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Rust Bluing & Walnut
chiefr
Member Posts: 13,776 ✭✭✭✭
Saddens me to see the lack of rust bluing and walnut on just about all new firearm these days. Parkerizing, Cerracote, satin stainless, colored and camouflaged paints have replaced beautiful deep rust bluing.
Moreover: Plastics have replaced beautiful oiled walnut.
Dont take this wrong because I do own and like modern firearms, just miss the days when most of what I looked at in any gun store was rust blue and walnut.
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Comments
+1 I have exactly the same opinion but we have to remember that we aren't the consumers that the manufacturers/marketers are trying to reach. My first synthetic stocked rifle was a Weatherby Super Varmint with the extremely ugly tan synthetic stock with the black spider webbing. I bought it for its performance and not its looks but when not in use it is hidden in the back of the safe where I don't have to see it often. Bob
back in the day as they say.....I rust blued a number of SxS of better quality. It's a very labor intensive job and it takes weeks of very careful attention and the hope you don't get ANY oil on the barrels. The end result is an attractive and very wear resistant finish. Lott a work though.
I often wonder what would Elmer, Skeeter, Jeff and the two colonel's would do if they suddenly were resurrected and walked into a gun store. 😯
My previous bluing guy was Arnold Briganti in Highland Mills, NY. He had worked for Griffin and Howe years ago as a gunsmith and was originally a carpenter. Arnold was a top shelf bluing guy and only did rust bluing. He was not a computer guy and worked by word of mouth. He did mostly the expensive SxS but he would do anything for me and usually turn it around in three or four weeks. I lived in mortal fear that he would cut me off for years but he never did. i guess he liked me because I was a gun nut.
A few years ago Arnold was still working at his trade in his 90's and tried to get me to buy his tools and his shop but i explained to him it would take all the fun out of it if i started to do bluing and gunsmithing for a living. He had tears in his eyes when he told me his hands hurt so bad that he had to give it up. Arnold was one of a kind and about 2 years ago he passed away. I miss my friend Arnold terribly.-------------------------------Ray
i know what Elmer would do, he would ask if that 450 bushmaster was as big as you have.
Chief I understand you completely. Synthetic and stainless does have its place and is very durable in foul weather conditions. I have several synthetic rifles myself but there is no substitute in beauty for a highly figured walnut stock and deep blue on the metal.
I can feel your agony! The majority of my recent purchases have been "utilitarian" in nature. Fortunately, I stumbled into a beautiful older 500 series CZ not too long ago, very nice wood, rosewood fore end cap and all, in 243. Refreshed my memory of what a work of art some used to be.
The manufacturers tell us that all the plastic, and painted on metal finish is what the consumer is demanding. The truth is that it is far cheaper to make the guns that way.
Agree 100%. The whole world seems obsessed with “tactical” style firearms, even in the bolt action and revolver segments. If a gun doesn’t have 7 rails on it for every manner of tacti-cool accessory toy, folks don’t seem to want it.
A.O. Niedner and Thomas Shelhamer produced beautiful examples of rust blue and walnut, 4 or 5 generations ago.
Well worth a google image search ... provided you don't mind drooling a bit !
TWO POINTs:
Rust blued guns and Walnut firearms resale value far exceeds practically all plastics and coating. Check GB listings for older blued Colts, Pre 64 Winchesters, older SW etc.
Pick up and handle an A Uberti product next time you have the opportunity. One of the few left manufacturing rust blued & walnut firearms. Their quality and craftsmanship is unprecedented.
NICE! Thats what I am talking about.
Rust bluing and walnut spells beauty and craftsmanship for firearms. Plastic spells something out of a recycle bin. Over time a well blued and wood firearm will increase in value, where plastics will not fare that well. I do understand that there is a place for plastic guns, military, or if your going to be out ALL the time in bad weather.
X-RING!!!!!!