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FORMULA 44/40® INSTANT GUN BLUE Reviews & Ratings

44/40 has long been one of the cold-blue standards in the industry and we here at Brownells are delighted to have purchased the original, high-speed formula and the legendary name and brought it back to its many fans. 44/40's familiar bluing action is almost magic; simply dampen a patch with 44/40, wipe it on and wipe it off immediately with a dry one. The coloring action happens instantly and the color penetrates deep into the metal for a long-lasting finish. There's no need to soak or rub for long periods. Surface preparation's easy, too; for scratches, just clean and degrease as you normally would and apply 44/40. As a blue for external/internal parts and pieces, the procedure is just as easy. Bring the surface to the finish you want, clean it and wipe-on, wipe-off. 44/40 will do the job beautifully. And, it's great for other jobs around the shop, too. The quick action and dark color makes 44/40 an excellent substitute for traditional layout fluids. The steel is darkened quickly so your layout lines will show up. There's no surface buildup of "paint" to foul up dimension readings and nothing to peel or flake off. Coat lathe and cutting tools before sharpening so you can see where you're grinding. Use 44/40 to age brass and copper in restorations, or just to reduce glare and reflection. You can literally do thousands of jobs with 44/40! You need 44/40 on your bench; the highly active formulation makes sure that you're going to be able to expertly touch-up virtually any non-stainless gun steel and professionally blend the repair into the original finish. For the gun shop or store, there's the proven, "sells-itself" display. It comes with a dozen, 2 ounce bottles of 44/40 in a brightly labeled, attention-getting, countertop display tray, along with a test bottle and a supply of nails so your customers can dip into 44/40 to see just how quick and easy it really is. Plus, you get cleaning patches for the "wipe-off" part of the procedure.

SPECS: 2 oz. (59.12mL), 1 pt. (473mL), 1 qt. (946mL), 1 gal. (3.8L). Counter Display includes 12, 2 oz. bottles of 44/40, 1, Ѕ oz. test bottle, 18 nails and 18 patches, plus molded plastic countertop display. Carton contains 12, 2 oz. bottles. Shipping prepaid on 24 carton single purchase.

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Reviews Summary

Overall, reviews of FORMULA 44/40® INSTANT GUN BLUE are mixed. While some users praise it for effectively touching up small scratches and parts, others report poor results, including blotchy finishes and rusting issues. The product's performance appears heavily dependent on proper application and surface preparation, with some customers unhappy with odors and consistency.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Effectiveness

55%

Effectiveness is a significant theme, with a mix of reviews. While several users find it works well for small touch-ups and refinishing, others report poor results, including blotchy finishes and rusting. This dichotomy suggests that results may depend heavily on how it is applied and the condition of the metal surface.

Preparation & Application

60%

Many reviews emphasize the need for careful preparation and following the application procedures closely to achieve satisfactory results. Users mention cleaning, degreasing, and not stopping the application midway as critical for a uniform finish, indicating that application technique plays a crucial role in effectiveness.

Odor & Chemical Reaction

30%

Several reviewers express dissatisfaction with the strong odor and chemical reaction after using the product, indicating it lingers even after washing hands. This theme suggests that the chemical properties of the bluing solution might deter some users from reusing or recommending it.

Versatility

50%

Despite mixed reviews on performance, many users appreciate the product's versatility. It's noted to work well on small parts, scratches, and in applications that don't require a full re-blue, making it valuable for quick touch-ups or refinishing projects when used appropriately.

Disappointment

45%

A number of customers report significant disappointment with the product's performance, particularly regarding re-bluing large areas or achieving a satisfactory finish. This dissatisfaction is mentioned frequently, which indicates a segment of users did not find it met their expectations.

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44-40

Have used this stuff for years. Works great.

by JEFF SADDLER on June 15, 2026

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Great product

Great product for an adorable price. Not as durable as hot blue, but very good for cold blue and a very, very affordable price. If you follow the directions, it's extremely easy and quick to use.

Would you recommend this? Yes, I would recommend to a friend

by DANIEL FORESTER on December 03, 2025

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Good stuff

Works great

Would you recommend this? Yes, I would recommend to a friend

by DONALD HENDERSON on November 29, 2025

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Works fast

This stuff is great for re-finishing small parts such as springs, pins, screws and sights. Clean, polish and degrease the parts and this stuff only needs one quick coat that looks great.

by BRETT PRUITT on January 07, 2024

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Optimistic at first

Bought this for quick touch ups that I missed when re-blueing an old FN Mauser using Oxpho Blue. Followed the directions and applied a few coats and it worked well. I found that if you heated the metal up with a common hair dryer the product worked a bit better. By no means would this work if youre re-blueing an entire weapon but if you want to quickly touch up a scratch or something like it this stuff will work. Just make sure you wash the area with warm water and soap once done using it to prevent rust and use a good quality gun oil after but if used right youll end up with a great product.

Excellent cold blueing

Used this product on an old 22 rifle. It worked very well and gave an excellent deep blue with only one coat. I would recommend this to everyone.

Professional Appearance Restored

Great product for returning the 'black' finish to steel parts on rifles and handguns. examples would be flash suppressors, take down levers, triggers, steel slides, etc. won't do a thing to black alloy parts.

Excellent Product

I have been using 40-40 for over 50 years. It is the best cold blue I have found on the market.

44/40

I was impressed with how easy this product is to use. As soon as you apply it to the metal it starts to work. Just wipe on and wipe off. The finish looked great. It left a smooth, dark color! This is my favorite bluing solution!

Good Stuff

I had been using the Birchwood Casey cold blue for years with satisfactory results, until I saw someone using Brownells 44/40 on youtube. I must say I'm very impressed as it works much quicker and results in a much darker black than the BC brand cold blue. Of course it's not a replacement for a true hot blueing or park job, but it does a great job at camouflaging annoying scuffs and scratches in both blued and parked surfaces.