I received a Rogers & Spencer revolver (Italian replica sold under the name EuroArms I believe) which I like very much, except for one thing. The finish leaves a lot to be desired and I'm thinking about a new finish. I'm not really concerned about being faithful to the period and making it look like an 1865 revolver. What I want to do is get all the burrs and grind marks and sharp edges removed and then have it refinished with something a little more wear resistant than simple bluing.

So I've got two questions: 1) what finish would you recommend for a black powder revolver and 2) can a zero gunsmith abilities bubba like me prepare the revolver correctly himself? What tools would I need and are there do it yourself instructions available on-line or elsewhere?

Hot bluing will cost about twice what your revolver is worth;. So, I would rust blue it; contact Bobster here on AR and he will tell you how. As for prep, sure, you can do it; get some emory paper and something flat like a file. Work the flat surfaces with the paper wrapped around the file, and work the rounded surfaces like polishing shoes. Start with coarse grit depending on how many tool marks are in it, and end up at 320 maybe 400. I usually stop at 320. Tools needed? look up rust bluing and you will see what you need. I use the steam method which cost me nothing but one bottle of solution.
Ok, I now see you are in France; I am sure someone over there makes rust bluing solution is it is just acid and water. Many different formulas do the same thing, which is to make fine rust.

Thanks for that. What about surface treatments like Cerrokote? Any reason to think they would be good, bad, not worth it?

Well, coatings like cerakote, which are just paint; some baked on and some not; will work fine, and you can do those yourself. Easiest is the air dry ones and it is best to sand blast the parts first, for best results, but you don't have to. So, that means you don't care if it does not have an original type of finish, meaning, bluing. I painted a Colt 51 Navy with Brownells Alumihyde once and it resisted rust very nicely.
Cerakote is not worth the price some get for it, but, having done it, it is a lot of work. Hence, the do it yourself thing.

It pays to shop for the cerakote. A local guy here did a complete OM 70 for me for $125. Iwill say it is beyond durable...

Doesn't make sense to me, to spend even $125 for a finish on a $150 revolver.

Rogers & Spencer=good revolver. Mine's a Euroarms. Don't know if anyone else made those. Put some Blue Wonder treatment on it and it's been great. Shoot 777 2f or 3f 30 gr. (using volume marking on my measure) and a .457" round ball. Use 40-60 percent beeswax to olive oil ratio for lube.

Will have to get out & check velocities on my revolver loads as I have a couple new ones to check out.

Don't know how your laws work there but just Google up Blue Wonder & check it out.

I will have to try it; I have tried every cold blue has been made since 1960. None work very well.
We have no laws where I am.

Only tried the Birchwood Casey stuff & then had bad results with Blue Wonder until I learned to heat it up good & follow the directions on using the developer and don't rush it.

Blue Wonder, eh? I have gotten reasonable results with good old Brownell's Oxpho Blue, but of course nothing like a real hot blue.