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Purplish bluing

Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
edited October 2006 in Ask the Experts
I used to have a CZ27 made during the early years of German Occupation. It had the hi polish finish. Anyways the slide was very purple and I have seen this with other guns. What exactly causes this to happen? I was always thinking that if you could do a whole gun that rich color it would look kind of cool.
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Comments

  • dfletcherdfletcher Member Posts: 8,179 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Purple is often a sign the gun was either improperly (re)blued or that the part was made from an investment casting. Properly blued investment cast parts often turn purple or bergundy over the years. If the 27 part is not made from a casting I'd say it was improperly blued.

    Check out some of the old Dan Wesson revolver frames for an example.
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  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Some late war Walther products (PP, P.38) have the purple cast to them. If I remember correctly, the solution was too hot.
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  • Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited November -1
    Is the finish less durable for being improper or just not desirable?
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  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Wehrmacht_45
    Is the finish less durable for being improper or just not desirable?


    Neither that I know of. Its just different.
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  • b00merb00mer Member Posts: 975 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    purple is due to high nickle content and to low temp while bluing, Ive been bluing for 25plus yrs, and this has been what I have always found to be the case
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  • mrseatlemrseatle Member Posts: 15,467 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I love the purple Dan Wessons, I mistakingly passed on a purple snubby .357 many years ago and haven't seen one like it in a while.
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  • dfletcherdfletcher Member Posts: 8,179 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have to say, I hate the look. I have a 1970s DW pistol pac - still has the anti-rust paper & the cloth patch, I never use it because the thing looks "damaged" in my eyes.
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  • 1KYDSTR1KYDSTR Member Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Boomer is correct. Too low a temp and the high nickel content of the steel. I have had issues in the past with late war German guns while reblueing as the quality of the steel diminished to a degree towards the end of hostilities. Incrreasing the salt bath temp by around 15 degrees always has done the trick for me.
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  • johnnyboy1948johnnyboy1948 Member Posts: 20 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My gunsmith told me that my new CZ 527 rifle with a purple barrel was made with a steel with high silicon content. He has 40 years experience, so he might be right.[:D][:D]
    John
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