Newbie here! I have an old gun that has some pits on the outside of the barrel and it has lost most its bluing. I bought some Rust and Blue remover at Wally World. Is there anything that I need to know before applying this stuff?

I also bought a bottle of gun blue. Are there tips to applying it?

Thanks

The best advice I can give is this. If you like the piece and want it to look good and keep it safe, pay for a professional reblue job. I am about as cheap as anyone can get and broke a lot of the time but that is what I have done many times in the past. I have also taken a gunsmithing course but being in Canada precludes me from practising here to any degree. derf

throw the blue remover away - all it is is a nitric acid compound. Reblue requires buffing and polishing. But before you do all of this do 2 things. Make sure your old gun isn't a collectors item, because rebluing will ruin its value, and #2 make sure its worth it ($75 is a average) also cold blue isn't really much of a finish, usually it is just used to touch up a weak or worn small area. Using it requires several applications with cleansing with alcohol between them.

The gun is a 25 year $75 22LR. It has no real value now. I just though I would spruce it up a bit. It is in rough shape.
If is doesn't come well...no loss.

Comet,
Take a look at www.winrest.com. Good instructions and good products.

Brent

I know I'm in the minority, but I've used the cold blue alot....and many people have inquired as to who did the be-utifle bluing job...and it has held up as well as any of my other guns...For a really valuable gun, I would have it professionally done, but I've done actions barrels, whatever. The key is in surface prep...It's gotta be clean and polished (I use a buffing wheel in a bench grinder). It does require multiple applications to get a good, rich finish.

Take it apart to the basic compontents. Degrease well, use solvent then detergent and hot water. Polish with aluminum oxide sandpaper, to about 320 grit. I would probably shoeshine it with strips of paper. Do a good job, the polish is everything. When the polish is even and neatly done, degrease again. From here on out wear latex gloves. Apply the solution generiously and work it in. Degrease some fine steel wool and use it to apply the solution. Don't worry about what it takes off. Just keep at it until you have an even black color that the steel wool won't remove. Rinse it in hot water, dry and oil. Work on a newspaper pad, it will be messy. One little bottle of blue probably won't be enough.