I just received my prefit pac-nor barrel today. I ordered it in stainless, but the finish is a bit too shiny for my taste. What can I do to dull it up some? My first thought was to steel wool it but I recall reading somewhere that using steel wool on stainless would increase the chance of rust. Any Ideas?

Scotch-Brite pads are noncorroding abrasives in various grades that might be suitable for your purpose. I inadvertently dulled some bright aluminum when I first tried them. Didn't know they were as abrasive as they are. Made a pretty nice (but streaky) satin finish with green Scotch-Brite. Careful application would make it uniform, I think. Maybe spin it in a lathe and touch the pad to the side by hand as it spins?

Have it bead blasted, this will give it a matte finish.

I second on the bead blasting. Where are you at? If anywhere around me you're welcome to come visit and do it here.

yup...glass bead blasting!!!!!

Rustoleum

Covey, you took the words right out of my mouth! I was thinking spraypaint baby!

My father and I have a couple of Shilen barrels with their glass bead finish. They're a nice matte finish but still have a little shine to them just from the tint of the metal. He took a can of flat green spraypaint and taped off the action and painted his primary hunting rifle and the paint ahdered really well. It looks like a high-dollar baked on finish. The only difference is he'll have to touch it up at some point. Rather than spraypaint mine, I just wrap some camo tape around the barrel if I think I'm going to be hunting in an area with the extra shine from the barrel might spook game.

I've used scotchbrite on a brushed-finish SS Hart barrel. It did a nice job of toning down the shine while still sort of matching the original brush marks. Still sort of reflective, though. The coarser grades can be very aggressive.

Camo tape is pretty effective, and will stay on quite a while if carefully (logically) applied. I prefer the coarse cloth style, as opposed to the smooth vinyl, which polishes with wear and becomes shiny on it's own.

I've used Krylon's line of camo spray paint. I like it and it's available in about seven or eight matte, natural colors. Seems to stay on well. It does polish up with wear and areas like the grip and forned bottom will get slightly shiny from hand contact.

Bowflage is a "removable" camo paint that works well, even remaining camo under ultraviolet (night vision) illumination. Many treatments do not. Colors are limited and it sprays on rough. It does easily wear and scratch off, but is easily touched up. A "remover" is available, but makes a helluva mess.

I am considering a powder-coat treatment for some metal work. A buddy has set up a local P-C system and is dying to powder-coat about everything we can think of. The curing temperatures shouldn't effect the steel and colors are virtually unlimited, since it may be mixed to suit.

I have found the best looking and most durable is to bead blast, then card it off using a thin wire diameter carding wheel and transmission oil. The people I have done this for have been extremely pleased. Bead blasting alone raises too much metal and any light rub will show. BUt when its carded off afterwards you don't see those marks.

Chad