Questions about rust-bluing, advice, how to, etc.

[Kaiser7 33]

So I built a Remington 870 Wingmaster from a receiver with just the trigger grouping and mag tube. The parts were all found online, and it ended up coming out pretty cool. However, the receiver (and to a much lesser extent, the mag tube) really don't have much bluing left.

 

Given the nature of this gun being one which I assembled myself, I sort of want to keep with the project, and rust-blue it myself. I saw on reddit some guy did it with a really roached double-barrel he bought, and it came out really nice.

 

Now, I know the basic procedure is to remove the old bluing and rust using acetic acid (vinegar). Then you wipe it down and place it into a humid room, such as a bathroom with the shower running for a minute or two. Then you boil the gun in distilled water, wipe it down, and repeat to build up a thick coat of Iron (II) Oxide. Then, use a fine wire brush to scuff it up a bit, and then rub it down with linseed oil (I've also read to soak it in mineral oil afterwards).

 

The barrel is brand new, so I don't really need to do that, mainly the receiver and action bars need to be blued. But I wanted to ask if this is the correct way, and if there's any advice you guys may have. 

 

Also, do you guys think I should keep the stock blond? I sort of like it, but wasn't sure if a deep reddish stain would look nice.

 

 

 

[GRIZ 3,369]

Kaiser, what you describe sounds more like browning than rust bluing to me. You need some type of solution to make the blue color. I've done rust bluing in the past and used Herter's Belgian Blue which is still available from Brownells. I think if you do it the way you described you're just going to wind up with a rusty receiver. You also need to realize that rust bluing comes out blue not the oxide black finish we usually call blue. It will look very different than the barrel and I don't know of you want that.

 

If you are bluing you don't want to use anything on the metal like oil until the end as that will screw up the bluing process. The instructions sent with the Belgian Blue are easy to follow and you can safely do it on the kitchen stove.

 

if you want the finish to match the barrel your best bet is to call Remington ask see how much they charge to do this. Surface prep is everything when bluing and they do this at Remington daily. It may be a bargain compared to doing it yourself.

 

Hot water bluing is required with old double guns. Many had the barrels soft soldered together and if you subject them to higher heat used in many modern processes the barrels will come apart.

[Kaiser7 33]

Oops. I forgot to mention the part where I wipe it down with a bluing agent (Currently looking at Pilkington's classic blue)

 

I'm not too worried if the barrel and receiver don't exactly match. It'll probably look better than the way the receiver currently looks. Besides, this is just a HD barrel. Couldn't find an 18" made by Remington, so, ironically, I have a mossberg barrel on this. When I get a sporting barrel, I'll just get a blued one.

 

It's a project gun, so really I just want to practice this stuff on it, learn from some mistakes, etc. etc.

[GRIZ 3,369]

Follow the instructions from the manufacturer and you should be okay. I've dabbled in doing my own bluing. Herters Belgian Bluing sounds a little easier.

[Old School 611]

I understand your desire to "DIY". But for less than it cost you to do it right I think you can send it out an have it hot blued. I use East Coast Bluing in Goshen, NY reasonable and decent work. BTW. The hot bluing will be more durable.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vlad G 345]

Have you considered using  bake on finish? You could get it ceracoated or do some of the equivalent at home treatments.

 

Personally I don't like bluing on guns that get used a lot as it scratches, still rust, wears out, etc. Plus it looks to me like you have some pitting here and there on a receiver which doesn't really matter but aesthetically  they bake on finish my hide them better.

[302w 83]

I was pretty happy with using electrolysis to clean up my barrel. I bought a 26" POS Express barrel that was rusty and nasty to cut, and made a ghetto electrolysis tank to clean it up with and then I used cold blue. It isn't a showpiece by far, but it matches my Express receiver pretty well. I would think it would hold you over for awhile. 

 

Do you have a shotgun build thread? I'm curious.