1974 Shotgun Restoration questions

[Joe'Bronco]

I have an early B2000 with only a few boxes down the barrel.
The gun was stored improperly by the last owner and now has a bit of rust/pitting in a few areas on the receiver ONLY.

Just took the gun out today shooting and its flawless! Shoots softer than any 12g i have ever shot. I had my sister shoot it and she thought it was a 20g! Its not a super valuable gun ($350-$500 depending on condition) and i paid $300 for it. I would like to get the gun looking good for just around $100. The stock and Barrel are flawless.









Im thinking about beadblasting and bluing but not sure who does a good job locally and what the $$$ is...

Anyone have any advice?

[ysr_racer]

These guys will make it look like new

http://gunbluing.com/

[Joe'Bronco]

I checked them out but the want well over what i paid for the gun to get it re-blued and polished. They quoted me around $400. Not to mention they are in Glenrock, WY and i really dont want to ship anything out of state unless its totally necessary.

I have two thoughts...
I was thinking about having an auto shop bead blast the receiver and i would polish it. Then send to a local bluing guy to dip in blue or plate it.

OR

Pay a local shop to do all the work

[ysr_racer]

When I wanted a barrel reblued, Bolsa wanted twice what Glenrock charged me.

[Joe'Bronco]

Got a lead on Hot Flash Refinishing Has anyone used them? The site said $96 for just the receiver and if i stripped & polished its 40% off...

[John Browning]

If you aren't willing to pay to have someone do it right, don't do it. Metal bluing is time intensive, hard, and looks HORRIBLE when done by someone or someplace that is average.

If that were my shotgun, I'd leave it as is. A distant second option would be to duracoat it. I'd toss it in a river before I sent it out to be blued on the cheap.

[ronrichards64]

Look at the Brownell's cat ,Read about there baking enamel , It is on the Shotguns at the BSA summer camp.

[Joe'Bronco]

If you aren't willing to pay to have someone do it right, don't do it. Metal bluing is time intensive, hard, and looks HORRIBLE when done by someone or someplace that is average.

If that were my shotgun, I'd leave it as is. A distant second option would be to duracoat it. I'd toss it in a river before I sent it out to be blued on the cheap.

Let me get this straight...

You would rather have a rusty gun OR no gun at all than have a less than stellar bluing that will still protect a field gun?



I have found in researching that even at the most expensive places, if a shotgun receiver (no barrel) is turned in to be blued and dosent need assembly/reassembly its priced around $150-$300. Matte is a bit cheaper.

Ill post photos of my "HORRIBLE" cheap finish when its done. I guarentee it will be less than $100 and will work just fine to protect it.

[John Browning]

Let me get this straight...

You would rather have a rusty gun OR no gun at all than have a less than stellar bluing that will still protect a field gun?



I have found in researching that even at the most expensive places, if a shotgun receiver (no barrel) is turned in to be blued and dosent need assembly/reassembly its priced around $150-$300. Matte is a bit cheaper.

Ill post photos of my "HORRIBLE" cheap finish when its done. I guarentee it will be less than $100 and will work just fine to protect it.

Yes, you read it right.

You're going to take a $300 shotgun and spend $100 to turn it into a $150 shotgun. Good job. Bluing did a great job in protecting the finish before, I'm sure it will be stellar the second time through.

A smart person would leave it alone or duracoat it. But this is the internet...

[hermosabeach]

Take a look at the oven bake moly paints and the alumnahyde coatings from Brownells

For $30 or so you can sand and scuff your gun, degrease it, spray it and then bake it in your oven or let it air cure.

[ysr_racer]

Have we ruled out

[dangerranger]

I have used Hot Flash to re blue some shooter grade guns and was very happy with the results. I got a nice deep blue that has lasted well for over 10 years now out in the field. But I'm not one that believes that every gun needs to wear its original finish to its grave or its junk. Id no sooner carry a rusted gun than Id drive a truck with a big dent in its side. DR