Axis finish

[llbts1]

Do you have to wipe down the black matte finish on the Axis like you do on a blued finish?
Thank you. Newbie here

[NicfromAlabama]

The finish on the Axis is not that great. At least, mine wasn't. It definitely helps to keep it coated. My receiver has brown all over it, which resembles rust mixed in with the finish. I know blueing is a form of rust, but I don't worry about it. After all, it is an Axis.

[llbts1]

Thanks Nic. It just doesn't look like a blued finish.

[NicfromAlabama]

I think it is a blueing process, but not the type that most think about when someone mentions bluing on a rifle. I know there are several types of bluing processes. I am sure someone here will know exactly which one. I have seen "bluing salt residue" mentioned several times in other posts.

Whatever the process, I am not super impressed with the finish on my 2 rifles. The finish on my Axis and my 10 FP-SR look like the same type finish. However, the 10 FP-SR appears to be more consistent and doesn't have the brown areas like on my Axis receiver.......overall, nicer than the Axis. Both rifles, I wiped down extensively with oil, which continued to produce brown staining on the cloth I was using. Shiny blued firearms will produce the same brown coloration when wiping down.

[DrThunder88]

I would be shocked if I found out Axises were blued. It's probably a low-gloss spray finish on a blasted surface. When you tear the guns apart you can see where the barrel nut masks the front of the receiver from the spray. I messed around with engine enamel (http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?48077-More-Fun-With-Spray-Paint-Matching-Factory-Matte-Finish) and got a very close match. If I'd been able to blast the surface with some coarse media, it probably would've been better.

That said, I don't bother oiling the factory finish, but I also paint most of my Axises.

[celltech]

The finish on my stainless Savage looks great :p. But yeah, all my others look....Uh.... Oh well, they are cheap to buy...

[llbts1]

I have always wiped my guns down. It's the way I was raised. The finish doesn't look blued to me. I would probably still wipe it down, just an old habit.