re-bluing an HW 77

[lafayette]

Hi Everyone,

Bought an HW 77, 1987 model a few weeks ago, had it tuned and it shoots really well as you might expect.

The barrel and underlever had some superficial rust which I've mostly got rid of using fine wire wool and bisley gun oil.

Ive now decided to touch up the bluing where the rust has gone and it's down to the bare metal - only small patches fortunately.

Can I ask you all for your advice on what product to use. A search of evilbay shows that Abbey Blu gel seems a popular product. Is this easy to use?
The ex-rusty bits certainly don't need a complete rebluing, just a bit of a touch-up. Grateful for your help.

Lafayette.

[Lurchermiss]

I have always used Perma Blue in the past. Tried others but found this is the best. Never been happy though really with results as you can always see where it has been done. Need to do properly with a complete re blue to make me happy, but appreciate this is expensive. One of thr reasons I now have no blued GUNS but stainless steel ones albeit firearms now.

[The Squire]

I've had better results with the G96 gel over the Abbey, what I haven't tried is the G96 pen which I've seen folks use to good effect touching up the odd scratch.

[lafayette]

Thanks chaps. Always nice to get a bit of advice before you dive in.

[Scubashot]

I also have a 1987 HW77 rifle from new and the front of the underlever showed wear on the bluing and the start of an orange discolouration from many years of salty sweaty hands.
In removing that it finished off the bluing so I have been using Perma Blue.
After each application it looks OK but it is a high wear area and doesn't last. Every few months I have to redo it.
One of these days I will get it done professionally but then I expect it won't match the barrel!

[Roundshot]

I've found Birchwood & Casey Super Blue fluid in 90ml bottle a very good product over many years for small jobs. You can reapply it a number of times to get a better match with a water rinse and gentle wire woolling between each. It won't be perfect but quite acceptable, and on an older gun becomes part of its character, a vast improvement over rust or bare metal. Furthermore, it can cure over time once oiled in. I last did a small patch on a 97 integral mod assembly which became almost invisible in the following months.

[threelander]

the best out of a bad lot of the cold blue stuff is Birchwood casey super blue as toldits the only cold blue that will colour nickel and there will allways be a certain amount of nickel in the gun metal but if your going to use the gun on a regular basis i would forget cold bluing and get it chemically blacked or blued by Colin Malloy

[gingernut]

I rate G96 creme.
Had good results and Im not good at this sort of thing.
Follow instructions to the letter!

[njaw]

I've had better results with the G96 gel over the Abbey, what I haven't tried is the G96 pen which I've seen folks use to good effect touching up the odd scratch.

I second G96. A great product.

[bighit]

Philips gun blue is good. Did my nephews hw80k with it.