[bigblock]

I have one of Lou's waterjackets and Im looking for that glossy blue color like a 1928. I have to pay a gunsmith to park the gun as I dont have the setup but I was thinking about duracoating the waterjacket. does anyone have a suggestion on which duracoat color? On their website gun blue or HK blue/ grey looks pretty close? Or should I have the gunsmith blue It?

 

[jmann]

Well, guess which one I prefer.

Seriously though, the only water jackets I would consider durakoting are ones that were originally painted, like a maxim. Park and even blue is more durable than durakote. Dont get me wrong, durakote is a lot tougher than paint and is all I use on parts that were originally painted, such as tripod restorations,

but no matter how well done it is going to look painted and that dont look right on a watercooled browning.
Park it to look like a 1917, or blue it to look like a 28. Either way you will have an authentic looking gun. be warned though the 17 route is much cheaper as most smiths I know dont have bluing tanks large enough for the watercooled guns, and if they do it will cost a lot more than a park job.
Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide.

 

[missileer]

Dang it jmann! I wish you would quit posting the pictures of those 2 beauties! Everytime you show those, I have to catch my breath! Did you ever share with us the craftsman who blued those? Is that rust blue? What grit was used on the water jackets? I have a 1928 I want to look just like yours. I always thought the originals were nitre blued by Colt, judging from some of the earlier guns Landies had 20 yrs ago. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[jmann]

missileer,
thanks for the compliments. I did both of those guns myself. The gun with the red water plugs is 400 grit and all colt parts except rsp and bottom plate. I hand lapped the sideplates on a granite block up to 600 grit before riviting, cause you cant do it right with those rivits sticking up in the way.
The one with the spades is the beater I made from a colt jacket and an izzy backend. It is a post sample. The water jacket on it had been polished also to 400 grit, but I went back over it with a "fine" scotchbrite pad to tone it down a little so it wouldnt contrast to much with the glass bead blasted backend. I used izzy parts on it to preserve the original parts kit for something in the future at which time I will tear it down for the water jacket.
On the transferrable I used nitre blue on all the screws and small parts. It leaves a peacock blue, but at 600 degreese it is a no no for anything but the smallest, non structural parts.
The rest is oxynate 7, although dulite will do just as well. I could only get these two guns out of a batch of salts before the bronze on the guns killed the salts. So enough salts to do about 200 bolt guns did 2. Not to mention I had well over 40 hours in polishing the colt, its easy to see how these blue ones get expensive quickly.
Both of the guns also have nickle plated internals, cause thats how colt did it and after shooting and cleaning them you will understand that colt knew what they were doing. They just wipe clean and never rust.
I sincerely believe the colt gun is as close as legally possible to the guns supplied to argentina in the 20's and 30's. It is a little slicker than they originally were, but it is accurate in every detail. I would be happy to discuss these in more detail. Shoot me an e-mail or pm me if you need any help on yours.

 

[ohioblacksheep]

jmann,

Super Cool !!!! Again Thanks for letting us see some NICE guns and the info...


Bigblock,

If I recall right you got the jacket setup that screws on the A4 trunion.. That should be an easy park job as it gets put on the rec. after its parted so the lenght won't be to long.. I'd get it parked. If you deside to Duracoat you can always put it on over the park..

If you want to blue it, same thing. That jacket is all steel so it won't kill a salt bath like one with brass. Again with that setup it screws on so you can get the jacket where you like it, then screw it onto the rec. once you get the finish how you like it on the rec.

The only thing to remember is if you think you want to take it off the rec. someday DON'T use to strong a Loctite.!!!! That Red Loctite is a REAL BEAR to get apart.....Lou

 

[bigblock]

The jacket does screw off the trunion and after seeing jmann's guns I think I want to go with the bluing. I think polishing the jacket to bare metal is best for the bluing. Am I wrong?