I got a marvelous phone call last week.  From Al Story in Silver City, NM.

Nearly five years ago my brother and I had dinner with Al at Quigley.  I ordered an action from him at said dinner.

I was at my Army Ranger Company reunion in Niagara Falls,NY, last week.  We rotate at various Team Members areas each year.  I got a call from Al.  My long awaited complete action with Single Set Target Trigger is finally complete.  Adjustable to down around 8oz.  You could not have seen me then, and you cannot now.  But, as my lovely bride will attest, I was dancing on the ceiling, swinging from a ceiling fan about forty feet off the ground!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow morning I will get a Bank Check and an FFL and send them off.  In a week, I will have the action in my grubby mitts; to be sent off to the engraver that did my matching BRC rifle.  It, in a weird set of circumstances, had the action separated from its original barrel and stocks and sold.  The one I have is a silouette model in 40-65.  The barrel/stocks are in a Schuetzen M52 pattern in (surprise!) 32-40.  XXX stocks.

In about six months a matching pattern will be on this one, and refinished.

My question for the membership:  the twin rifle is color case hardened.  Should I have it case hardened to match, or in a Silver plate to contrast.  A Pepper and Salt pair, so to speak.

thanks guys,

Rich

Electroless Nickel would be a good alternative to Silver. More durable also

I know what you mean about color hardening making engraving less impressive. I had a Stevens 0441/2 engraved then color hardened. It is still nice but the engraving doesn't stand out like it did in the white.

It too bad we don't have a "like"option. That receiver engraving is a wonderful piece of the engravers art.

John

My two CPA rifles are color cased & engraved. Like Marlinguy said depth needs to be suitable for the actions finish. Having said that I prefer subdued engraving. 

Boats

No dog in the fight and only secondary experience to relate, but here goes.  When Dale53 had Ken Hurst create the Frogmoor Ballard he told folks he was going to have Ron Mahovsky give it a Metalife hard chrome finish, they were all horrified... thinking it would look like a chrome bumper.

Once the action was finished and then the rifle was completed, everyone was astounded at how great it looked.  The matte finish set off the detail of Ken's engraving perfectly, and until just recently it served as the focal point of Dale's collection.  I would have loved to own it myself.

Froggie

When I was building my .45-70 Hepburn project I decided to have a local engraver do some work on it before it got finish. I told him I wanted color case hardening, and he said he'd engrave it so the CCH wouldn't hide the engraving. I was very pleased with the results. It's not delicate engraving, but not too heavy handed either.

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My favorite is is good engraving on somewhat faded casehardening.
Don't know how to get there except age and handling.
Chuck