winchester 94 expert needed...

[Chuckindenver]

so,,,i bet iv reblued over 100 94 Winchesters, pre and post 64, all blue just fine, if you use the right salts.
this one has got me...it had some light scratches so i had planned on just bluing over the old finish, usually this works awesome,
well, when i dropped it in, for 20 mins, removed it, the barrel looks awesome, the action,,,
well, what ever finish they used, came right off, exposing a nickle plated or hard chromed finish under it, i claened it, and tried it again...no luck..
it is plated, with something...thats for sure, as i let it sit exposed to the air over night with no oil, and it didnt rust even in the corners..
anyone have an idea of what this plating is? rifle is a 1971 dated rifle.
FYI: Winchester didnt know, all the so called expert restorers had no clue.
im guessing...silver nitride plating...now what type of coating can i apply the will bring the finish back.

Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

Could you please post a photo that shows a characteristic portion of the surface? Any coloring might be a clue to the metal that was used.

Patrick

[browningautorifle]

Are you sure it isn't stainless steel? The whole thing sounds just like what we dealt with in the past. They plated some but I don't think they blued them after. The ones I speak of had a Japanned finish which was shiny black anodizing over stainless. We used stainless bluing after pickling in muriatic acid. Quench in cold water and then into the oxinate (84)? The barrel covered too and the receiver came out a bit more purple than black with a flat finish.

[Johnny Peppers]

Don't know what serial number range they are in, but some of the post 1964 Model 94 Winchesters were plated with iron over the mystery metal receiver so that it would take blue. Once worn away about the only option left is one of the spray and bake finishes.

[Chuckindenver]

iv done many so called iron coated rifles...they used iron phoshate, not a plating. once you dip it in stripper it comes right off,
iv educated myself on this.
so..
its a hard chrome plated action. magnums, and the XTR,s were hard chromed. until 1979. they then used a form of powder coating...that was real soft.
im having it, black chrome powder coated today, a new type of powder coating used on chrome wheels to make them look black chrome. very tough, i coated the inside with hi temp silicone..ill post a picture when its done.
iv done countless post 64 94 Winchesters, and never had an issue as i use Cast steel blue salts...they come out nice and black...even better then they looked when new,
Ruger, Remington and a couple other modern rifles have to be done with this salts or they turn purple or yellow.

[browningautorifle]

Yellow would be cool...can you imagine!

[Johnny Peppers]

Ever so often the local gunsmith gets one of the Model 94's that won't blue, and actually the spray and bake he uses looks almost like the original finish. Don't remember what it is , but hasn't been out too long.

[Chuckindenver]

heres a picture of the rifle in question, its at the powder coat place right now, do back on Friday...will see.

[Emri]

I've done more than 1 of the plated recievers. The plating isn't too deep, just hard. I polished with 140 grit on a wheel and then bead blasted the snot out of it to get the inside cleaned out. After that they will finish like the other ones. I don't have special salts for cast and SS so I just parkerize the bbl./rec. and blast and blue the other steel parts. The 2 tone looks real nice. The Win. barrels will parkerize real dark with zinc phosphate and look almost black like the other blued parts. The reciever being cast comes out grey.

FWIW,

Emri

[Chuckindenver]

it came out great, i have a pic, but havnt had the time to download it..ill share sometime this week.