O/T - electric engraving on receiver - how to fix?

[tallyho]

I recently acquired a nice Marlin lever 30/30 but somewhere in its past somebody engraved his SSN with an electric engraver on the receiver.

Picture of the situation here: http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/album_pic.php?pic_id=375

He also did the same number on an aluminum scope. I don't mind just sanding/polishing it off the scope and repainting it, but don't want to mess with a pretty nice blued receiver if I don't have to.

I am soliciting suggestions from y'all (the wise bunch) for a way to get this cleaned off without major expense or trouble if there is such a way.

Thanks in advance.

Kerry

[Mac11700]

There's not much you can do except to try to polish it off...depending on how deep he ingraved it...and you'll have to reblue the area afterwards...that's ashame that someone would do that ...but I've seen it before... your other option would be to polish it down and redo it your self...or have someone else do it...check out this link for Handirifles redoing his rifle...and the other links as well...some good tips for you...

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=44963

Good luck

Mac

[tallyho]

Thanks Mac (and handi too) that's a great article and sounds like it is completely doable for me. I have no workshop at the moment, living in an apartment (just use my computer desk when I am tinkering) but the home brewed 'parkerizing' can be done with the space and resources I already have.

[Fred M]

tallyho

What I would do is find someone with one of those plastic strip label makers. Print your name on a black strip and stick over the engraving.
It would look ok, and for some one inquisitive, you just tell them you labeled the gun so it would not get mixed up.

This would be an easy fix and only you would know whats under the label.

I bought a Browning Midas Grade O/U trap gun it had the previous owner name in gold in three different places. I send it to an engraver who made gold inlays where the names were and engraved over another. I could afford to do this because I bought the gun for a song because of the engraved names.

Your gun could be done the same way by milling out a small panel and fill it with a thin silver or gold strip. Polishing the numbers of would create an uneven surface. The whole flat surface would have to be milled or ground off with a surface grinder , polished and reblued.

[Mac11700]

Fred.....if you look at how the numbers were engraved you'll see that it looks like it was done with one of those cheap vibrating engraving tools...and it wasn't done too deep...polishing it out and then reblueing wouldn't be too difficult and wouldn't leave a real uneven surface to reblue,provided he took his time with it and was carefull...or sending in and having one of the coatings on it would definatly hide any illregulaties that would be caused by polishing it...granted it would cost a-bit...but then he would have one of the best coatings available on it...which would only increase it's value...since it doesn't look like a collectable now,it would be more valuble afterwards....it would be alot easier to do than milling a plate into the side of the recieiver...and if it was polished out enough Handi's method would still hide any marks as well...and leave a nice surface after the treatment...your lablel though would be the quickest and easiest 4 sure for a temp cover-up....


Mac

[Fred M]

Mac.
From the picture it is hard to tell how deep the numbers are. Some numbers look more pronounced than others. 0.002" would be very shallow and that would be a lot of polishing? Some guys do the most idiotic stuff to fine rifles and shot guns. I stick on a label and forget about it or else do a proper restoration. But why spend money if it is only a shooter, this rifle is not a collector model or an antique. Fred M.

[Leftoverdj]

I'd be tempted to look for a side mount that would fit.