[Sgt. Slaughter]

I have a Remington Model 11 I picked up at a pawn shop. It functions beautifully but is definitely showing its 80 or so years. Here is a link to a previous post:

http://www.shootersforum.com/shotgu...ell-reloading/81171-remington-model-11-a.html

After watching several youtube videos and reading several threads about cold bluing, I have come to understand that preparing the metal will be key to a decent finish. However, I am not sure what will be the best way to get a properly prepared surface. i have seen someone use various kinds of steel wool and others use various grits of automotive sandpaper. Any thoughts on the best way to prep this old girl?

 

[Shawn Crea]

Sgt., as I mentioned (maybe in not the same words) in the thread you linked, bluing pitted metal - if it's pitted - probably won't leave you very satisfied, cold or hot-blued. If it is in that condition, focus on making the wood pretty, and get function reliable, but 0000 steel wool and metal rubbed with gun oil (stocks removed) will get blemishes off and will look better. After a good thorough solvent clean/scrub of disassembled action, of course, and checking for damaged parts. Don't overdo the scrubbing with the steel wool.

A gunsmith in town here who has since long passed, never liked the cold blue, but would use it if customers insisted.

 

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Shawn, I realize it's not going to look perfect but after a little preliminary work with steel wool a lot of the corrosion has come off and there doesn't appear to be much serious pitting. I'm not looking to make the gun valuable, but simply for a project in my budget. I'm a poor student just looking to get my hands dirty.

 

[Shawn Crea]

Continue on your course, Sgt. Getting a rough well-built shotgun in good working order and better protected - not necessarily pretty - is always a good undertaking.

 

[BKeith]

You most likely will never get the metal looking good by hand. A bench mounted buffer and a number of different compounds will be required to prep it for any kind of bluing. Once the metal is prepped, you can cold blue it, there are a couple of the newer ones that will look ok, but will not give you what you are really going to be looking for after all the work getting the metal ready. Deep pits you will have to live with, try taking those out and you could make a dangerous gun.

Anything you spend on it in the way of a professional blue, Parkerizing or Ceracoat is going to cost way more than the gun itself would ever be worth.

I know they make a Ceracoat that can be applied cold, but again, the stuff is kind of expensive. I also think the make a Parkerizing that you can do yourself, again, not sure about the cost. Cold blue you can buy for just a few dollars.

Find a parts store than sells battery acid and get about a gallon, make you a two small, long wooden trays that will hold the barrel and action, line the trays with a sheet of plastic so it's water tight. Pour the battery acid in one an put some water with baking soda in the other. Dip the parts in it for battery acid for several minutes and then in the water/soda. Rinse with warm water. It will take all the old blue and lot of the rust and other crap off. If you are not ready to apply your finish, you will need to spray them with oil/WD40 or something to prevent rust. They will start to rust almost immediately. Buff the parts or rub with 0000 steel wool to get the dull finish off if you plan to cold blue

For the wood, get some Tru-oil