Posted by SGT on January 24, 2008, 9:22 pm, in reply to "hot blued barrels"
Tom I know very little about the barrel bluing process itself, but it is my understanding that the primary problem with hot bluing and its impact on vintage soldered ribs is that the bluing compounds used in the hot-blue process are not properly neutralized after the bluing treatment. A gunsmith friend of mine once explained how he "boiled" such barrels to neutralize the chemical reaction between the solder and hot-blue chemical compounds . You probably should have a competent vintage gunsmith check your barrels; but one sure way to know you have a problem is if you see a milky-white powder substance forming around rib joints or the fore iron hanger lug. Hopefully an expert (Bill Hambidge) will chime in and properly educate everyone.