Factory Blemish?

[cztulsa]

Something I've never seen before, what appears to be a blem from the factory in the metal on a top cover.  Bluing appears to be fluid and continuous - no signs of a touch up, unless the entire cover was redone, and the cover matches the rest of the rifle.  Maybe this one was a Chinese arsenal refurb,?

[carls sks]

I see what looks like a tiny dimple (dent). 

[Stoned_Oli]

Did you get a discount?

[cztulsa]

Did you get a discount?

LOL - no!  Rifle wasn't priced too bad, just had that weird blemish.  Looks more like a spot that was possibly ground or, even more so if pressed, had some FOD in the die, and they just went ahead and blued it.  Metal is way too thick there to dent without it having been used as a hammer, and it looks like it would have been done at the factory, or missed at refurb.

This one might end up being a "clean up and sell" model, anyway.  We'll see. 

[Power Surge]

I don't believe that's a factory blemish. While some of the 70s produced guns had less than spectacular build quality, the action related parts were still always made with high standards. There would be no reason for that part to pass quality control, they would have just grabbed another cover.

What is this gun? Year? Do you have an overall pic?

[Boris Badinov]

Is the two-tone, top-cover bluing stripe still visible?

I'd say it's most likely post production and then reblued or possibly perma-blued.

[Loose}{Cannon]

No idea.... doubt it would effect the rifles function.   

[cztulsa]

Is the two-tone, top-cover bluing stripe still visible?

I'd say it's most likely post production and then reblued or possibly perma-blued.

I don't believe the Chinese rifles had that stripe; I don't recall it on any of my others.  I know my Russians do.

There is no evidence at all of it being touched up, and the bluing matches the rest of the rifle, so it's odd.

[cztulsa]

What is this gun? Year? Do you have an overall pic?

I'll have to get an overall pic later, but it's an 0140 Public Security rifle.  My guess is that it may have been refurbed, and maybe that's how the cover has the nice bluing on it. 

[Boris Badinov]

I don't believe the Chinese rifles had that stripe; I don't recall it on any of my others.  I know my Russians do.

There is no evidence at all of it being touched up, and the bluing matches the rest of the rifle, so it's odd.

The stripe is standard on all of the  variants.

[Boris Badinov]

The only rifle I own that doesn't have the stripe is a Romanian refurb which  I'm 99% certain has been perma-blued.
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?638042-Cugir-Hunting-A-Romanian-Beauty-1960

[Greasemonkey]

Everyone one of mine regardless of maker has the stripe(with one exception).. some are pretty faint, some very pronounced. The Chinese, the commercial ones seem less pronounced than the military ones.  The one exception, the refurb Russians.. I don't know or care whats under the BBQ paint.

And if one goes looking....you can find TT-33 Toks that have the same type color banding on the slide.

[cztulsa]

I'll have to have a look at a couple of mine when I get home; I guess I don't remember the Chinese having it.

[running-man]

I don't believe the Chinese rifles had that stripe; I don't recall it on any of my others.  I know my Russians do.

There is no evidence at all of it being touched up, and the bluing matches the rest of the rifle, so it's odd.

The stripe is standard on all of the  variants.

Boris is spot on with this one.  Sometimes it takes the right light, but they can usually be found.

[0138]:


/816\:


Rare TO series gun:


Soviet Sino:


/216\:


/306\:


I think the blemish was done while this thing was in service and some subsequent refurb reblued it prior to import.  Might not be the prettiest receiver cover, but if it matches and functions fine, I'd say you;'re good to go! 

[Boris Badinov]

Here are some close up HD photos of the cover on the Romy I linked above. It's the only non-bbq cover i've seen without a visible stripe. From a foot away you'd swear it was blued...up close however...

In the vertical pic you can see evidence of some very light, even pitting. But no stripe. Pretty obvious that it was covered up with permablue. Other than the cover, it's nearly impossible to tell the rifle is permablued... but it is. At least parts of it are.





imagehost ru

[Boris Badinov]

RM--

What is the rare TO series gun? Is that a serial prefix?

[running-man]

Yeah, they are cool guns with very unusual S/Ns.  I'll put up a post with it one of these days.  Only ever seen the one I have documented in the wild, Howie has a couple noted in his lists (though those could be Russians too as it's impossible to verify his records)

[cztulsa]

Consider my memory jogged; pulled a Chinese paratrooper out of the closet (it's the easiest to get to), and it has the stripe.  Either it's been a while since I've messed with one (been exposed to mostly Russians lately), or I just never paid any attention.  At any rate, I see no stripe on this new acquisition, so it's likely a re-blue.  They did a great job, as it all matches up perfectly.  Oh well, it's really not a hideous rifle all in all, the dent/depression in the cover is the only real issue - hope it's not a killer.  This one will likely get cleaned up and moved, as I need to gin up some cash for the big Tulsa show in a couple of months. Thanks guys.

[Boris Badinov]

At any rate, I see no stripe on this new acquisition, so it's likely a re-blue.  They did a great job, as it all matches up perfectly. 

IIRC, the stripe still shows up after rebluing. There must be some part of the processes involved in making the covers that makes the strip unavoidable. I've heard it explained as related to an annealing process that softens the metal up for stamping. But that explanation falls short IMO because none of the other variants (aside from USSR and NK) stamped the covers.

My guess is that the stripe is related to the process of shaping the covers-- involving intense heat some kind of mechanized anvil stamping that shapes, stretches, and turns the steel covers from shorter, mostly formless blanks. The stripe resulting from the addition of some type of gas that prevents the steel from cracking under the shaping process. Similar to the shaping and hardening process involved in the making of the katana swords-- which also have odd striping patterns.
...pardon my rambling

[newchi]

My guess is that the stripe is related to the process of shaping the covers

I have often wondered what the stripe was, i assumed 50 years of storage was somehow to blame and that discolored bit was where the crate held them and something leached into/out of the finish.

But its apparently deeper than that.