Can anyone explain how a gun loses its bluing over the years? This late war pistol has maybe 5% bluing left and minor pitting areas. Wear and use don't seem likely explanations as the blue is pretty much universally gone. Perhaps it became rusted and got an aggressive scrubbing?
Bluing and color case hardening will both fade over time but with the amount of pitting on that PP my guess is someone got aggressive cleaning it with an abrasive.
That pistol looks like it was kept inside a leather holster and the bluing was attacked by the tanning acids and not just worn off by use or scrubbing. If properly oiled and stored guns can keep their bluing completely intact for well over a century.
I had a Remington 700 rifle in 243win that my dad bought for me in 1964. If I was to rate the blueing now I would give it a 99%. In it's entirely there is no missing blueing just a small scratch from a screw driver when I was putting a new scope on it about 4years ago. It has taken a deer almost every year and I shot it a lot hunting woodchucks. Gave it to my daughter and she shot her first deer with it and so did my granddaughter. Hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
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