Rust Bluing Fine Firearms

Craig Blankenship
Parker Side By Side. Rust Blued By Craig’s Outdoor Sports Using Mark Lee #1 Rust Blue.

Rust Bluing fine firearms is an old process with superior results. It is a labor intensive process but it produces a very durable and appealing finish. The process starts with disassembling, cleaning, and polishing the firearm. Any shortcuts in cleaning and polishing naturally will negatively impact the end result. When the firearm has been adequately polished it is then warmed and the bluing applied. The parts are then put in boiling water for about 5 minutes. After removing from the water the firearm is carded and the process is repeated for as many times as necessary to get the depth of blue desired. This process can be used on firearms that have soldered parts, such as the barrels on side by side shotguns since this process uses less heat than hot bluing processes.

The product that we use at Craig’s Outdoor Sports is Mark Lee #1 Rust Blue. This is a reliable product which produces an appealing and durable finish to your firearm. This product is non toxic and contains no mercury making it a safer choice for bluing fine rifles and shotguns.

Example of rust bluing side by side barrels on a Parker shotgun.

While this is not rocket science, rust bluing fine firearms with this process is rather labor intensive. A minimum of 4-6 coats will be required and you can expect at least a half a day’s labor to get the results you desire. All guns blued in our shop exhibit a high degree of luster and shine.

The Rust Bluing process being performed. This is on a rifle barrel but the process for a side by side shotgun is the same.

The cost of getting a firearm rust blued at Craig’s Outdoor Sports starts at 150.00. Deep rust pits, blemishes, etc. will add to the cost at a rate of $35.00 per hour to prepare the metal for a fine rust blued finish.

For more information on Mark Lee’s Products go to https://markleesupplies.com/

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