1866 .22 Long Rifle tarnish job!

[evodude]

Well, finally got around to tarnishing the reciever on my 1866 .22 cal. Used the Palmolive dish soap technique with a hair dryer to warm things up. Gives a nice patina, kinda like Grey Poupon's mustard color. Hopefully the pics downloaded.

[Deadeye Dick]

Hey looks great. Tell us the process you used to do this.

[evodude]

You bet! Heres how I did it. I first polish the brass parts with Flitz to a mirror like finish. Then take a small container and put some Palmolive Ultra in it with a small amount of hot water. Ill then use a toothbrush and swirl it around on the brass parts, till its kinda like a pasty coating. Then Ill take a black powder fired case and put a little water in it, and stir it around with a small artist paint brush till you get a black residue paint like substance. I paint a little on the reciever and go back to the toothbrush and scrub the whole mixture, while hitting it with a hair dryer to warm things up. Then dampen a cloth in the palmolive mixture and buff everything off. Repeat process till you get the desired effect. What I like about this method is the uniform patina it leaves. Its a very uniform color, with no blotching like you get with dirty black powder patches rubbed on parts for effect. This gives you a real subtle effect. I used masking tape on the wood to metal spots just to have some control on the woods surface not getting dampened by the mixture- dont know how well sealed the inside of the stock and forearm are, and didnt want any moisture to swell it. mixture isnt real runny though, so its not been a problem. I did both my '66's with this method and am real satisfied with the results. Have fun!

[Deadeye Dick]

Sure looks great. Thanks for the process instruction.

[Abilene]

I saved the pic you posted before on this method, looks good.  I don't think you used the BP residue on that first one, did you?

So, how come your .22LR '66 has a loading gate?  Did you add that?

[evodude]

I added the loading gate- looked too much like a 1860 with a forend. Left a little step on the back side of the sideplate so it is totally non functional, wont push in at all. I added the bp in the formula with this one after talking to an antique dealer that colors various metals with chemicals to age them. You want to get just the residue out of the case mixed with a little water, so its like a black paint, no cleaning fluids or soapy water in the solution at all. Painted this on first without the Palmolive and didnt like the effect, not as uniform as I wanted it- the Palmolive having a little of the soot mixed with it on the brass parts makes the finish more subtle. The soot added cuts the time in half to draw a good patina. I still havent coated it with the Krylon flat clear- Ill have to degrease everything to do that. I think Ill just leave it the way it is for now, Im pleased with how they came out.

[Will Ketchum]

Heck, I didn't even know there was a twenty two 66 available   Who makes it?  Uberti?

Will Ketchum

[Abilene]

Will, yes Uberti makes them.  They used to be somewhat rare as they hadn't made them in a while, but Cimarron does have them in stock now.  Unfortunately (my opinion) they are 24" rifles, so they are danged heavy!    I would prefer a 20" rifle or even better a 19" round barrel carbine.

[evodude]

Definately need a gun bearer to haul it around for rabbit hunting- but man, is it ever accurate. It is identical to the big bore 66's now, with my trick little psuedo loading gate ya cant tell which is which! It shoots the best groups off hand at 70-100 yds. that Ive ever owned. I have seen them in 18 1/2" , matter of fact I believe theres one on Gunbroker right now. HURRY UP!!!!!

[Karnaaj]

If you watch Gunbroker or other auction sites, you can occasionally find the older imported Uberti .22 1866 - and sometimes at reasonable prices.  Mine is a Navy Arms import, 18" round barrel, and if I remember right I nabbed it off GB for under $400. Lovely patina, only things I don't like are the lack of the saddle ring, and the previous owner inletted the right side of the stock and added a large "arrowhead" of brass.

Oh, almost forgot - the '66 design won't allow feeding of non-Long Rifle .22 ammo. I can always bubba-load Super Colibri, but popping away 15+ out of the tube would be *soooo* sweet...