Preparation for Bluing?

[flatfoot]

What is the best way to prepare a moderately rough barrel for bluing? Would bead blasting with a pastic type media be acceptable? Any suggestions?

Everything else is coming together quite nicely. I appreciate the advice on the stock and so forth. I'll try to post some before and after pics when it is complete.


Thanks

[Clemson]

Use glass beads on it.

Clemson

[Larry Rooks]

And you can use small grit sand to do it. I have used glass beads and -40 sand and it both does a great job (Sand much cheaper) The blasting witll get rust out of pits that
a polishing wheel might not too.

[flatfoot]

I found some bluing demos on youtube. Some were suggesting polishing with 600 + grit sand paper. I know polishing first should make a better finish but I am not after a show gun. Just trying to make the best out of what I got.

Will the bluing "take" ok on the matte finish that bead blasting leaves or should I polish it also?

[Clemson]

Just bead blast it and then coat it with Oxpho Blue (Brownells). I use both the liquid and the paste for touch-up work around the gunsmithing shop.

Bill Jacobs
www.boltandbarrel.com

[Gunplumber Mike]

For a black eggshell look the glass beads are good. For a really rough finish like you see on the Remington Express series 870 use aluminum oxide. The rougher finish hides more imperfections if that is a concern.

[mike bell]

I blue at least once a week. Your best bet if there is rust pitting, is to rough sand blast with some aluminum oxide first to remove all the rust. This will be kinda ruff like them new 870's. If the surface feels to ruff, you should go back over it with a fine glass bead blasting. Thats what I normally do.

If its really pitted deep, there is nothing you can do other then removing alot of metal....which may not be a good idea.

If the rust pits are'nt to bad, just a fine glass bead blast will be good enough.

I like to also high polish worthy guns and then glass bead it with some extra fine bead. It gives it a black silky look that almost shines but just enough matte to be non-glare. really looks good to me

[NHburns]

Maybe its a silly question, but no one uses progressively finer sand paper lengthwise with the barrel, Then hits it with a buffer wheel ith a couple abrasive pastes?

[Gunplumber Mike]

We use a belt sander to remove deep pits, steel thickness permitting, but not lengthwise on the barrel. Wheels are used for lesser imperfections. This is where experience and expertise come into play in the bluing business.