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Bluing coming off my Rueger

Q. This weapon is used very little, and I have just noticed that the Blueing is readily coming off. Could someone please tell me the possible reason/s this could be happening.

Sherrie Hicks
- Effingham, South Carolina, USA
January 31, 2012

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Hi, Sherrie.

The weapon was probably cold blued rather than hot blued, at least partially if not completely. Hot bluing puts a stable "black rust" on the metal, but cold bluing is just a black selenium compound applied to the surface, and unfortunately it can often be smutty rather than stable. I don't think there is anything you can do to stop the smuttiness, but you could send it out for hot bluing. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 31, 2012

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Hello Sherrie,
Blueing (bluing) comes off for various reasons. Holster wear is the most common. Non leather holsters wear the finish slower than leather. Cold and damp storage causes rust which, when removed, takes the blue finish with it. Keep it lightly oiled when in storage and wipe it once a day with an oily cloth if carrying it.

I carry a Ruger Speed-six in a Cordura holster 24\7. I got fed up with redoing it once a year so I cold-rust blued it and it is doing very well. (This is an expensive way of finishing a handgun) Another option would be a professional hard chrome finish which is almost everlasting.
Good luck,
Vincent.

Vincent Phipson
gunsmith - Florida, Johannesberg, South Africa
March 24, 2012