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Winchester 94 Stainless Barrel

by Reid Coffield • August 26, 2011 • 8 comments

Stainless Winchester Barrel

If you have an older Winchester 94 from the 1920s or '30s and the barrel wont blue with normal hot salts, it may have an early stainless steel barrel.

Question: A friend of mine recently had or rather tried to have an old Winchester 94 reblued. While the gunsmith was able to blue the various parts and the receiver; the barrel did not turn black at all. The gunsmith could not explain what caused the problem and my friend is convinced that the chemicals the gunsmith used were faulty. Do you have any ideas as to what might be the cause of the problem?

Answer: I would be willing to bet that your friends Winchester 94 has a stainless steel barrel. Winchester offered stainless steel as an option on the 94s in the 1920s and into the 1930s. It was not a popular option and was eventually phased out. It is quite possible your friendís rifle had one of these stainless barrels. The fact that everything else blued would tend to make me think that this was the case.

 

In Ask the Gunsmith • Tagged ,
  • Gerald

    Some of the Winchester receivers are hard to blue also but there are solutions for that. I would think that the treatment for bluing the problem receivers would work on a stainless barrel. I think the receivers are iron plated to get them to blue and the same solution should work for the SS barrel. You might check with a smith that specializes in these guns.

    Just a thought…

    • Dave

      The chromium added to steel to make it stainless prevents bluing salts, Parkerizing processes and other chemicals from reacting with the steel. No increase in the amount of the processes will have any noticeable effect. Which is why the military used black oxide on M1 Garand gas systems and other exposed stainless parts of military rifles.

  • Dave Rooney

    The steel receivers have a high nickel content, which makes them hard. When they are hot blued, they turn a plum color. The factory used a Black chrome process on them, to make them black. There is a blackening process for stainless steel, but I've only seen it done in a matte (flat) black. Modern painted finishes, Dura coat and Ceracoat can put a nice gloss black finish on just about anything.

  • george

    is the hi-point 45 cal,really as bad as people make it out to be,,if so whats the cure ?

    • Britt

      I have found that if you let a hi-point 45 rock (recoil) in your hand to much it tends to stovepipe. A rock solid grip tends to fix this problem. Also they can be a little ammo picky. Hope this helps some.

  • David

    I am looking for a colt lightening cylinder latch bolt .22 cal. can any body help me out. David thank you.

  • Alex

    The cylinder on my pre mod. 27 sticks a bit. I tried to adjust the rod but it is at full adjustment right now. How do I get inside the pistol and what do I adjust in there to be able to tighten up the cyl. rod afterwards?
    Thank you,
    Alex

  • arthur edmonds

    I recently bought a 91/30 mosin negant rifle. ihad a gunsmith tap the receiver for a scope mount and add a scope. he replaced the old bolt handle with a new bent handle. my problem is after putting the scope and mount on, i cant put a cartridge in the magazine or chamber. is there a solution to this problem.