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pre-64 264 win. finish
Posted:
Sat Jan 31, 2015 1:16 pmby mlk57
Was looking at a pre-64 .264 Winchester the other day to buy and the barrel looked a bit odd. The texture and color looked different. So I took it to two different smiths/collectors and each one told me the barrel had been reblued possibly bead blasted first. Long story short this guy told me Winchester had put a matte blue finish on their 264's and 220 swifts at the factory back then and that the finish was completely original. Is this true or was he blowing smoke.
Re: pre-64 264 win. finish
Posted:
Sat Jan 31, 2015 1:37 pmby SHOOTER13
Not sure about the matte blue finish pre-'64...my books make no reference.
Re: pre-64 264 win. finish
Posted:
Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:26 pmby wraco
I own both the 220 Swift and 264 Win Mag. .The 220 Swift is 1954 and the 264 WM is 1959-60.
Winchester built both these calibers with stainless steel barrels as they discovered WPS wouldn't hold up to the speed these two would produce. .
The 220 Swift barrel is "Iron Blasted" stainless steel that would enable the barrel to be rust blued. . The exterior finish is not smooth but a tad course to the touch.
The 264 WM barrel is chemically blued stainless steel. . This produces a slightly different appearance than rust blued WPS but the stainless barrel is blued just the same. . It's a matt finish on a smooth surface.
The 220 Swift is a heavier barrel than my standard calibers but the 264 is 26" standard barrel.
The secret to both these calibers is letting the barrel cool when at the range. . The barrel will last a lot longer.
Rod
Re: pre-64 264 win. finish
Posted:
Sun Feb 15, 2015 12:52 pmby SHOOTER13
Thanks for the info Rod !!
Re: pre-64 264 win. finish
Posted:
Tue Feb 24, 2015 2:14 amby Win 70 Fan
All,
Here is what I learned many long yeas ago. I am no expert but here what I "knew" back then (early to mid 1960's). I know this question was answered above but, here goes anyway.
What I was told back then was that the stainless steel barrel (.264 Win Mag) was iron plated and then blued. That gave a slightly gray tint to the barrel.
Re: pre-64 264 win. finish
Posted:
Wed Feb 25, 2015 12:48 pmby SHOOTER13
Thanks for that insight sir.
Re: pre-64 264 win. finish
Posted:
Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:34 amby wraco
Win 70 Fan wrote:All,
Here is what I learned many long yeas ago. I am no expert but here what I "knew" back then (early to mid 1960's). I know this question was answered above but, here goes anyway.
What I was told back then was that the stainless steel barrel (.264 Win Mag) was iron plated and then blued. That gave a slightly gray tint to the barrel.
No, the 264 WM barrel was not iron plated. . The stainless barrel was blued with a bluing chemical that works with stainless. .
Rod