Thanks guys- Trev, I just retired- I was working 80 hours a week and traveling while my wonderful wife held down the fort with the three kids.  I would have  sent you pictures of gun parts and asked for help in figuring out how to put them back together.   38_Cal- where did you work in Ca?  I moved from North SD county a year and a half ago.  There were a few good gunshops left in Orange County last I heard.

Well, I'm not surprised about Oakland- I buy from Brownells occasionally.  Hope you are well situated now.

Thank you Leadball.  Any idea who did this type of work?  I will take pictures as I disassemble the inferior rifle to find out which it is.  I have an opd Highwall barrel that was re-rifles from 40 cal to 45-70 that I may put on it if the threaded end fits.  It will take a bunch of draw filing to make the barrel nice again.  Any idea what I should do to the action before I french grey it?

Uncle_Ethan, the company leadball is referring to is Mahovsky's MetaLife and they advertise in the SSR Journal last time I looked.  If you can't find them, drop me a PM and I'll dig out an address.  BTW, Dale53 used that process on a Hurst-engraved Ballard and it's gaw-juss!  I think he went with a matte finish (very fine bead blasting) before the coating so it wouldn't be too shiny.

Froggie

How is French Gray done?

French Gray finishing is more of a descriptive term for a result than a specific chemical process.  There's probably as many ways of doing it as there are gunsmiths doing it!

The way I do it is to first polish to a 400 to 500 grit finish, then abrasive blast using aluminum oxide blasting grit.  Degrease the steel parts thoroughly using Gun Scrubber, TCE, or a brake cleaner that leaves no residue.  Warm the parts using an electric heat gun to about 90 to 100 F, and spray on a clear epoxy based paint, like Brownells Acra Coat for Metal.  This gives a semi-gloss finish over a gray color.  If you use glass beads instead of aluminum oxide, it will be a silver color.   

I cure the paint in a heat box...an aluminum foil lined cardboard box of about 3 or 4 cubic feet, with a 75 watt light bulb in it, with the parts hung from a cross bar.  I use an electric cooking thermometer to keep track of the inside temperature, trying for about 140 to 160 F.  Three days or so in the box is like a week or two at 68 degrees room temperature.

After the paint has cured, it holds up very well to handling and even rubbing by a breech seater.  It probably took about 2500 rounds to visibly wear the side of my centerfire Martini 12/15 reciever finish using the breech seater I built for it.

David Kaiser
Montezuma, IA

I can't find the name of the chemical we used- action came out about the same as my Prussian made drilling, and has held up very well.  I was surprised at how well it held up for as easy as it was to do.  A rather light grey, looks noce with the gold engraving.

naval jelly,wash in soda water


.is how i do it----sun lite will make it darker and it can be maintained with used  motor oil from engine.