Older blueing.

[CajunBass]

I've got a couple of five screws from the 50's and have been looking at another. The guns all look good to me, but the blue seems to be a darker, flatter blue than the shiney blue I am used to seeing on say guns from 70's.

Is that a valid observation? Just my imagination? Got suckered and bought refinished guns?

 

[murphydog]

Just after WW II the factory put a matte blue on the guns. For a time they would do the bright blue on special order; the .38/44 Outdoorsman is one model found matte and bright, with the polished blue being more rare. Finally, at some point in the '50s they switched back to all polished blue guns - probably due to customer "feedback". Someone here can pinpoint the year.

 

[bloo]

I have several revolvers from the late 40's to the mid 50's. All have the matt blue finish. As the other poster said it was done after the war as a means of speeding up production.


Ted

 

[gobbler]

Older blueing

I also am curious about when the change from the matt blueing to the bright polished blueing occurred. My 1953 K22 Combat Masterpiece has the matt blueing while my 1955 K22 Masterpiece has the bright polished blueing. So I assume the change occurred somewhere between 1953 and 1955.

 

[310Pilot]

The high polish blue was available on the K-22 by special order starting in about 1953/54, with matte blue continuing on standard production into some time in 1955, based on my research. I have my Dad's K-22 from 1953-54 in high polished blue, which he special ordered, one of the first high polish blue guns. It contrasts nicely with my K-38 from approximately 1950-51 in standard matte blue.