"Plumming"?

Harkrader

Harkrader

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I recently read a description of a revolver for sale in the forum, where the seller said the cylinder had some "plumming," which I took to mean the bluing had turned plum color.

THAT sent me running to the safe to dig out an older S&W revolver I have, which I remembered had a plum-colored cylinder. The revolver is rather worn and I always thought the color was due to extensive use, like the "rest of" the wear and tear.

THEN I drew the Colt Series 70 GM (70G288XX) I had on my belt because I knew the entire slide is plum-colored. It is otherwise unmarred. I bought it new in 1972 and it has had a lot of carry and use, though is in very good condition.

Would somebody give me an explanation of plumming?
 
I recall reading it has something to do with the composition and (most importantly) temperature of the bluing solution, and probably of the metal involved. One of the gunsmiths here can give you the real answer :).
 
It's usually due to high nickel content in the steel combined with too high a heat on the blueing salts. I have an unfired 547 in the box, that has a slight plum tint to it on the top of the barrel rib that came right out of S&W that way. Colts series 70's are prone to that phenomena when reblued though I have never seen one that was original that had that color cast to it.
 
Common on Dan Wessons and older Rugers....not as common on S&W, but I have seen some 1917's that have plum cylinders. I've seen more re-blued guns with plum parts than guns with their original finish.
 
flintsghost:
An interesting comment about not seeing plumming on guns with original finish. I've owned the Colt since new and the finish is what came on it. I always thought it was a result of having been carried a lot. The frame is still a dark blue.

I took a look at two other series 70 GM's I have. One, 533XXG70 is a pawn shop rescue I got for a bargain price. I suppose it could have been refinished, but if so it was done at the factory or by an expert. All the lettering is sharp. The left side of the slide is plum colored, the frame is the expected dark blue.
The other I got from a friend. She did not buy it new, but had it for a long time. She says she did not have it refinished, and it shows no plum coloring.

70G288XX; The frames of Colt GMs are unpolished on the bottom, and the slides are not polished on the top.. Mine, anyway. This one is particularly rough when compared to the others. Maybe it was made on Monday.
 
Some steels and some hardening can cause purple or reddish colors.
However, gun makers certainly know all about that, so they don't use those steels or hardening methods.
Two exceptions to this were the early post-1964 Winchester Model 94's and some Ruger revolvers.
In the Winchester case they changed steels after 1964. It was a new type steel that caused terrible red colors, to the point where Winchester had to iron plate the receivers and then blue them.
This was a nice booby trap for gun refinishers who didn't know about the iron plating. When the metal was polished during re-bluing the iron plating was partially buffed off and the receivers came out with blotchy red colors.

The Ruger case was due to the steels they were making castings from.
Eventually bluing chemicals were developed that eliminated the problem.

Usually, off colors on guns is a result of either a bluing chemical that's gotten "used up" or was out of control on the mix or temperature.
This is most often seen on re-blue jobs done by less then competent people who let the mix and temps slide.
One of the classic signs of a re-blue done by a Billy Bob is a red color of the parts.

For a gun part to turn purple in later years is usually a sign the control of the operation was getting slightly out of control but the metal still had a good blue color that got past inspection.
As the years passed the bluing oxidizes and you start to see a purple color.
 
I have Colt 1911s showing some plum color. The only S&Ws I have with plumming are several Model 28-2s.
 
I've seen Colts, bought new/never re-blued, that turned a slight plum. I always thought it looked interesting and added a little character...
 
Have a '70's era colt trooper III in 357 magnum that the cylinder had a definite plum color to it. Since they ain't making anymore I'll live with it. Frank
 
I've got a Ruger M77 .270 Win. that I purchased in 1979 that's action has turned "plum" over time. I read somewhere that this is a pretty common occurrence with the early Ruger bolt guns. The barrel and bolt remained true blue by the way.
 
A lot of people like the look. I knew a few Ruger collectors that really went for 3 screw old model Blackhawks that had a plum loading gate.
It is also admired on many old Lugers (especially Swiss06/24s) and vintage Sig Neuhausen P210s.

Jim
 
I have a 1946 S&W 38/44 Outdoorsman with a plum (ish) original cylinder.
 
I have a custom 98 Mauser with a premium Douglas barrel. I can't remember the name of the barrel steel but it came out plum color and action came out a deep blue. That was in middle 60s and they are still the
same color.
 
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