Flame-bluing Kibler barrel?

[wiscoaster]

Just wondering if anyone here has tried flame-bluing a Kibler barrel, and if so, do you have any comments about the process you'd care to share? Thinking about doing same with .45 cal SMR kit barrel and iron parts recently ordered, and have been experimenting with bar stock. A rifle barrel is a whole another story, however.

 

[Pete G]

Just wondering if anyone here has tried flame-bluing a Kibler barrel, and if so, do you have any comments about the process you'd care to share? Thinking about doing same with .45 cal SMR kit barrel and iron parts recently ordered, and have been experimenting with bar stock. A rifle barrel is a whole another story, however.

Doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.

 

[wiscoaster]

Doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.

Elaborate, please?

 

[akroguy]

I fire blue locks, trigger guards, triggers, etc, but a large piece like a full barrel? I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get it consistent along the full length.

 

[WonkyEye]

I'm no gunmaker, just a poser working my way through my first one now. But I use flame bluing and linseed oil quench often for little shop made tools (think woodworking chisels, hand plane irons, marking knives, etc.) and such. I think it would be really difficult with a barrel. If I were to attempt to blue a barrel, I believe charcoal bluing would be more HC, and also easier to do in the backyard. A thin gauge sheet steel box could be folded from scrap for free (think refrigerator, washing machine, etc found on the side of the road).

I'm not sure how you would handle the hot barrel, tongs would probably mark it. I wouldn't feel good about shoving a steel mandrill into the bore, .maybe a 3/8" solid brass rod could be used to slide into the bore to pull it out and card it periodically.

Obviously I've thought about this quite a bit for my in-progress build. I think I may just leave it in the white and let it naturally rust and patina as I clean it off, but it's still something I'm debating

 

[wiscoaster]

...... I believe charcoal bluing would be more HC, and also easier to do in the backyard......

Thanks. I'm going to look into that.

 

[Cruzatte]

I believe charcoal bluing would be more HC, and also easier to do in the backyard. A thin gauge sheet steel box could be folded from scrap for free (think refrigerator, washing machine, etc found on the side of the road).

I was thinking rain guttering filled with charcoal.

 

[WonkyEye]

I was thinking rain guttering filled with charcoal.

That's an even easier idea and still low budget, as long as it's steel and not aluminum

 

[Tumbledown]

If I were to attempt to blue a barrel, I believe charcoal bluing would be more HC...

HC for what time period?

 

[wiscoaster]

There's a NMLRA video on YouTube showing fire-bluing of a Kibler SMR:

 

[FlinterNick]

Just wondering if anyone here has tried flame-bluing a Kibler barrel, and if so, do you have any comments about the process you'd care to share? Thinking about doing same with .45 cal SMR kit barrel and iron parts recently ordered, and have been experimenting with bar stock. A rifle barrel is a whole another story, however.

I would send it to a gunsmith that has a hot blueing tank. You’ll get better results

 

[smoothshooter]

I fire blue locks, trigger guards, triggers, etc, but a large piece like a full barrel? I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get it consistent along the full length.

Getting a uniform heat over such a long area would be really tough.
I have read that using Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution will do whatever shade, pale to dark and adding a couple of steps at the end of the process will give whatever shade you want.
I think the additional steps include heating the whole barrel to a uniform heat, which can be problematic in itself.

 

[Iceman]

Per the video I would be lead to believe the barrel just has to be brought to the temperature for the look you want, and that does not have to be all at the same time. Could you start at one end and work to the other? He kind of states that while doing the trigger guard, get the look you want and move on. Why can’t you hang the barrel and work from bottom to top with a propane torch or would it not be consistent enough?

Originally I was going to say get a piece of gas pipe 5 feet long and slit it every inch or two for your burner. Hang the barrel horizontal over it in a way that you can still rotate it as needed to keep the heat even. Worst case you could remove the breach plug and run a rod through it and just keep turning it so it heats evenly.

I have no experience with this, just ideas. Can’t hurt to try.

 

[andy52]

My biggest concern would be overheating the barrel and losing the steel's integrity.
Small parts generally aren't an issue because they aren't subjected to extreme pressure

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I'm thinking a large oven, having precise temperature control, would be needed.

 

[wiscoaster]

I'm thinking a large oven, having precise temperature control, would be needed.

That would be perfect. None such in my kitchen, though. Maybe one of the local pizza shops would let me use theirs? (J/K)

 

[wiscoaster]

My biggest concern would be overheating the barrel and losing the steel's integrity.
.....

That would be the other unanswered question.

So far I've been playing with an old pistol barrel removed from a junked H&R .22 revolver. After debluing, filing and sanding, first rust browning with Birchwood Casey Plum Brown, carding and oiling:

Then using a hand-held propane torch to turn the red iron oxide to black, carding and oiling:

I think they both turned out looking pretty nice, but neither what I want for my next Kibler.

 

[yellowhammer]

Fire blue barrel!?!? Heck no.

Draw file -> light sand w/320 grit -> buff w/gray scotch bright -> Jax Black applied with 0000 steel wool -> spray her down w/WD-40.

 

[FlinterNick]

Fire blue barrel!?!? Heck no.

Draw file -> light sand w/320 grit -> buff w/gray scotch bright -> Jax Black applied with 0000 steel wool -> spray her down w/WD-40.

For hot bluing or browning, spray patina’s work nicely, the heated surface only needs to be around 180 degrees.

 

[yellowhammer]

Slightly off-topic: I'm set up for parkerizing (manganese phosphate) un-mentionable barrels. I casually asked several well-known builders about parkerizing a long rifle and they were uniformly appalled. The horror! Don't, heresy, etc...