Cimarron Bluing options

[IBEW716]

Hello all.

First let me say that I have been enjoying the wealth of information this page has to offer for the last several days.  I stumbled upon this page accidentally researching SAA revolvers for an impending purchase.  My initial thought was that this would be a matter of a simple purchase to fulfill a childhood desire.  Could I have BEEN more wrong?  The choices of manufacturer, bbl length, frame style, fit and finish does it ever end?

I am the type of guy who'd rather lurk looking for the answers to my questions than post questions only to find they'd been addressed elsewhere.  Be that as it is I have a few questions that I havn't found answers for.

At this point I believe I have narrowed my search for a SAA to Cimarron Model P with a 5.5" bbl.  What I havn't decided is what finish I would like the firearm to have.  Can someone explain the CHARCOAL BLUE finish offered on Uberti SAA's.  Is this a period accurate finish?  How does this finish wear?  In other words over time will the extremely electric blue finish of the bbl and cylinder fade nicely with age?  How about the STANDARD finish?

If possible I'd truly appreciate pictures of the above finishes on well used firearms so that I know what to expect.

Thanks,

Steve

[Virginia Gentleman]

The so called Charcoal Bluing on any Uberti or Cimarron is not authentic or real charcoal blue, rather it is nitre blue which can wear off very easily.  I would not recommend it as a finish for a working gun.

[Camille Eonich]

I always heard that the charcoal blue finish didn't wear well but I have an Uberti '73 with the charcoal blue finish that I have been shooting for 2 years now and so far it's doing as well as the regular blue finish.  Anyone here that has ever shot with me can tell that I don't baby my guns either.  When I'm done shooting my rifle and it's time to shoot something else it goes down hard.

[papahoss]

Directly from Cimarronn F. A. Co sheet that comes with your purchase Charcoal Blue Warning:Do not attempt to touch up charcoal blue. This is a heat oxidation process.
Chemical cold blue compounds will discolor the finish. DO NOT USE CLEANING FLUIDS such as lacquer thinner, acetone or bore solvents on charcoal blue, this will remove the finish Use only lubricants such as WD-40, Tri-flow, Break Free, 3 in 1, Hoppes or Outers gun oils, Havoline, etc. Beer or Coca Cola will remove the delicate finish. Charcoal Blue is extremely delicate and with use will cause the firearm to appear aged and worn. If you do not desire an aged look we do not recommend this finish. End quote from cimarron arms.

My wife wanted that "pretty blue finish" on her Cimarron 38 Lightinings I bought her.
I didn't want to wait for an 1866 with the regular finish to come in (wait time 4 weeks) the charcoal blue 1866 was ready to ship out the door the same day sooooooooooo I have a "pretty blue rifle" to match my wife's guns. Like the way they all shoot don't care if they will at sometime change from that "pretty blue finish".

Papa Hoss

[Camille Eonich]

Who uses Coke or Beer on their guns?   

[Abilene]

Howdy Camille,
well I guess if you have a mouth full of coke or beer while you wre cleaning your guns and someone tells a really funny joke... 

Two of my '73 carbines are charcoal blue.  The first one I got in 2000 (won it, yeehaa!).  First shoot I took it to, my guncart tipped on uneven ground with the carbine not secured, and it plopped down on the gravel    Put some dents in the AAA wood and a ciouple scratches on the barrel.  So much for a pristine gun, hehe.  And later I left it in one of those cheap cloth "socks", the type that are made of thin foam and the end folds over.  I thought it would breathe, but it didn't and it surface rusted the mag tube.  The rust came right off with a bit of steel wool and ballistol, but so did the finish, so the mag tube is patina'd now.  Other than that, the barrel has a slight wear where it leans against the guncart, and about half of the finish is worn off the butt plate, but it's still a very pretty gun.  The other carbine I got about 3 years ago and it still looks brand new.

My engraved '51 conversions are charcoal blue, and they have seen a pretty fair amount of use and are just a wee bit worn at the muzzle and end of the ejector, and at the hump at the bottom of the barrel.  Barely worn on the front edges of the cylinder.  The worn places do not look bad at all.  The thing that wears really quickly on that finish on pistols is the grip frame because of the constant friction from your hands, plus the salts from the hands.  A lot of people like the patina that develops there.  Of course, mine have brass gripframes so no wear there!

I wouldn't hesitate to buy charcoal blue.  A lot of reenactors buy it so they can rub off the finish easier to make their guns look more used.