes I forget to look at the obvious: what's already in my library.
Kevin P.

Kevin P. · Mar 15, 2009

Thanks Roger, I located your book at a reasonable price. I'll have to add it to my library.

Do you recall Phil C's fairly recent posting before 'greener' that was so colorful? If you do are all those colors due to some exotic deposition process?
To my untrained eye, it looked like exotic gold alloys.
Kevin P.

Kevin P. · Mar 15, 2009

Keykeeper I located a copy for $1.98 although it will cost me an additional $4.00 to get it here. Ain't the internet wonderful!
Kevin P.

Kevin P. · Mar 15, 2009

beegee, I do know where the 'doohickey' is located.
Kevin P.

Roger Bleile · Mar 15, 2009

Kevin P. said:
Thanks Roger, I located your book at a reasonable price. I'll have to add it to my library.

Do you recall Phil C's fairly recent posting before 'greener' that was so colorful? If you do are all those colors due to some exotic deposition process?
To my untrained eye, it looked like exotic gold alloys.
Kevin P.

If it is the gun I am thinking of those colors are created by multi-colored gold inlays.

Leonardo · Mar 16, 2009

Hi Kevin,
First, I must say that I am not an expert but I will try to clear you some things.
There is no "exotic deposition process" in Phil Coggan works. That are "only" hard inlaying work did with different gold alloys and other metals depending on the colors you need. As an example, varying the amount of copper in gold alloy you can turn that alloy more or less red. The same case occurs alloying the gold with only silver, the more silver in the alloy the more white will be the final product.
In the case of the white gold, it is alloyed with Palladium to get the white color without degrading the gold alloy bellow the 18K.
Talking about karats, an 18K gold allow means that it is 75% of pure 24K gold and 25% of other metals like silver and some copper depending on how red you want the final piece to look.
I do not know how the green gold is achieved but it would be achieved in a similar way alloying the gold with other metals.
I must repeat that I am not a goldsmith, just only what I know about precious metals alloys.
Best regards, Leonardo.

Kevin P. · Mar 16, 2009

Leonardo
Thank you for your reply. I misspoke on 'deposition'.
I'm familiar with some gold alloys: Green gold is achieved by alloying fine with silver only. There is even purple by alloying aluminum with fine gold.
Someone posted a response to Phil's photo using many technical firearm terms. The variety of colors was very unusual. My trade is lapidary/goldsmith. I pay close attention to these things and I hadn't seen anything like it.
But then there are always new developments; I thought perhaps there are new exotic methods in firearms manufacture.
Kevin P.

eisman · Mar 16, 2009

I have several "dictionaries" for the gun trade. Two in German, one in Italian, and a (British) english one that's really old. The German ones are best.

I do find that another good source for information like this are my old shop manuals.

Kevin P. · Mar 16, 2009

Leonardo, I know enough to know there are no tricks in what Phil does, just talent and hard work and years of experience. He's a master working at the top of his form.

As I said elsewhere I've never seen alloys of those colors; so I guess he's a master at alloying gold also and why not. I hope I'm able to upload this photo of the firearm I refer to.
Kevin P.

Firearms Terminology

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