best way to blue a gun at home

[buttonbuck]

I was wondering what is the best way to blue an old gun at home. I picked up a stevens model 15a from a pawn shop for 25 dollars to use as a "barn gun" for putting down livestock. This keeps me from messing up some of my nicer 22s. This gun needs to be reblued, the previous owner let the barrel rust on the surface. I figured to get the paste, or liquid what works best? any tricks for good results?

 

[spitfire]

I have better results with birchwood/casey Super Blue liquid.First Remove the wood.I use choke n' carb cleaner from walmart as gun scrubber_this removes crud and oil(warning C &C will remove stock finish and disolve plastic).Rinse with distilled water(this removes any residue chemicals that would prevent the blue'n solution from working).Since its a working gun-card/sand with 400 grit the rusted area(if small blighted area-other wise whole part of gun)with B/C Blueing & Rust remover.This remover has Phosopheric acid so be careful.Rinse with distilled water.Dependent on the alloy of the steel will determine how long you leave the B/C Super blueing on.Also roughing up grit may have to be higher or lower.The application of Blueing calls for experimentation/reapplication for desired results. Some alloys take the bluing with one quick application and D.Water rinse some a little longer.After water rinse to finish seal with oil(RIG)let sit overnight then clean for normal use.Hope this helpful.

 

[buttonbuck]

I am glad you mentioned using distilled water My well water has a lot of stuff in it. I thought I would make a "dip tube" out of 3" pvc pipe, for rinsing the parts and barrel. I figured it would make a good cleaning apparatus for my muzzleloaders as well. I think PVC can hold near boiling liquids. Will naval jelly work for rust removal in this application? I have some on the shelf. We will see how this one goes because I want to redo my stevens 410-22 but want to get some practice on the 25.00 dollar stevens 15a single shot.

 

[wszumera]

Naval jelly will take off bluing too. Keep that in mind.

Clutch

 

[spitfire]

Navy Jelly will work.Your PVC must be rated for Hot Water. :winking:

 

[buttonbuck]

well we got the gun done tonight, 5 coats of bluing took well to the old stevens, had to reapply to avoid streak look. dried parts in the oven after final rinse, I think it looks good for a working barn gun I test fired it prior to bluing and disambling, picked off a stray toy my kids left in the yard, that will learn em to pick up. I will probably do my stevens 410-22 next I want the gun to look nearly black so I will use more coats and dilagence. I do recall I forgot to steel wool between coats, will do this on the next one.

 

[spitfire]

Sounds good!I like to put RIG all over the finished blued parts and wrap in wax paper.I leave the parts wrapped for at least 24 hours.This returns lubricant to the denatured metal and stabizes the color of the bluing.Then clean and lube. :winking:

 

[buttonbuck]

what is RIG? I used hoppies #9 to oil the parts will this mess up the finish?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

what is RIG? I used hoppies #9 to oil the parts will this mess up the finish?

Hoppies #9 is a good cleaner. There are plenty of good gun oils and greases that are better rust preventives, RIG among them.

 

[spitfire]

RIG is a thick Lubricant used in BP originally.It is thick enough to cling to metal and penetrate it post blue.The Blueing process removes oil from the metal(denatures-this can make the metal fit rough and stiff in movement).Hoppe's 9# although a good cleaner doesn't really saturate the metal with oil.You could use CLP or TETRA oil and wrapsoak.I prefer RIG post blue from attending PCC Gunsmithing School.RIG is also good for long term storage of parts(Years).RIG also stabilizes the color. :winking:

 

[spitfire]

RIG stabilizes the Blueing by displacing any salts and water left in the metal.After soakwrap just clean and lube with method of choice.When I scrub a gun with choke n' carb cleaner I will treat it with Tetra Oil overnight also. :winking:

 

[crockett]

Brownell's sells cold blue by the gallon- sort of expensive. In any event, has anyone made a dip tube out of PVC, etc and filled with cold blue and then dipped in the barrel- seems like you would get a more even job but I am just supposin'-anybody acctually try this idea?
And... anyone know a cheap boiling tank source if you wanted to rust blue a barrel?

 

[Mossyrock]

I have used the dip method with Oxpho Blue on screws and other small parts up to the size of a rifle lever. It seems to work very well that way.

Finding a tank large enough to boil a barrel for rust bluing can be a problem! I am looking for one myself, and the only tank I have found is from Brownells for around $50 plus shipping! I am sure you could get one made locally for less than that, but I haven't found one yet. A stainless "mud pan" for sheetrock taping would be perfect, but I can't find one long enough. :cursing:

 

[LRB]

Buy a roll, or section of roof flashing, form a trough, crimp the ends well, and build a fire under it.

 

[Mossyrock]

Buy a roll, or section of roof flashing, form a trough, crimp the ends well, and build a fire under it.

That's one of my fall-back positions. My intent is to set the tank over the front two burners on the kitchen stove. Barring that, I am considering making a "trough" from PVC piping and instead of actually boiling the water in the tank, I will try boiling it in a seperate pot and pouring it on the rusted barrel. Sounds good in theory....