Bluing and Refinishing

We are happy to work with you on your gun refinishing needs, whatever they might be. Whether fixing up a family favorite, finishing a custom build or sprucing up your hunting rifle, we welcome the opportunity to work with you on your project.  

Because a quality firearm finish depends on the proper preparation and treatment of the metal, we take a number of important steps during the restoration process to ensure bluing of the highest quality.

Prior to polishing, we completely disassemble your firearm and strip any remaining finish. We remove all rust and then perform a combination of hand-polishing and wheel polishing as appropriate to the firearm. As we polish, we work from lower to higher grits until we reach the appropriate finish level, taking great care during the polishing process to ensure that original lettering, engraving and proofmarks are not washed out.  Our expanded bluing-tank system provides a deep, high-quality bluing, as all parts are run through multiple pre- and post-bluing tanks.

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Finish Types 

Standard Finish – We polish the metal to a 400-grit finish prior to bluing for a semi-gloss finish.  This is an equivalent or better polish than most standard factory blued finishes, such as Winchester M70 rifles and 1911 pistols.

Custom Polish Finish – We hand polish the metal to a 400-grit finish with a lengthwise hand polish. This is a great custom look for your custom rifle.

Custom Satin Finish – We polish the metal to a 400-grit finish, bead blast with aluminum oxide media and then wire-wheel after blasting and prior to bluing.  Another good non-glare finish with a softer sheen than the standard matte finish.

Deluxe Finish – We polish the metal to a 600-1200-grit finish prior to bluing for a high gloss finish. This finish is appropriate on classic Smith & Wesson revolvers and older Sako rifles.

Master Finish – We hand polish the metal to a 2000 grit finish for a mirror-like finish.  This is a very high gloss finish reminiscent of Weatherby Mark V rifles and Colt Pythons.

Blue Dip – We run your self-prepared parts through the tanks.  You will need to completely prepare your metal prior to sending.  See the FAQ section for important information on our dip service requirements.

Slow Rust Blue – We polish the metal to a 400-grit finish, then blue the firearm by using the traditional hand-application method.  The result is a durable, traditional slow-rust blue sheen.  This finish is necessary on soft-soldered double-barrels and ribs, as soft-solder will not withstand the hot bluing process.

Parkerizing – We use a glass-bead abrasive to blast the metal, then parkerize the metal in the traditional method.  The result can be a range of matte greys, from light to dark, depending on the hardness and quality of the metal.  This approximates utilitarian military finishes.

Nitre Bluing – We high-polish the metal and hand blue the parts at very high temperatures.  This results in a variety of colors, from straw to bright blue.  This technique is specifically utilized only on small parts, and serves as a traditional accent.

Cerakote – This is a highly durable ceramic-based coating that is sprayed on and baked.  We polish the metal to a 400-grit finish, then bead blast with aluminum oxide prior to Cerakote application.

A variety of Cerakote colors are available standard in our shop, including Flat Dark Earth, O.D. Green, Savage Stainless, Tungsten Gray, and Graphite Black.  Custom colors are available for an additional $50 per color.  We can do multiple colors on separate component parts of a firearm for an additional $50.  See www.cerakoteguncoatings.com for more information on Cerakote.