re-finishing an orig Rugar 10-22

[tstex]

Gentlemen,

Now that I have the rifle apart, I wanted to get your advice on the process, tools and materials required to refinish my 10-22. It was purchased in 95, walnut stock and standard barrel finish. I can fully finish the stock, but was targeting your advice on the metal parts.

There are some rough spots [to where the finish is scratched and slight rust appeared] and I would like to remove all of these and provide the rifle with a nice finish. My goal is not to make it look perfect and shelf it, but to get her back to looking good for future usage.

Thank you very much for your experience and help.

Regards,
tstex

 

[rugerguy]

the rifle barrel can be polished out, all the old finish removed and being they are on the 'short' side most any gun shop that does 'bluing' could do a 'dip' for you as long as you prep the metal ( polish it out) remove the sights, front and rear.......as for the receiver, they are an aluminum alloy so need to be reanodised or just a good spray coating , yes, even a flat black, high temp ,engine paint would work...some of the spray on finishes can be "set" ( hardened or cured) by placing in an oven for say a half hour or so....makes the finish a bit more durable...............
easiest way to polish out the barrel is to place the barrel in a well padded bench vise and using pieces of emery paper, medium and fine are about all you would need, rear off long strips of the emery paper about 1 inch wide, the length of the paper sheet, and like you would be shoe shining a shoe, just pull up and down around the barrel, the full length, when you get close to the vise, remove the barrel and put the 'other' end in and continue.......when you get all the old finish of and the surface rust as well, start to "lighten up with your strokes and go to the "finer" paper.....wipe off the finish job with a piece of 3M Scotchbrite pad and wipe it down real good, wrapped around the barrel and this will 'subdue" the finish so it is NOT too brite & shiny ( un
less you want it that way) ....very easy and simple to do this job......the cost of the "dip" will depend on just what the shop may charge at any given time, and do NOT leave the polished barrel laying around, as it will start to "oxidize" ( rust) overnight...you can wipe if down with a bit of oil on a rag.
remember to be careful when taking out and putting in the sights, use a non metallic punch so as to NOT "mar" the sight body nor the barrel finish around it...neatness counts :wink:

If you do not have a gun shop around you that does bluing, there may be a shop that does 'industrial black oxide' they charge by the pound, but do NOT do any gunsmithing ,ONLY blacken the parts, and yes this black oxide will match the Ruger finish pretty well. :wink: