I've been looking at a NM BH on GB that's a 1980. Nothing special about this gun except it definitely has tinges of plum throughout and the loading gate is almost pure plum. What exactly causes colorization in a blued gun?
Thanks
Thanks
Plum coloring
- Thread starter BeagleDog
- Start date
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Hondo44
Hawkeye
Mine is from 1986 with a beautiful shade of plum. There's a long thread about the reason for the plum color you may want to pull up for a full discussion.
Basically it's slight differences in the alloy of the metal. Guns do not usually leave the factory this way but gradually turn plum colored. Also experts say the bluing solution heat and age can give plum results. It is not exclusive to Rugers. Many Ruger collectors cherish the guns with plum frames and loading gates.
Basically it's slight differences in the alloy of the metal. Guns do not usually leave the factory this way but gradually turn plum colored. Also experts say the bluing solution heat and age can give plum results. It is not exclusive to Rugers. Many Ruger collectors cherish the guns with plum frames and loading gates.
JWhitmore44
Blackhawk
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=103909&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=plumb&start=15
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=41127&highlight=plum
Along with some pictures of plumb pretty guns there is info on why they do what they do
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=41127&highlight=plum
Along with some pictures of plumb pretty guns there is info on why they do what they do
Flash
Buckeye
Hondo44 said:
Yep, I had a Remington 700 that was starting to turn a beautiful plum color on the bolt handle and the receiver rings. I've seen Winchesters and Weatherbys that turned plum too.
Fairshake
Bearcat
Just to mention re-bluing of post 64 Win 94s could come out any color. Early W'by MK V receivers would purplize over time.
Lefty SRH
Blackhawk
My .44 spl FT is turning plumb, shes getting prettier by the day!
Fairshake
Bearcat
Wonder if there's any hope for my SRHs in TG?
DCRuger
Single-Sixer
I wonder, are folks paying extra now for this hyped flaw in older guns?
D.
D.
Zebraranger
Single-Sixer
I was wondering the same thing. I have an old Single Six where only the loading gate and ejector housing turned plum color, it looks pretty neat against the rest of the gun being black.
Ashlander
Single-Sixer
Only the investment cast parts turn plum. That's why the cylinders and barrels stay blue while the frame turns plum. Slightly different steel composition used for investment casting.
DCRuger
Single-Sixer
Sorry guys. I'm just not seeing it! It's a serious flaw that IMO ruins the looks of the gun(s).
flatgate
Hawkeye
DCRuger said:
Yeah, it ain't nuttin' new. He's a ol' Single-Six that was put together back in December of 1953.
Ah, rats, it's got some odd looking colors......
Back in the day SR&Co. would "refinish" a gun for the unhappy customer. Probably a waste of time after one looks at this "Factory Refinished" Old Model Super Blackhawk....
I think it's gorgeous!
flatgate
Driftwood Johnson
Blackhawk
Howdy
Funny thing. I just bought this Flat Top 44 Mag yesterday. There were five different ones up for auction yesterday, but I bid on this one because it was the oldest and because I really liked the plum loading gate.
The photo is a little bit misleading because of the lighting. There is no plum on the frame, just the loading gate. And it actually is not quite so brilliant, it is a bit more subtle than it appears in this photo. But I sure like it.
I don't have it in front of me right now, but there is an interesting aside about this in Ruger And His Guns by R L Wilson. Ruger was a pioneer in using Investment Cast parts in firearms. It was a pretty new idea at the time. It seems that in the early days, Ruger needed to work the bugs out of blueing their investment cast parts. As already stated, this was just a problem with the cast parts, not the machined parts. The alloy used in Investment Casting needs to be slightly different than the alloys used for machined parts, and it causes problems with the color of the blue. If I remember correctly, just about everything was coming out purple. So they did a lot of work perfecting the blueing process so the parts would come out blue and not purple. About this time Bill Ruger attended a major industry show, and was looking at some new Weatherby rifles. The actions were plum. The question was asked if Weatherby was using Investment Castings. Weatherby never gave a straight answer.
Funny thing. I just bought this Flat Top 44 Mag yesterday. There were five different ones up for auction yesterday, but I bid on this one because it was the oldest and because I really liked the plum loading gate.
The photo is a little bit misleading because of the lighting. There is no plum on the frame, just the loading gate. And it actually is not quite so brilliant, it is a bit more subtle than it appears in this photo. But I sure like it.
I don't have it in front of me right now, but there is an interesting aside about this in Ruger And His Guns by R L Wilson. Ruger was a pioneer in using Investment Cast parts in firearms. It was a pretty new idea at the time. It seems that in the early days, Ruger needed to work the bugs out of blueing their investment cast parts. As already stated, this was just a problem with the cast parts, not the machined parts. The alloy used in Investment Casting needs to be slightly different than the alloys used for machined parts, and it causes problems with the color of the blue. If I remember correctly, just about everything was coming out purple. So they did a lot of work perfecting the blueing process so the parts would come out blue and not purple. About this time Bill Ruger attended a major industry show, and was looking at some new Weatherby rifles. The actions were plum. The question was asked if Weatherby was using Investment Castings. Weatherby never gave a straight answer.
Mike Armstrong
Hunter
Plum is Yum.
Richbaker
Blackhawk
DCRuger said:
I'd bet you're in the minority with that opinion.... I like plum.
DCRuger
Single-Sixer
IMO it's 'hype', pure and simple.
I bought my first Ruger in 1969, a used late 50's Mk1 w/ a muzzle break, and my second was a SBH .44 mag I bought new in 1971 in the Navy ( $125 then BTW, w/ beautiful polishing). I've certainly seen plenty of plum since then but never thought even once of buying a flaw on purpose.
'Plum is Yum" , nope, Plum is chum :>)
I bought my first Ruger in 1969, a used late 50's Mk1 w/ a muzzle break, and my second was a SBH .44 mag I bought new in 1971 in the Navy ( $125 then BTW, w/ beautiful polishing). I've certainly seen plenty of plum since then but never thought even once of buying a flaw on purpose.
'Plum is Yum" , nope, Plum is chum :>)
mannyCA
Bearcat
some beautiful pieces you guys have...
