New Super single six

[.357 mag]

I just got a New to me Super Single Six. 5 1/2 barrel, blued. I've never owned a blued blue before. What do I need to do as after as caring for the blueing? Any kind of oil or solvent I need to watch out for?

Thanks

.357 mag

 

[Doyle]

The biggest danger to a blued handgun (other than abuse and neglect) is holster wear. I like soft holsters. In fact, most of the holsters I own are Uncle Mikes.

 

[dgludwig]

blued blue

I'm not sure what that means but in terms of caring for a blued firearm, one thing to look out for is rust caused by perspiration emanating from the pores of seemingly "dry" fingers/hands. I always wipe down the surface of any firearm with an oily or silicon cloth (including so-called stainless steel-read stains less) after handling it and before storing it. And, as Doyle pointed out, you have to be mindful of holster wear-though any blued firearm will acquire some holster wear if carried much. This is normal and only demonstrates that you are using it as was intended.

 

[BillCA]

.357 mag,

Traditional oils and solvents won't harm the bluing on your revolver. Hoppe's, Outers, Rig, etc. are all fine products that won't damage the blue finish. Just never use one of those Lead-Away treated cloths on your blued gun unless you want to remove most of the bluing.

Care:

• Invest in a soft cloth for wiping down your gun. Gun shops sell plain, oil-treated and silicone treated cloths. I prefer plain and I can use my own oil. Even better are old baby diapers - they're cheap and last forever.
• After cleaning and/or handling, apply a drop of oil to each side of the frame and spread with the cloth to cover the entire gun. I've never used more than about 6 drops of oil and this suffices to keep rust away.
• An alternative is to use a good carnuba wax to put a barrier between the metal and the air (moisture). You can use something like Flitz Rifle/Gun wax (very good product) or less expensive Johnson's paste wax (less expensive). Use rubbing alcohol to remove all external oils or grease, then apply with a clean, soft cloth. Let dry and buff off.
• If you live or store guns in an area that gets humid, store them with a VCI product to reduce the chance of rust forming. This is in addition to using oil or wax on the gun.
• Standard bronze bristle brushes won't damage the bluing right away, but don't use excessive pressure when you can avoid it. Always use some lubrication with a metal brush (solvent or oil).

Brake cleaner doesn't affect bluing either and can be used as a degreaser. Nor does WD-40 damage bluing, though it makes a poor lubricant and rust preventative.