Does color matter?

[tgd31968]

I have a model 1884 carbine. It is all correct as far as being a carbine is concerned.
The one thing I wonder about though is that the gun is blue with some of the barrel that was handled the most and probably kept in a scabbard the most has patina'ed to a brown. The reciever and lower barrel area retain some blue.
The question is that the breech block is more brown all over. Not much of a trace of blue. I know they were case hardened in water by the time this one was made (1887) so I am wondering if it is common for the breech block to appear a different color than the reciever. The breech block is correctly marked for the gun, so no obvious signs it was replaced.

TGD

[Dick Hosmer]

Once they changed the hardening procedure for the block (but not for the receiver) there was ALWAYS a pronounced difference in color between the two. The tang was CCH as well, so it and the block should appear the same.

On "mint" guns, while both parts are "blue", the receiver is distinctly darker than the barrel. The presence of "blue" on block, or tang, after ABOUT (I didn't look it up) 1878, indicates a refinish of some sort.