Ruger Stainless Steel Barrel Question

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Montelores

Buckeye
Joined
Oct 29, 2009
Messages
1,337
Looking at the grooves from the muzzle end of a stainless steel Blackhawk (new, cleaned with solvent and oil, not yet fired), it seems as though there are dark brown (copper colored) striations in the lands, two per groove. I see nothing similar on a blued model.

What am I seeing?

Thank you,

Monty
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
6,784
Location
Star Valley, WY
Tooling marks. Bottom line? Don't worry, just shoot it. Some barrels will be "sweet" at the "get go" and some will take some "breaking in".

flatgate
 

pvtschultz

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 11, 2005
Messages
553
Location
West Allis, WI, USA
Montelores":23p5tvbn said:
Looking at the grooves from the muzzle end of a stainless steel Blackhawk (new, cleaned with solvent and oil, not yet fired), it seems as though there are dark brown (copper colored) striations in the lands, two per groove. I see nothing similar on a blued model.

What am I seeing?

Thank you,

Monty

Actually, it has been fired, several times; just not by you. :D Ruger test fires all revolvers with proof loads, one of which produced the casing that was "sold" with it.
 

Montelores

Buckeye
Joined
Oct 29, 2009
Messages
1,337
Flatgate -

Thank you. But is not the barrel solid stainless steel, and therefore any intrusions below the surface of the bore should have the same colour as the surface? Or is the brown a discoloration from the "button" (of a harder metal) used to rifle the barrel?

Also, why is the brown not visible on the shiny bore of a carbon steel (blued) barrel?

I would really enjoy a tour through the Ruger factory in AZ (we live in Colorado, so the drive is quite easy) to learn about the manufacturing process; do you know if that is possible?

pvtschultz-

Thank you, also. A misstatement on my part. I did know that the guns are test fired, though not with "proof" loads. ( I assume that means to some higher pressure than "factory" loads.) I did not want anyone to think that the cause was copper build-up.

Best to all,

Monty
 

JWhitmore44

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
987
Location
NW Kansas
Some discoloring from heat build up during the cutting of the rifling? That would be my guess as I really don't know :)
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
Monty to answer your question, yes, there can be discoloration in any stainless, whether by heat or the tooling ,maybe even an oxidation......nothing to worry about and to answer the 'other' question, YES, Ruger has , ands does "proof test: with "proof loads" at times....

here you go, from a 44 mag Blackhawk......


44magproofload.jpg




black hills ammo 44 mag proof load......
we have seen others, in different calibers ,in other models as well.
 
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