Rebluing, Parkerizing, DuraCoating, and general refinishing

[Squirt239]

As some of you know, I recently opened up my own shop out of my house refinishing firearms. This has been a real dream come true for me to be able to see some really great older firearms come in to fix and/or refinish.

However:

What people don't understand is how labor intensive rebluing a firearm is. So I feel it is my responsibility to explain the process, and why it costs so much to do! A firearm cannot just be dipped and given back to a person. If the barrel, receiver, etc has any sort of blemishes, it has to be filed, stoned and polished. If that is not done, the bluing will magnify any imperfection. So, if any of you decide to have your granddaddy's ole shotgun redone, please be prepared to pay a hefty price for the time spent prepping the piece. And that's just it...it's all about the prep work.

If you just want a shooter, and not care about how pretty it is, why not have it parkerized or duracoated? It's a solid finish and will prevent any future rust!!!

Here's my theory:

Why spend 200 or more bucks on a firearm that is only worth 200? Yes, I understand a firearm having some sentimental value, but then again, if it has such sentiment, you probably won't want to get rid of it, right? Get it fixed, shoot it and enjoy it!!!

Again, it's your firearm, but please consider ALL options!!!

Mods, please don't consider this an advertisement...just trying to educate those that peruse this forum!!!

 

[IndyGunworks]

I did bluing out of my house for a short time as well, and all i found is that most people once they saw the quote for restoring a firearm to a high polish original finish were unwilling to pay for what it took to get it done. Most would opt to just have the gun blasted and a matte blue applied. It really irked me that i was altering the original condition of so many older firearms i stopped doing it.

this decision was coupled with the winter months and the cold did something to my blueing salts that created little flakes that didnt redissolve and would land on the part in the tank preventing that spot from blueing. the tanks also leached out because they were older and i blasted them clean allowing the salts to leach out more freely.

when i blue from my shop again, i will have an indoor controlled environment dedicated to it.

you also have to add the cost of dissasembly and reassembly into the mix. Some firearms when taken all the way down can take well over an hour just to get back together correctly. then you add the cost of ammo and time to take it to the range for a test fire.

here are a few of my before and afters.

this job cost around 450 bucks and i still didnt make my shop wage on it. I had over 20 hours in prepwork alone, not including the cost of blueing, or the replacement firing pin i had to fit. (was oversized alot and i dont know why)

this was a 375 dollar job.

 

[Squirt239]

IndyGunWorks: Good to hear there is someone else out there that understands what I'm saying!!! I recently refinished 2 old top break 32s. Granted, it was for a family member, but I had almost 6 hours a piece on stoning and polishing. 6 hours...a piece...12 hours...can you imagine what it would've cost them if I would've charged labor??? You probably could've gone out and bought a dozen of them, in good condition :-)

 

[tolle house]

I understand exactly how much time this takes. I would probably never do for payment but man do i kike the outcome when i have finished one for myself. I am a do it yourselfer.

 

[us_agent]

What a night and day difference!

 

[CandRFan]

Would it be possible to ball-park the cost of re-Parkerizing a M1 Carbine? I've got an import marked Inland that I want to have restored. The metal is actually in pretty good condition and the stock is beat to heck.