forget the bluing?

[corbanzo]

A dealer close to me has a used remington 870 on sale for $135, when I say used, I mean got the living you know what beat out of it.  Lots of bluing gone, scratches, stocks a mess.  I am thinking of buying it for a project gun, which would turn into a keep in the hunting cabin gun.  Now I've looked at all of the processes of blueing and parkerizing and such, and don't like big pains in the butt.  I'm really thinking about just stripping all the old bluing off, keep it natural metal, and keep it very oiled.  Really it's just going to sit in a cabin with some slugs next to it for "just in case." 

I was going to take it all apart, sand, strip, de burr, all that good stuff, and refinish the stock with a nice waterproof seal.

As long as I make sure to keep it oiled and dry, I didnt forsee any problems, anything you fellas can think of?

[bluebayou]

I am leaning toward trying the Duracoat.  They have a starter kit for $50 or so that does a couple of guns.  If you have a HVLP or other spray gun then it would be cheaper.  You have to sandblast the parts and degrease them.  I agree that bluing and parkerizing look too complicated, but the Duracoat seems doable.

I have never tried keeping a firearm in the white.  I would think that if you are going to strip it then you might as well just degrease it and spray it with epoxy auto spray paint or Rustoleum as a cheap fix.  You say that it will be a backup gun....why hassle with it.  Just degrease it and spray it.  Aren't you in Alaska or someplace else that is humid as all get out?

[Graybeard]

Just paint it with Rustoleum paint. See my thread on how to in the Old injun Tricks Forum.

[Almtnman]

I agree with Graybeard on this one. You can make the gun look fairly good by painting it and if you pick out several earth tone colors, it can be camoflauged. I've seen several old guns did that way and they turned out nice looking. The main thing before painting is to make sure all the oil is off.

[iiranger]

Bluing is quite funny. Bluing is a rust process so you are putting rust on steel to keep it from rusting... PART II). The various forms of controlled rust, there is a "browning" process too, came long before modern lubricants and finishes. They were intended to "hold" in the pores of the rust, whatever "oil/greases" were available. Sometimes resins like rosin... Often animal fat. Thus the gun/gun owner always handling with a rag and rubbing any point where skin touched metal... renewing the coat off the rag

THOSE DAYS ARE PAST. Long past if you like. Most blue removers are nitric acid based. You can cut blue with nitric acid. I would dilute it much to get a real slow and controllable action. Wipe and you are down to shiny steel. 

WW II Brit equipment, no shortage of SMLE's, were painted. Black paint. Nothing new there.,

And now with the water displacing oils/greases, synthetic... I think one calls itself a wax ... You should be able to find something in an aerosol that will keep the water off unless you lose it overboard and renew with a squirt.

Only objection, black guns look bigger and more dangerous some say and if you did take it hunting, the shine would be awsome. The paint is probably a great idea for a "knock about." luck.

[corbanzo]

Yeah, I'm not going to worry about chemicals on this one.  My stripper is going to consist of sandpaper, and steel wool to finish the metal.  I'm not putting the kid gloves on.  Sounds like a good process you got there BG.

[Graybeard]

If you use Rustoleum paint per my guidelines in the article I posted you don't need to strip it. Just use the rust color primer and then any additional colors you like. I used flat black only on top of the rust red primer. Just make sure it's been cleaned with alcohol/acetone up front to remove all grease and oils.

It's now been well over 20 years since I did that first one and it's still got at least 90% of the original paint on it. It's easy to touch up tho if ever needed.

[Almtnman]

Yeah, I'm not going to worry about chemicals on this one.  My stripper is going to consist of sandpaper, and steel wool to finish the metal.  I'm not putting the kid gloves on.  Sounds like a good process you got there BG.

Instead of the sandpaper, use a very fine Scotch Brite pad and you'll get better results.