Dave London
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Any info on these rifle the reciever look like black chrome. Thanks Dave
1970 Winchester 94
- Thread starter Dave London
- Start date
fegarex
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Stay away...
They are made of something strange. I think sintered metal and then iron plated, then blued. I suppose it would be OK to strip, engrave and then finish in something other than blue but reblue is not an option without a lot of messing around. Sometime in the 80 they went back to forged actions.
They are made of something strange. I think sintered metal and then iron plated, then blued. I suppose it would be OK to strip, engrave and then finish in something other than blue but reblue is not an option without a lot of messing around. Sometime in the 80 they went back to forged actions.
Roger Bleile
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
94s of the post 64 period are made of a casting that will turn purple then red when blued with common blueing salts. The factory used a special process to blue them but I don't think it was black chrome as I have seen a number of them engraved. I was asked to cut a set of scope rings years ago that turned out to be black chromed. They were a no go.
Dave London
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Thanks Rex and Roger,back to the safe for this one . Maybe a little range time
FANCYGUN
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Dave
When I was working with Bruno Pardee at the USRACo custome shop I asked about the post 64 winchester 94's and was told that the frames were plated and then blued on top of the plating in order for the blue to look "normalish". In general i stay away from them. Reblued they will turn purplish but if you french gray the frame it doesn't look too bad.
Marty
When I was working with Bruno Pardee at the USRACo custome shop I asked about the post 64 winchester 94's and was told that the frames were plated and then blued on top of the plating in order for the blue to look "normalish". In general i stay away from them. Reblued they will turn purplish but if you french gray the frame it doesn't look too bad.
Marty
Mike Dubber
Elite Cafe Member
Dave:
I would prefer cutting one of the Pre-64's, but there's nothing bad about engraving one of the Post '64 Winchester 94's.
The Post 64 Win receivers are made of a composition metal - that is to say the receivers of these guns are formed (somehow ??) from a powder or grain of metals into a solid block. It's also true that these actions cannot be successfully blued by the traditional hot blue process. The metal turns a blue color when hot blued, but it fades and turns reddish/brown over time. I actually have the technical data on this "Sintered" metal and I'm sure some of our technicrats could jump in here an explain all of that, but all we really need to know in this discussion is how to solve the gunsmith/engraver's final finish problem.............
Engraving the Post 64 94 Winchester: the metal does not cut clean and bright no matter how brightly the graver is polished - the grainy structure shows dull gray as it is cut. Even so, very fine detail and shading cuts are not a problem and the finished piece looks very nice, as you'll see from the photo below. I recently completed my Post 94 test model for the Dubber/Schowe 94 Winchester Transfer Kit. After engraving, I sent the action to Mahovsky's (Grand Valley, PA) for application of their Metalife finish. www.mahovskysmetalife.com
Metalife is a Chromium SS (stainless steel) plating process. It only adds .0002 to the metal surface because the process fills the pores of the base metal instead of building up like a plating process. Furthermore, it's hard, measuring 71 C Rockwell - and its very durable. The appearance is that of electroless stainless.
My 94 was recently return from Mahovsky's and is now at my gunsmith's shop for bluing the other parts and assembly. I'll post finished photos later - maybe next week - but this is how the action looked just after engraving and prior to sending it to Mahovsky's. Incidentally, I had been discussing this 94 issue with Marty Rabeno at the Denver Colt Show in October - it was Marty who suggested Mahovsky's - thanks Marty!
The Dubber/Schowe Winchester 94 Kit is available at www.engravingtransfers.com
I would prefer cutting one of the Pre-64's, but there's nothing bad about engraving one of the Post '64 Winchester 94's.
The Post 64 Win receivers are made of a composition metal - that is to say the receivers of these guns are formed (somehow ??) from a powder or grain of metals into a solid block. It's also true that these actions cannot be successfully blued by the traditional hot blue process. The metal turns a blue color when hot blued, but it fades and turns reddish/brown over time. I actually have the technical data on this "Sintered" metal and I'm sure some of our technicrats could jump in here an explain all of that, but all we really need to know in this discussion is how to solve the gunsmith/engraver's final finish problem.............
Engraving the Post 64 94 Winchester: the metal does not cut clean and bright no matter how brightly the graver is polished - the grainy structure shows dull gray as it is cut. Even so, very fine detail and shading cuts are not a problem and the finished piece looks very nice, as you'll see from the photo below. I recently completed my Post 94 test model for the Dubber/Schowe 94 Winchester Transfer Kit. After engraving, I sent the action to Mahovsky's (Grand Valley, PA) for application of their Metalife finish. www.mahovskysmetalife.com
Metalife is a Chromium SS (stainless steel) plating process. It only adds .0002 to the metal surface because the process fills the pores of the base metal instead of building up like a plating process. Furthermore, it's hard, measuring 71 C Rockwell - and its very durable. The appearance is that of electroless stainless.
My 94 was recently return from Mahovsky's and is now at my gunsmith's shop for bluing the other parts and assembly. I'll post finished photos later - maybe next week - but this is how the action looked just after engraving and prior to sending it to Mahovsky's. Incidentally, I had been discussing this 94 issue with Marty Rabeno at the Denver Colt Show in October - it was Marty who suggested Mahovsky's - thanks Marty!
The Dubber/Schowe Winchester 94 Kit is available at www.engravingtransfers.com
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Dave London
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Thanks Mr. Mike, and Marty good info . I will give it a shot
fegarex
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Once in a great while Marty DOES give good advice...
I have used Mahovsky's per his suggestion and recommend them highly. I even had a nickel SAA stripped by them that I was going to reblue. That is a VERY tricky thing as they can not get all the nickel off or they burn the metal. He got it all off and the metal was bright and shiny.
I have used Mahovsky's per his suggestion and recommend them highly. I even had a nickel SAA stripped by them that I was going to reblue. That is a VERY tricky thing as they can not get all the nickel off or they burn the metal. He got it all off and the metal was bright and shiny.
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