The Mini-Maglight Test

policeluger · 11-05-2002, 10:12 AM

I hope I can shed a bit of light on this for you but may just add to the confusion. The one good example of German rust vs salt blue is the 7.65 chamber marked, or I should say cross out 7.65 chamber marked Lugers. Here is a salt blued gun, had the original 7.65 barrel removed and a rust blue 9mm barrel installed. Now there are great numbers of these gun that have after market blue jobs, but an original will show you the contrast. Now as to rust blue, and I have blued 1000's of guns over the years, the chemicals available to us, and I suspect the same is true for rust blueing are not what was used/available 80 years ago in Germany. All thing being equale, polishing method and materials, and polishing is what give you different shades of color, or different texture of metal and apperance, a 1900 Luger will not come out of the blueing tanks the same exact shade as say a pre-64 mod. 70 Winchester. If the ? is will different guns of manufacture and age, steel, ect. blue different, thay will. Clear as mud now right?. I hope I was able too help some. I am not sure of what you mean by "all encompassing" rust blue effect to be....however if you want by private note send along your telephone number and perhaps I can explain better over the phone then I can type.

11-05-2002, 10:12 AM	#2
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	I hope I can shed a bit of light on this for you but may just add to the confusion. The one good example of German rust vs salt blue is the 7.65 chamber marked, or I should say cross out 7.65 chamber marked Lugers. Here is a salt blued gun, had the original 7.65 barrel removed and a rust blue 9mm barrel installed. Now there are great numbers of these gun that have after market blue jobs, but an original will show you the contrast. Now as to rust blue, and I have blued 1000's of guns over the years, the chemicals available to us, and I suspect the same is true for rust blueing are not what was used/available 80 years ago in Germany. All thing being equale, polishing method and materials, and polishing is what give you different shades of color, or different texture of metal and apperance, a 1900 Luger will not come out of the blueing tanks the same exact shade as say a pre-64 mod. 70 Winchester. If the ? is will different guns of manufacture and age, steel, ect. blue different, thay will. Clear as mud now right?. I hope I was able too help some. I am not sure of what you mean by "all encompassing" rust blue effect to be....however if you want by private note send along your telephone number and perhaps I can explain better over the phone then I can type.