reblueing

[dkhamner]

my grandpa left me an Ithica 12 gauge pump shotgun when he passed away. the shotgun has lots of sentamental value to me. the last time i took it out of the case it was rusted beyond belief. i'm not experienced on reblueing but i've heard its not that tough. should i have it done professional or do it myself? not sure how much it would cost. thanks

[Jeff Ovington]

If you want to read my opinion...Rusted beyond belief is pretty serious and should be reblued professionally.You are right reblueing is not a hard thing to do if the finish is fading, but when heavy rust is involved it another matter altogether.
To prevent this in the future, clean it, dry it ,keep the gun out of the case, let air circulate so the gun doesn't sweat.You may even want to invest in a gun cabinet, if this gun is that important to you.
There is a product I use called Tetra Gun it is a lubricant that is sprayed on the metal parts and gently rubbed in.The lubricant is absorbed into the metal for added protection against rust and at the same time helps repel dust.I use this instead of oil when I put my guns away.

[dkhamner]

thanks.

[oldelkhunter]

Anything of that value should be rebued by a Proffessional. Do a Search on Glenrock Blue they have many different ways of bluing a gun . Hope that helps

[Rootsy]

in this case a professional rebluing is going to be the best route... figure on average, $100 - $200 depending upon how much polishing has to be done to clean up the rust damage to create a smooth suface again. Preparation is everything in this case because once it is blued every flaw in the steel surfaces will be plainly visible.. Cold blues are difficult to get even, tough, dark color with and are better suited to small touch-up work in low wear or traffic areas...

the money spent is worth the results, especially if the gun has sentimental value and you plan to keep it... Had my great grandfathers single break 20 ga reblued and case hardened a few years ago, i did all of the woodwork... My grandfather saw it in finished form before he passed away and i spent a whole christmas day listening to stories of his travels and exploits with that gun as a young man...

Jamie

[Judson]

As a Gunsmith I will give you my opinion. If you want it to look right have a pro do it and look at some of his work first! The polishing is ever thing, NO buffing wheels should be used and all polishing should be done by backed wet or dry sand paper. It is sort of like sanding out a custom paint job. If the guy you want to do it uses buffing wheels walk away!!!! You might get a real shiny blue job, like black crome but that is chincy and you will get rounded edges and smeared lettering or engraving which is a sure indication a hack.