Hi all - new here and first time posting.
I have a Mossberg 46B-B from the 40s that I have been restoring and I was about to bring all the metal bits in for bluing. Problem is, one of the parts (the base/elevator for the rear site) turned out to be copper plated under the original "bluing". I know the base is steel because it is magnetic, but it has a very solid copper plating on it (see attached pictures). I was polishing some other parts prior to bluing, so I cleaned this one up as well by sanding and polishing. Even with sanding I didnt hit bare steel, so the coating must be thick.
I cant blue over copper, so what are my options? Does anyone know why they plated this one piece in copper? Theory is that the base steel was high nickel or some other alloy that would come out reddish or purpleish after bluing so they copper plated and then iron plated prior to bluing. I cant seem to find anyone who can iron plate anymore, so what do I do? Leave it as polished copper? Try some Birchwood Brass Black? Annodize? Sand/blast down to bare steel and then risk what the bluing looks like? Chrome/nickel plate?
Thanks!
I have a Mossberg 46B-B from the 40s that I have been restoring and I was about to bring all the metal bits in for bluing. Problem is, one of the parts (the base/elevator for the rear site) turned out to be copper plated under the original "bluing". I know the base is steel because it is magnetic, but it has a very solid copper plating on it (see attached pictures). I was polishing some other parts prior to bluing, so I cleaned this one up as well by sanding and polishing. Even with sanding I didnt hit bare steel, so the coating must be thick.
I cant blue over copper, so what are my options? Does anyone know why they plated this one piece in copper? Theory is that the base steel was high nickel or some other alloy that would come out reddish or purpleish after bluing so they copper plated and then iron plated prior to bluing. I cant seem to find anyone who can iron plate anymore, so what do I do? Leave it as polished copper? Try some Birchwood Brass Black? Annodize? Sand/blast down to bare steel and then risk what the bluing looks like? Chrome/nickel plate?
Thanks!