Will constant direct sunlight fade barrel bluing?

makindu

I would like to set up a display case with my shotgun barrel inventory. I would like to put it in my south facing 4x6 foot picture window. I am concerned that the constant daily drenching of direct full sunlight might damage the barrel finishes (both traditional hot blued and matte black (Express) barrels) if they are on display all summer. Anybody know if constant direct sunlight will fade barrel bluing? Thanks in advance for your response.

p3skyking

I have never heard of sunlight affecting bluing. It affects pigments in paint and the UV rays can destroy plastic. Oxygen and moisture is what affects barrels or any steel for that matter. The galvantic action of anode and cathode is what will change a barrel.
I would say go ahead with your display.

BTW, glass stops a lot of harmful UV rays by itself, but you might consider a light window tint to stop even more of the effects of sunlight.

shoff14

i would be more worried about the wood then the bluing on the metal. Bluing is a generic form of rust.

makindu

p3, I like your suggestion of using a window tint. I'll go that route. Thanks. And shoff, no wood is involved, just a barrel display to help move some inventory.

leeblackman

If you have uv blocking glass, then it will probably do less damage than the florescent lights you may be currently using. UV generally seems to cause certain polymers to break down, and sometimes can cause white inlets in stocks to turn yellow, but I've never seen it effect a bluing.

mrbruce

Sunlight will never fade blued gun barrels to the best of my knowledge.

spasmcreek

the dark metal will heat up more than air & surrounding case, might lead to condensation, bet humidity & temp would make a bigger dif than sunlight

He Dog

Heated metal will tend to evaporate moisture. If it were chilled than condensation could be a problem.

nards444

depends on the intensity of the light and heat, its probably just as much the heat as light. Just like anything, you leave it in the sun for years, something might happen.

beantownshootah

Gun bluing is a metal oxide. UV won't affect that.

Since blueing is opaque metal, UV light won't penetrate deeper than the first few molecules of bluing anyway.

With respect to anything ELSE in the cabinet you don't want to fade, most (95%+) of UVA and UVB light is blocked by ordinary glass, but you can apply films that will block virtually all of it.

mond

as an engineer, not in a million years will uv sunlight affect ya bluing, i suggest you wipe over the barrel& visable steel components with a oily rag before puting your tools away, as the acidity in finger prints & humidity dont blend..if ya dont use ya tool for a while ,& dont wipe ,ya may find a print or 2 ya cannot remove, everyones prints are diffrent, as a causion, wipe over !![;)]

makindu

Thanks to all!! Much appreciated. mak