Gun Metal Finishing Techniques/Styles/Types ??

[mevoughlian]

Hey everyone,

I had recently got an old 410 off of someone and the guns finish is just gone/destroyed/rusty haha, id like to refinish it. Before anyone tells me not to even bother I just want to say that I simply want to do this as a project and I will do it regardless of what others think, the gun functions like new its just cosmetic. The bore of the gun is also in amazing condition you would never guess the guns in the shape it is if you were just to look in the bore. I'm just here to ask for some tips and advice about how I should refinish the metal.
First off Im obviously not wanting to pay a gunsmith because its just an old beater and I just want to do it myself as a project hahah
PICTURES BELOW !

That being said the rust on the gun really isn't bad it comes right off with steel wool I already went over the barrel for a few minutes. The rust looks like deep pitting but like I said it comes right off with a couple rubs. So really im just wondering what I should do to refinish the metal, now I don't expect it to look like factory or perfect obviously but I don't want it to look completely terrible I just want it to look decent-good. Main reason im doing this is because I want to use the gun in the bush and want to give it some sort of rust protection that looks somewhat decent and its just another project.

What do you guys think I should do to it? It doesn't mean it has to be blued just a decent looking finish. What are some finish techniques that I can use, what are my options?
I was thinking of blueing it but if theres something else out there that would be easy to do and decent looking on a gun of this style im open to suggestions.
Are there any sort of paints that will look decent on the gun?

What kind of finishes do you guys like and why or what would you guys do to this 410 if you were to do a quick decent looking finish on it. ( PLEASE guys don't tell me to throw it away haha )

Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike

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[double gun]

What equipment do you have access to? that will dictate what options you have.

If you have a blasting cabinet, I would recommend stripping everything completely, blasting the metal with aluminum oxide and using a spray and bake product like cerakote, gunkote, armacoat etc.


Or if you don't have access to a blasting cabinet, strip it - and start polishing it with cloth backed abrasive. Working finer and finer keeping flats flats, and edges sharp once you get it to where you are 100% happy send it out for bluing. Remember bluing doesn't hide anything - if you see it in bare metal, you will see it once blued.

Also some of these actions don't blue very well - it make turn purple, or brown - that's why I would suggest a spray and bake finish.

Or go bubba and strip it, remove all rust and paint it.

And the final option:
Clean it up with oooo steel wool and oil, and run it as is.

 

[wbaad]

No harm done refinishing that old girl. There are many options based on budget, skills and available equipment. I had good luck with birchwood Casey kit on a beat to death cooey. All you really need is a sink lol

 

[mevoughlian]

Well since I forgot to mention and you guys asked. I pretty much have access to almost everything that I can need in some way or another whether I own it or someone else does. I have access to paint boots with ovens ( auto body shop) and I have access to blasting equipment.

I was actually thinking of blasting it but if I were to blast it will it mess up the blueing finish from the little bead bumps. If I do blue it that is.

And id love to hot blue it but one thing I want to do it on my own and another I really don't want to spend money and pay someone a bunch for this little beater truck bush gun. Im planning on using it in the bush on my atv for rabbits/grouse. It would be on the front end strapped into the gun mounts on the rack. haha

 

[double gun]

I was actually thinking of blasting it but if I were to blast it will it mess up the blueing finish from the little bead bumps. If I do blue it that is.

Glass bead and hotblue is the matte blue finish you see on most guns. Glass bead/ or polish if you are bluing (matte vs gloss) aluminum oxide if you are spray and bake finishing

 

[mevoughlian]

Glass bead and hotblue is the matte blue finish you see on most guns. Glass bead/ or polish if you are bluing (matte vs gloss) aluminum oxide if you are spray and bake finishing

Sorry in advance if some of these questions are stupid haha

I've seriously been thinking of doing some kind of spray finish or blueing . What are some good spray options ?? I used to work at a body shop so I still have access to all of there equipment there's a large heated paint booth and we have small ovens for curing/baking too.

And for hot blueing what do I need is it possible that I can do it myself at a low cost?

 

[double gun]

Hot bluing needs tanks, chemicals, and burners - not low cost for one gun.

For spray and bake finishes, there is gunkote, cerakote, armacoat, duracoat and probably more.
You need to blast with aluminum oxide, degrease, some finishes will want you to preheat the part some not, spray the part, and bake the part (some don't require baking).