Winchester 30/30

You have a 'solid black finish with freckling' - and that's straight off the internet.

The originals had that too, you just got a lot of 'freckling' - you lucky bastard :)

Never seen a 'case hardened' barrel, or even a pretend 'cased' finish on a barrel, or even a B/A reciever come to that - but those slab sided actions often got 'tarted up' with them - so I expect it might be cosmetic.

And 'johnduxbury' might have got it right - might be nickel steel which can make it difficult to apply a quick 'finish'.

Either sweat (most likely) or blood has been left on it and it has rusted away. Just my thought.
Depends on your budget

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

I think you have had some bad advice - look at the barrel - thats not case hardened thats blued - some winchesters came out with a case hardened look but I dont believe yours did - it simply does not look like a case hardened finish that has weathered over time - and the rifle is simply not old enough -I would go with my original advice

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Who said it was case hardened? Its not case hardened. As I said earlier, you cant blue 'Winchester 94 receivers from this mid-seventies period as they are made from a different alloy (unless you iron plate them.) They go purple. Meanwhile the barrel is not made of the same metal and is blued normally.
After this they started chrome lining them, and that was even worse, because it would flake off. You couldnt blue them either. Then in the late eighties and early nineties they went back to blueing the receivers normally.

Post '64 Winchester M94's have investment cast receivers and will not take conventional blue, coming out a horrible maroon/purple as has been previously mentioned. The factory iron plated the receivers before blueing and the patchy finish is where the very thin plating has worn or rusted off. Your best choice is to get it professionally Ceracoated, although it will still work perfectly well as it is.

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Originally Posted by gundoc

Post '64 Winchester M94's have investment cast receivers and will not take conventional blue, coming out a horrible maroon/purple as has been previously mentioned. The factory iron plated the receivers before blueing and the patchy finish is where the very thin plating has worn or rusted off. Your best choice is to get it professionally Ceracoated, although it will still work perfectly well as it is.

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Bloody hell, we were happy circling the wagons - and now you've gone and buggered it :oh noes:

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Originally Posted by JohnDuxbury

Who said it was case hardened? Its not case hardened. As I said earlier, you cant blue 'Winchester 94 receivers from this mid-seventies period as they are made from a different alloy (unless you iron plate them.) They go purple. Meanwhile the barrel is not made of the same metal and is blued normally.
After this they started chrome lining them, and that was even worse, because it would flake off. You couldnt blue them either. Then in the late eighties and early nineties they went back to blueing the receivers normally.

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thanks John one does learn a lot from this forum looks like cerakote may be a go but Matt308 please not paint

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Originally Posted by Jhon

Mate, its clearly horrible and past redemption..I give you $50 to take it off your hands

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Everything is for sale, maybe more than $50….. 😁

I have an old 80s copy of shooters bible somewhere with the opening article being a feature on the full history of the M94. It goes into its different production iterations including of course the changes made in 64. There is also mention of a receiver that started being produced in the 70’s that “defied rebluing”.

Many of the 94s seen for sale these days are almost without blueing on the receiver at all. Yours has more blueing than most.

I believe the loss of blue from these receivers gives the rifle a rustic look of utilitarian usage that suits it and without affecting its performance.

The best thing you can do is get out and hunt with it, carry it by the receiver and the freckles will be smoothed out. In due course it will look like a proper gun.

just to throw another option in the mix, you could also just keep a sharpie in the cleaning kit and use that for touch ups at the end of the day ;).

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Originally Posted by Cigar

My mid-80's M94 had a "case coloured" action.
I think it's done by heating and dousing in oil or something like that? It has a rainbow look similar to spilt oil/diesel

Attachment 214147

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Sorry but that is a Win. M92 and didn't come in 30-30

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Originally Posted by canuck hunter

Sorry but that is a Win. M92 and didn't come in 30-30

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It was just a photo off the net showing a case coloured action
This is my rifle’s case coloured action after 36 years of use, and it is a M94 in 30-30
Attachment 214453