Re-bluing rifle barrel

[Rice]

Figured someone here would have a recommendation .... I'm trying to refurb an old .22 for my brother in law. Not a collector item but belonged to his grandfather .... a sentimental thing I'm guessing we all have.

Short story ... he brought it to me in awful shape. Water stained stock, rusted barrel, etc. So I took the barrel down to bare metal and would rather not try one of the "home Blue" kits.

Is there someone in NC that does real steel bluing?

I would like to have this in a box under his Christmas tree so there is my timeline.

Thanks,
Rice

 

[Mtbcoach]

I'd hit up your local "trusted" gun shop for a referal or see if they have an in-house gunsmith. Pretty straightforward process from my lay perspective, something that a competent gunsmith would have the tools to do or have a good resource for getting it done...

 

[Rice]

I have a couple emails out to the nearest gunsmith schools. Figure there must be some students in need of practice. Will post up pics if there is any success.

R

 

[fj40z]

I have a 22 sent off to get re blued right now. I took it to a gunsmith in Reidsville for some other stuff and he has a guy that does all his reblueing. I redid the stock with the birchwood Casey kit and it turned out fantastic and was easy to use. Birchwood Casey also makes a reblueing kit and I almost tried it, it supposedly worked pretty good. If you want the gunsmiths number just let me know.

 

[fj40z]

Before and after pic of the stock using the tru oil kit.

 

[fj40z]

After

 

[BLUE73FJ40]

That looks awesome!! How long did it take?

 

[fj40z]

I put 3 coats on, each time letting it dry over night then lightly going over it with steel wool. So about 3 days. The kit was really easy, you put the oil on with your finger and then hang it up. It levels out on its own very nicely. I left some "character marks" intentionally because I wanted it to still look like the old gun that it is and I intend to use it.

 

[Rice]

Gunsmith's are amazing. I've talked to 5 folks that have bluing tanks, each said it could be done by NEXT Christmas. So I'm gonna give this a shot with a home kit. Will post up any success or failure pics when it's done.

 

[elkaholic]

Gunsmith's are amazing. I've talked to 5 folks that have bluing tanks, each said it could be done by NEXT Christmas. So I'm gonna give this a shot with a home kit. Will post up any success or failure pics when it's done.

Granted, I have not had any work like this done in a few years, but I think you are may be talking to the wrong folks. A rebluing job should be a one to two month wait tops. Hell, I have been talking to a really well respected 1911 'smith and a complete custom rework of an appropriate basic pistol is 6-7 months including a master rebluing ....

As much as I hate to suggest it, have you tried Hyatt in Charlotte?

 

[Rice]

Granted, I have not had any work like this done in a few years, but I think you are may be talking to the wrong folks. A rebluing job should be a one to two month wait tops. Hell, I have been talking to a really well respected 1911 'smith and a complete custom rework of an appropriate basic pistol is 6-7 months including a master rebluing ....

As much as I hate to suggest it, have you tried Hyatt in Charlotte?

Wow. Good call. Hyatt says they can have in back in 3 weeks. Maybe making a trip to Charlotte tomorrow.

Thanks.

 

[elkaholic]

Glad it looks like it will work out. Not a huge fan of their shop, but that's driven by the insane pricing at gunshops in the CLT for new / used firearms ....

 

[BLUE73FJ40]

I like Hyatt's, but I have been dealing with a few guys there for years. It has become a mad house and have actually stayed away for the past 12-16 months. Just crazy all the volume that go threw that place.

I love seeing old "used" guns brought back to life for the next generation to use. I am a big fan of using all my guns. Try not to baby any of them to much. Haha.

 

[elkaholic]

I may be being unfair to them. I have bought a couple of items here and the folks are friendly.

What I find amazing are the prices in the Charlotte area in general - not just at Hyatt. I guess I have been spoiled by shops being more willing to negotiate on prices and listed prices starting well below MSRP.

They do move the goods though....

Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD

 

[BLUE73FJ40]

I agree with what you are saying. They just have so many people going threw there they can get the prices. I go threw there and look for the nicer guns that have been there for a long time and they wheel and deal. They get a lot of estate collections some family member just want cash now and they offer a low price for the lot.

I am always amazed at how many people are in there buying guns. They have gotten away from what they use to be and gone more commercial. I can't blame them with the gun craze over the past few years. They don't have many of the nicer guns that they use to have. Not there market I guess.

 

[fj40z]

The trick to getting a reblueing job done quickly is finding a place that does it a lot. Most gunsmiths take in blueing jobs one at a time and then wait until they get several jobs in that they can do at the same time to make it worth their while. Thats why it takes your smaller shops so long to get done. They simply dont have the volume of reblueing jobs it takes for a quick turn around.

 

[Rice]

Update... Thanks to Jason for bringing Gun Vault in High Point to my attention. Barrel blued and returned in 1 week! Just enough time to strip and recoat stock with 7 applications of Tru-Oil

Before and After ....

 

[mtweller]

Nice! IF you don't mind me asking, what'd it set you back on the barrel?

Ramon

 

[Rice]

$100 .... or roughly twice the value of the gun.

 

[fj40z]

Man! The Gun Vault is the first place I took my 22 and dropped off. They kept if for 4 months and was never touched. Finally I just went and picked it up and took it to another place. Either their business has slowed down or the guy just didnt like me. I do seem to have that affect on people. Looks sweet though Rice, glad it worked out for you!