The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi all,

I recently acquired a lovely '43 dated No4 and the rifle itself is in great condition, the woodwork is excellent and it has a new/milsurp barrel (albeit a 2 groove) fitted.

Only issue is the magazine is pretty much back to bare metal. I'm contemplating bluing it myself and was wondering if anyone has tried this before?

I have bought myself a tube of Birchwood Casey Perma Blue Paste to touch up areas on another rifle and was wondering if it's worth doing an entire magazine with it or is there an easier or more efficient method for doing this at home?

Thanks in advance.

Personally, I'd just find another No.4 magazine with better metal finish. They are reasonably easy to find and tweak, if the feed needs adjusting.

The cold blue solutions aren't very convincing on a large area like a magazine, compared to original finish.

Regards

Mike

Does it still function does the fact its lost its bluing affect the functioning of the rifle. Im guesing no so whats the problem. If it bothers you that mutch buy another magazine.

James048 wrote:Hi all,

I recently acquired a lovely '43 dated No4 and the rifle itself is in great condition, the woodwork is excellent and it has a new/milsurp barrel (albeit a 2 groove) fitted.

Only issue is the magazine is pretty much back to bare metal. I'm contemplating bluing it myself and was wondering if anyone has tried this before?

I have bought myself a tube of Birchwood Casey Perma Blue Paste to touch up areas on another rifle and was wondering if it's worth doing an entire magazine with it or is there an easier or more efficient method for doing this at home?

No.4's were never blued anyway, so something like Perma Blue will make the mag very odd looking.

UK made No.4's were either done in oil blackening or black oxide followed by a coating of black enamel paint.
Long Branch & Savage made No.4's were nearly always in a parkerized finish.

Alpha1 wrote:Does it still function does the fact its lost its bluing affect the functioning of the rifle. Im guesing no so whats the problem. If it bothers you that mutch buy another magazine.

Yes it functions fine. However the magazine is almost back to bare metal. So what's the problem? Bare, untreated metal exposed to moisture rusts which is what is currently happening. Even after 2 weeks of owning it there is a patch of rust appearing and I do oil my rifles, store them inside in a dry environment with moisture absorbent products in the cabinet etc. etc. etc. but it has still happened hence why I'm looking for a way to 'seal' the metal.

To everyone else, thank you for the feedback. I wasn't fully aware of the blacking/bluing process and also good to know about the bluing products I've bought, I won't run the risk and will look for a new magazine. Perhaps I can leave this magazine for a project in the near future.

Thanks again.

"I won't run the risk and will look for a new magazine."

No4's mags can be expensive, SMLE one's wont fit.

Just pop down to your local motor factors buy a spary can of semi gloss black and paint it job done.

bnz41 wrote:Just pop down to your local motor factors buy a spary can of semi gloss black and paint it job done.

Good shout.

Yea, just paint the thing flat or semi gloss black. Once they had been near an armorer they got finished with a brush anyway.

Even out of the wrapper the finish was not that great.

There is a process called "Black-it" available in kit form; this will give an authentic finish. Do a search---I have the kit but it is at least five years old, so I don't know the exact address.
Fred

FredB wrote:There is a process called "Black-it" available in kit form; this will give an authentic finish. Do a search---I have the kit but it is at least five years old, so I don't know the exact address.
Fred

http://www.black-it.co.uk/