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Those of you who've been paying attention (do sit up at the back!) will know I recently acquired a rather nice Pattern 1914 Enfield from lapua338 of this parish.

Having recently making sure it goes bang and adjusting the from sight so the bullets go where I expect, I'm now turning my attention to the aesthetics of this fine rifle.

I'm very happy with it, but at some point in the past century someone has removed all the bluing from the bolt.



I quite fancy having a go at bluing it, but have no real idea how to go about it.

"Firearm Blueing & Browning" recommended on another thread (by Ovenpaa, also of this parish) provides many recipes, but I can't find the one called "P14 Bolts for Dummies" which I suspect I need.

Any pointers to beginners guides, appropriate recipes or general tricks & tips much appreciated.

I'm assuming at a minimum I'd dismantle the bolt and not blue the spring :-)

- daman

It's doing it in such a way that it looks in keeping with the rest of the rifle.

The bolt handle and the bolt sleeve/bolt shroud (or whatever you want to call it) have lost their original finish and have that aged grey colour.

Was the bolt body originally in the white? Or was that also phosphated or blued?

I'm sure someone will come along and answer these questions.

Blued...

I am personally a fan of a bit of patina showing in the right places on an aged and respectable rifle , same as people.

Its quite normal for a P14 bolt to have the bluing worn. Is it completely in the white a picture of the bolt on its own would help.

All the wear and scuffs etc from the last century are part of the rifles history and they all have a story (if only we knew them eh?) and if it was me I would leave it as it is.

My '39 Mosin 91/30 has clearly been issued during its life and the stock is dinged and scratched, its had a slice put in the fore-end and the bolt etc has worn but I wouldn't consider "restoring" it as it would take all the character away.

Onviously it's your rifle, your choice but do you want an old rifle with character or an old rifle that looks like new?.

My older rifles including a P14 are wiped over with a lightly oiled rag before they put away, that is metalwork and furniture, that way they are preserved from further deterioration but the existing finish is maintained. Having said that you can also lightly blue to preserve and enhance as well. In situations like this you can use a couple of light treatments of cold gun blue is discreet enough to tidy things up yet not return the rifle to an unnatural state.

I have an unopened bottle here, PM your address and I will pop it in the post.

Many thanks all.

I'd agree I don't want to ruin the look but it has been very thoroughly scrubbed, not just worn somewhat:



It's the one on the right :-) Bolt from a Howa included left for comparison in terms of dodgy photo taking and lighting.

I'd like to try something sympathetic to the original. As far as I can tell from the interwebz Winchester would originally have Nitre Blued it. That looks tricky for a first timer, and I'm not sure I want to be seen buying quantities of fertilizer while Irish in London

I may try the cold blue first

Ovenpaa, many thanks, you have a PM.

Daman, I will pop it in the post next week. "Firearm Blueing & Browning" is a superb read and has several hundred 'recipes' My interest is browning and it is interesting in that it covers the formulas by barrel type and country of origin. My only wish is that there was an electronic version to enable easier searches for specifics.

Gazoo wrote:I am personally a fan of a bit of patina showing in the right places on an aged and respectable rifle , same as people.

Couldn't agree more, an even blue on a bolt this age is likely to stick out rather... Needs to be a very 'sympathetic' restoration, but if it was mine I would leave well alone.