58 caliber Antonio Zoli Zouave finishes

[user 56015]

Good morning,

I believe this belongs in this category

On the Zouave, what finish are the steel parts? Barrel appears to be blued, firing aperture seems blued as well, screws and other misc accessories seem painted black?

Refinishing one and would like to make as close as possible to original.

Thanks

 

[Stantheman86]

Good morning,

I believe this belongs in this category

On the Zouave, what finish are the steel parts? Barrel appears to be blued, firing aperture seems blued as well, screws and other misc accessories seem painted black?

Refinishing one and would like to make as close as possible to original.

Thanks

The barrel should be blued and the lock is color cased. The screws should be blued

 

[user 56015]

The barrel should be blued and the lock is color cased. The screws should be blued

Thanks

 

[user 56015]

The barrel should be blued and the lock is color cased. The screws should be blued

So I just watched a video on color case hardening as I had no idea what that meant. In the video, the pieces that came out looked "tarnished" and it looked like this was the look that they were trying to obtain. My lock looks "tarnished", that's why I wanted to refinish it as it looked as though it was affected by the heat of the firing of the gun over time, but maybe this isn't true. Is the lock supposed to look tarnished? Normal guns don't look this way. Any insight and education would be appreciated.

 

[Stantheman86]

So I just watched a video on color case hardening as I had no idea what that meant. In the video, the pieces that came out looked "tarnished" and it looked like this was the look that they were trying to obtain. My lock looks "tarnished", that's why I wanted to refinish it as it looked as though it was affected by the heat of the firing of the gun over time, but maybe this isn't true. Is the lock supposed to look tarnished? Normal guns don't look this way. Any insight and education would be appreciated.

The "color case hardening" on a repro rifle is most likely fake anyway, the Italian manufacturers used blue to make the lock appear case hardened.

If you left the lock in a "gunmetal" color it would probably look great

 

[dave951]

So I just watched a video on color case hardening as I had no idea what that meant. In the video, the pieces that came out looked "tarnished" and it looked like this was the look that they were trying to obtain. My lock looks "tarnished", that's why I wanted to refinish it as it looked as though it was affected by the heat of the firing of the gun over time, but maybe this isn't true. Is the lock supposed to look tarnished? Normal guns don't look this way. Any insight and education would be appreciated.

Define "normal" guns. Guns during the Civil War were either "bright" meaning nothing or blued and everything in between. What you see today on originals is 150+ years of aging, handling and "restoration".

 

[user 56015]

Define "normal" guns. Guns during the Civil War were either "bright" meaning nothing or blued and everything in between. What you see today on originals is 150+ years of aging, handling and "restoration".

I meant any "regular" rifle you buy today is mostly all "blued" so I figured that all rifles, even back then started that way and with time became tarnished by heat and use. This whole "civil war" era type gun is all new to me and learning as I go along. I started out wanting to "muzzle load" for hunting and in the process am now learning things I didn't know, which I like and appreciate.

 

[user 56015]

Define "normal" guns. Guns during the Civil War were either "bright" meaning nothing or blued and everything in between. What you see today on originals is 150+ years of aging, handling and "restoration".

This is what mine looks like

 

[dave951]

This is what mine looks like

For a "Zouave" repop, that's normal.

 

[user 56015]

For a "Zouave" repop, that's normal.

So would you suggest I leave it that way if I'm restoring the rest of the gun?

 

[dave951]

So would you suggest I leave it that way if I'm restoring the rest of the gun?

Define "restoring". I personally don't like guns that have been molested in the name of "restoration". Honest patina is part of the story of the gun.

 

[user 56015]

I sanded down the body, restained and oiled, scrubbed and shined the brass, going to blue the pitted barrel, and was going to refinish the other hardware to match. Figure that would make it last for the rest of my time, and maybe hand down one day

 

[Stantheman86]

If it's a repro do it up however it makes you happy

 

[user 56015]

If it's a repro do it up however it makes you happy

Understood... One last question. If I want to keep it "rustic" "authentic" looking, not finishing the lock and leaving it tarnished like it is, will that rust, corrode faster? Or if I keep it oiled will that keep it preserved?

 

[Stantheman86]

Understood... One last question. If I want to keep it "rustic" "authentic" looking, not finishing the lock and leaving it tarnished like it is, will that rust, corrode faster? Or if I keep it oiled will that keep it preserved?

Half of my rifles are "Armory Bright" and I wipe them down with Eezox after shooting and never have a problem with rust.

Your lock is Case Hardened, just leave it like it is. It's already finished like it's supposed to be

Is the barrel not already blued ? What is it finished with ?

 

[user 56015]

Half of my rifles are "Armory Bright" and I wipe them down with Eezox after shooting and never have a problem with rust.

Your lock is Case Hardened, just leave it like it is. It's already finished like it's supposed to be

Is the barrel not already blued ? What is it finished with ?

The barrel was blued but is marred and pitted from very minor rust speckles. I don't have any more pics on me here at work of the rest of the barrel

 

[64Springer]

Why is there a screw in the side of your barrel?

Scope mount screw/screws?

 

[64Springer]

Remove the screws.

Screw in some longer screws with red loctite applied. Torque em down well. Cut off the screw heads. File flush.

It will make for a cleaner looking barrel when finished.

 

[user 56015]

Why is there a screw in the side of your barrel?

Scope mount screw/screws?

There are actually two with two very shallow screws in them about four inches apart. I figured it was for mounting something. Don't know what, unless they were added later on after the manufacture of the original rifle. There's an additional screw hole in front of the rear site too I'm guessing for mounting a bigger rear site

 

[user 56015]

Remove the screws.

Screw in some longer screws with red loctite applied. Torque em down well. Cut off the screw heads. File flush.

It will make for a cleaner looking barrel when finished.

That sounds like a plan. I have no intention of ever mounting any additional hardware