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1940 42 Code sporterization restoration

Need some help/advise on a restore I am working on. I picked up a heavily sporterized 42 code a couple of months ago. Bolt is all matching and also matches the receiver/barrel including the trigger guard bolts and lock screws (trigger guard is matching to itelf but not the reciever). Put it on a Norwegian Luftwaffe stock I had sitting around. Everything is going well so far and I have manufacturer correct (WaA655) front and rear sights reinstalled after removing the lyman front and rear sights.

Next step is to get the rear peep lyman holes welded up and smoothed out and then work on the bluing. The front sight has a small grove for the pin that the lyman used but I may leave that. I've tossed around getting the rifle re-blued but may try to work with what it has on it first. I'm just not sure how to go about aging the re-blue. It looks like it was buffed quite heavily on the receiver and barrel. I would like to tone the buff down and age it a bit to match the other unmolested parts. Any thoughts on what might work best?

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Hard to tell how the bluing looks exactly from the pictures. Does look a bit more polished than average. I would focus on getting the white bolt parts reblued and plugging the screw holes. Some people put JB weld in the screw holes. Tends to work decent enough. But it certainly looks good so far!


John.
 
Thank you for the comments. I would describe the bluing as glazed or glossed. I think if I could find a way to rough it up and deglaze it would look good. I'll try to get a few more pics of the blu. Comparing it to my BYF 42, it is the same tone, gust glossed. Which is why I'm leaning toward salvaging the blu versus rebluing.

Here is a good pic showing the difference in bluing.

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Personally I'd leave it as is. BYF had some pretty good finish bluing upon manufacture up into 1941. I'd be more irked with the bench vise marks in the wood than that finish.
 
If your real concerned about the receiver holes an inexpensive fix would be some plugs. The kind you see on newly made rifles with holes drilled for scope mounting.
 
If your real concerned about the receiver holes an inexpensive fix would be some plugs. The kind you see on newly made rifles with holes drilled for scope mounting.

I had thought about getting small screws for the holes and then grinding them flat and rust bluing them. That should cover them up nicely without welding. What bothers me more is the super buff blu. Would like to tone it down a bit. I'm thinking maybe some 1500 grit and oil or different grades of steel wool.
 
Your rifle is always cocked and safety never engaged on the pictures. I hope you didn't have a round in your chamber and this is not the way you are storing it.
 
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Your rifle is always cocked and safety never engaged on the pictures. I hope you didn't have a round in your chamber and this is not the way you are storing it.

Thanks for the reminder, I had a couple rifles laying around the house without a round in them. Pheww!!!
 
If your real concerned about the receiver holes an inexpensive fix would be some plugs. The kind you see on newly made rifles with holes drilled for scope mounting.

I agree with this comment. Welding and refinishing seems a bit excessive in my opinion.
It is looking really good so far.
Looking forward to the finished project.
Ray
 
Soldiers had to learn it differently and I wonder what would had happened to the person it was issued with would had done this during training, but all up to you. I only pointed it out, but according to your sarcasm you don‘t care at all.
 
Soldiers had to learn it differently and I wonder what would had happened to the person it was issued with would had done this during training, but all up to you. I only pointed it out, but according to your sarcasm you don‘t care at all.

Don't need a lecture from you concerning the topic. Your ASSumptions are incorrect. 23 years in the military and still active with plenty of convoy and foot patrol experience, I am confident with my firearms handling, thank you very much. Unless you have something productive to add to the topic issue... I'm not interested in peanut gallery comments. Good day, sir.
 
Don't need a lecture from you concerning the topic. Your ASSumptions are incorrect. 23 years in the military and still active with plenty of convoy and foot patrol experience, I am confident with my firearms handling, thank you very much. Unless you have something productive to add to the topic issue... I'm not interested in peanut gallery comments. Good day, sir.

:thumbsup:
 

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Re your questions I would recommend you to plug the holes with a tight fitting screw and then laser weld and file flat the remaining holes. This results in very little heat added (to not damage the original hardening) plus will not leave miscolorations with the later blueing and the holes are perfectly filled from the outside, meaning it will no longer be visible unless from the inside. Re the other part, the simple fact that you rather use sarcasm or cuss word than to give a normal reply for simply pointing something out is not professional and not the type of persons I want to deal with. This therefore will be my last reply to you.
 
... Re the other part, the simple fact that you rather use sarcasm or cuss word than to give a normal reply for simply pointing something out is not professional and not the type of persons I want to deal with.
Neither is unit safety monitor thread jacking. p.s. I wasn't wearing my reflective belt either... :laugh:


This therefore will be my last reply to you.

Best news I've heard all morning.
 
Let's not turn into Gunboards people. Keep it civil.

I would just plug the holes with screws cut down etc etc. Leave the bluing as is. It will not get better if you reblue it. It is what it is. Make it your shooter.
 
Let's not turn into Gunboards people. Keep it civil.

I would just plug the holes with screws cut down etc etc. Leave the bluing as is. It will not get better if you reblue it. It is what it is. Make it your shooter.

Roger that. That's what I'm leaning towards, rebluing will probably just make it worse. I've had some suggestions of rubbing some muriatic acid, blood, or vinegar with some 1200-1500 grit or steel wool and take it slow to turn some of the blu down. May try it under the stock and see how it goes. The blu tone is good, its the polish that stands out.
 

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