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The finish of Tula Nagant 1895

3K views 12 replies 4 participants last post by  mouser 
#1 ·
Numerous Russian Nagant 1895 were imported, most had ugly importer marks stamped on frame or barrel. And, most were reblued. In the past, CAI imported Nagant was $80, now it is about $400.

Some Russian Nagants escaped importer stamping, and have original finish. Not sure how they did that, but those also appear from time to time, the volume is not big.

By comparing some Nagants in auction sessions, it is interesting to notice the "color change" on Nagant's side plate finish. How did this happen is unclear, probably due to side plate steel was not hardened uniformly before bluing? This color change disappears after refinish.

Two pictures showing this colour change on the side plate. One sample is 1941, another sample is 1938. There are more samples showing this finish color change of Soviet Nagant made in 1930s and 1940s,, this should be universal for the period.

Product Gun Brown Firearm Photograph

Revolver Desk Tool Office supplies Trigger
 
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#2 ·
For many collectors, Nagant 1895 is not impressive. Colt and S&W had way better designs and functions. French and Swiss revolvers were better made too...

I love Nagant due to the Soviet movie "Lenin in 1918" that I watched at least three dozens of times when I was a kid... No other entertainment at that time, this movie was on show almost every month..

After I start collecting guns many years later, I found that movie had big impact on me. I am interested in those small arms appeared in that movie, Nagant revolver, FN 1900, Broomhandle, etc. The only one that I cannot get is Maxim,, which is too big for my house.

Here is the guns in that movie:

www.imfdb.org/wiki/Lenin_in_1918_(Lenin_v_1918_godu)
 
#3 ·
I believe the color change that are seeing on the sideplate is because of the different direction of the polishing lines: as you can see the line in question runs exactly in line with the vertical of the recoil shield. So, most likely the sideplate was polished vertically behind that line and horizontally in front of it producing an illusion of a different hue of the blue. You see the similar effect on Webley revolvers.
 
#8 ·
Alvin, yes there it is. I wonder then if it is not something just on the blue process. If you look at your followup post #4. you sorta see the same kind of line on the trigger itself right above the proof marks. As I stated my Nagant was acquired directly from a vet and is pretty worn. I was ok with the condition because of knowing the vet. But I can't find anything like that, however, that could explain then the reason the blue wore off the way it did. it does seem to follow your line.
 

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#9 ·
Sometimes slightly different steels were used for certain parts, based upon the stresses and requirements of that particular part.
Different steels take the same blue slightly differently. (Similar to the "hardened versus unhardened steel "and their reaction to blueing.)
 
#10 ·
Sam, is your 1930 rust blued, or salt blued? It is hard to tell from pictures..

Those imperial era Nagants must be rust blued. They had fire blued small parts, hammer, trigger and spring. Nagant of 1920s must be rust blued too. For Nagant of year 1930, is it rusted blued too? If it is rust blued, that would explain no color change line on finish.
 
#11 ·
I believe the Imperial Nagants were blued very much like the Colts and other European revolvers of the era - a charcoal blueing - a type of blue that employed furnaces in a carbonizing process. The early guns(pre-1914 or so) had a higher polish than the WWI period guns. The later 1930's and 1940s guns were most likely salt blued,
 
#12 ·
Alvin, I would discribe it as Rust blue. here is a closer pic. I would say it appears the same as a Colt. but as Mouser just pointed out he referred to it as a charcoal blueing. so I guess we have a communication problem of how to discribe things. I honestly never heard of charcoal blueing before. only rust and salt blue, speaking only of blue finish of course LOL lbefore we get off topic on all other finishes LOL
 

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#13 ·
Charcoal blue is also known as "Carbonia blue", where the parts to be blued are suspended in large furnaces, with a mixture of animal bones added on the bottom of the furnace to provide a source of carbon, and then heated up. It is not rust blue. This method was used by Colt and probably by other manufacturers before they switched to salt blue. The resulting finish was not very durable. Rust blue process was used in the same time frame as well.
 
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