Can you blue a chrome-plated gun barrel?

[Marplot]

I have a modern replica, that I would like to be dark blue. I saw a chemical called “Super Blue.” Can this work?

 

[kyron4]

I don't think so, not with out removing the chrome down to bare steel.

 

[necchi]

Nope.
Chrome plated is a nickel coating to the iron barrel.
"super blue"/and others,, are a copper/selenium dioxide that reacts with the iron to turn the surface to a blueish color.
Nickel does not react the same.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

Not very permanent, but you can try to find a blue magic marker. You might also use one of the spray-on, bake on stuff like powder coating. No guarantees fer shure.

 

[necchi]

Not very permanent, but you can try to find a blue magic marker.

And, there it is, The Gun Builder's Bench, via "The Muzzleloading Forum", version 2024.

 

[Marplot]

https://pointblankrange.com/product...g nickel and chrome alloys (except stainless)

 

[Fifty Four]

Find a chrome shop in your area to strip the parts down to bare metal. It shouldn't cost much and, if done correctly, won't do any harm to the steel. Don't bother trying DIY chrome stripping. It makes a toxic mess.

 

[Commodore Swab]

Are you sure it's plated?

 

[Marplot]

Not very permanent, but you can try to find a blue magic marker. You might also use one of the spray-on, bake on stuff like powder coating. No guarantees fer shure.

Though I feel that your post is sarcasm, but there may be a possibility?
https://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Ca...irchwood+casey+13425+super+blue,aps,87&sr=8-7
However try it on test subjects, first

 

[Marplot]

Find a chrome shop in your area to strip the parts down to bare metal. It shouldn't cost much and, if done correctly, won't do any harm to the steel. Don't bother trying DIY chrome stripping. It makes a toxic mess.

Probably the smartest idea. I will check around. I have a gun barrel. I guess the stripping process would they would immerse the object in a solution and reverse the electroplating process. Plug the bore and nipple? I guess the shop would know how to do this, safely.

 

[Marplot]

Are you sure it's plated?

How could I tell? Looks like chrome.

 

[kyron4]

How could I tell? Looks like chrome.

Who made it ? What's it called ? Picture ?

 

[Commodore Swab]

How could I tell? Looks like chrome.

Many think guns out of India are plated as they are so shiny. Not true, it's polished steel. These can be decreased and blued.

 

[Marplot]

Who made it ? What's it called ? Picture ?

Pedersoli . It is a little hard to see in the pictures, but the chrome seems off in a repro. Did they have chrome in 1840? Maybe this pistol is just highly polished steel?

 

[FlinterNick]

Pedersoli does chrome plate some of their guns.

To tell if it is chrome, your finger prints will show much easier than a regular carbon Steel barrel.

You can send pedersoli an email with the gun’s serial number they will tell everything about that gun if it was manufactured in the last 10 years.

Coloring chrome can be done with certain solutions, like copper sulfate. Never tried to blue it.

I’ve only encountered it once on a marlin i thought was stainless steel, ended up being chrome plated.

 

[kyron4]

Pedersoli . It is a little hard to see in the pictures, but the chrome seems off in a repro. Did they have chrome in 1840? Maybe this pistol is just highly polished steel?

Is it some kind of special editions ? May want to consider leaving as is it might ruin any value if it's a limited run gun.

 

[Marplot]

I WISH I COULD DELETE THE WHOLE POST> It is not chrome, just very highly polished steel. Bluing it!

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Pull the barrel from the stock, clean a spot on the BOTTOM of the barrel where it won't show. Dab a bit of BLUE on the spot and see if it takes. That should tell you real fast.
I like DARK BLUE/BLACK!!

 

[Marplot]

Pull the barrel from the stock, clean a spot on the BOTTOM of the barrel where it won't show. Dab a bit of BLUE on the spot and see if it takes. That should tell you real fast.
I like DARK BLUE/BLACK!!

I did and it did! Finished the rest of the barrel. Wiped it down with acetone and degreaser. Wore rubber gloves.. It look great! I am not good with newer modern guns.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Just be aware that rust blueing is going to take you several runs through and carding's before you get to the deep color you want. You want to make sure that before putting things in the steam cabinet that the barrel (or parts) are warm enough before going in there that the steam will not immediately condense on the metal parts, or else you'll get something of a spotty looking finish.