Browning w/plum colored barrel - thoughts?

[Bull Elk]

I found a nice Browning BAR in .270. Other than having a plum colored barrel, it's in excellent condition. What are your thoughts about a barrel with a purplish hue? The rest of the metal has regular bluing. Does it diminish the resale value? Can you reblue the barrel? Does it matter?

UPDATE: The rifle is from the early 80's and has never been fired. The owner passed away and his wife took his firearms to a FFL to sell. Apparently it has been sitting in a glass/wood gun case (not gun safe) for about 30 years. It definately has not been reblued. I think it's an interesting looking piece and I have no doubt that the coloring will have little impact on performance. I've seen this purple or plumb coloring on handguns, but not a long gun.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Garand1911]

The plum has to do with the type of blueing, i forget why it happens but its common with euro guns.
You can try and reblue but it might not work.
I know a guu who had a hk p7 that turned plum, and the reblue didnt work.
I dont think it hurts the value too much.

[JDay]

Pics? I'd leave it as it is.

[Thefeeder]

I found a nice Browning BAR in .270. Other than having a plum colored barrel, it's in excellent condition. What are your thoughts about a barrel with a purplish hue? The rest of the metal has regular bluing. Does it diminish the resale value? Can you reblue the barrel? Does it matter?

The plum color is normal aging. Yes, any rebluing will diminish resale value.

[russ69]

The plum color is normal aging. Yes, any rebluing will diminish resale value.

Not a collectable gun as far as I know. I don't think a good reblue would hurt it's value but the cost of the reblue would not be recovered so there really isn't any need to reblue it.

[sohappy]

Pics? I'd leave it as it is.

Agreed. Why mess with something that isn't broken or a problem? Plus at least you will always know which one is yours among all the others.

[toby]

I have a few purple guns I like em that way, a BAR is not a collectable fix it if you don't like the patina.

[RR.44]

^^^^^^ Patina is what it is, leave it alone, it
is blued , if you reblue you destroy it's originality, just leave it alone...

[krwada]

The plum color is cosmetic. This color comes from the fact that the firearms was probably reblued and the temperature during that process was not carefully controlled.

I have difficulty getting my mind around the idea that the original factory bluing was held to improper temperature tolerances. My guess is that your firearm was probably reblued at a later date.

Of course, on cheaper firearms, the original bluing may turn a 'plum' color. I have an old Herter's .308. This thing has a plum colored barrel. I have been told that the Herter's company commissioned these pieces for the 'price conscious' consumer and quality of the firearms suffered as a result. The firearm I have shoots very well ... however the bluing is a bit off. To me it is basically a cosmetic thing.

For some reason, some folks actually like this 'defect'. Some folks actually really like having plum colored barrels.

To me, if it is not a collectors piece and shoots well .... Well ... I am OK with this.

[toby]

None of my guns have been reblued they are 100% factory. Winchester.Marlin.RemingtonRuger these all have the plum patina the Marlin is the boldest in color. I know new aluminum parts will do this as well River Blackhawks are just 1example.

[Bull Elk]

btt

[The Gleam]

The plum color is cosmetic. This color comes from the fact that the firearms was probably reblued and the temperature during that process was not carefully controlled.

I have difficulty getting my mind around the idea that the original factory bluing was held to improper temperature tolerances. My guess is that your firearm was probably reblued at a later date.

Of course, on cheaper firearms, the original bluing may turn a 'plum' color. I have an old Herter's .308. This thing has a plum colored barrel. I have been told that the Herter's company commissioned these pieces for the 'price conscious' consumer and quality of the firearms suffered as a result. The firearm I have shoots very well ... however the bluing is a bit off. To me it is basically a cosmetic thing.

For some reason, some folks actually like this 'defect'. Some folks actually really like having plum colored barrels.

To me, if it is not a collectors piece and shoots well .... Well ... I am OK with this.

I have no idea where you got any of those ideas. True, temperature can affect bluing tint - but most all of what you stated is entirely inaccurate. Original factory bluing will do this as well; I've seen it on some of the highest-quality guns ever made. And it rarely has anything to do with re-bluing, though that can happen.

It's common knowledge that the purple hue comes from an aging process in reaction to higher levels of nickel content in the steel alloy. Bluing on carbon steel with lower nickel content tends to stay "blackish" blue longer.

I've seen it on older Colt 1911s, Winchesters, Remingtons, Brownings (both rifles and handguns), certain parts of DWM Lugers, and of the 5 SIG P210s I own from 4 separate decades, 3 have a purple hue; not to mention a Manurhin MR73 revolver, various Walthers, a couple of my HK P7 series guns, Mateba Unicas, Ubertis, and a few other Euro-guns with their bluing taking on a slight purple hue.

It has little to nothing to do with "cheaper" firearms, or incorrect bluing process; whether that is factory or a re-blue. Just doesn't.