thegreatmodel8.remingtonsociety.com

All, From time to time on our forum and others I see questions about restoration of older firearms. You may have one of our 8`s or 81`s that has as the saying goes " Been rode hard and put up wet" The just completed project is not an 8/81 but it is close. It is a Remington Model 11 made in 1924. This shotgun was pretty much inoperable and every square inch inside and out was covered with rust. It had gone way past what could be called patina but thankfully the pitting was not too deep. Took some photos of before and after to give you an idea of what is possible. Bare in mine no power equipment ,buffing wheels or hot tank bluing were used.

Before:

The After:

More After:

Hey Sarge,

What a great job on the restoration!! You certainly had a challenge and I can appreciate the effort it took to get it looking great. I think the model 11’s are great looking shotguns. That Browning look is certainly recognizable. Congratulations.

Kindest Regards,

jack1653

Great job Sarge, looks very good. I've restored some firearms without use of any power tools, takes a lot of patience and hard work. High fives and two thumbs up to ya!

Great work. Sarge.
Curious, what do you use for metal finish? I need GOOD one, & can't afford tanks burners, salt etc. for my small jobs...

Thanks for the good words Carl. If you are doing small parts all you need is an old pot to boil water in. The product I was going to suggest was Belgian Blue that is carried by Brownells and Midway. I`ve used several of the "rust blue" formulas and the Belgian blue seems to be the most forgiving. However,I got Sticker shock when I went to reorder some a few minutes ago. Last time I ordered it was $35 for a pint. Price has doubled since then(couple years ago) . It`s good stuff but that is a bit excessive. The alternative I would suggest ( I just ordered two pints from Brownells) is Mark Lee Express Blue #1. It is a little more aggressive than the Belgian formula and you need to neutralize it with soda bath when job is completed. I would have recommended Mark Lee Express regardless because for some alloys it works better than the Belgian formula. If you are doing a complete firearm you will need to get a long tank. The iron tanks are about $50 bucks at Brownells. I used a fish cooker propane burner for years until a bud built me a pipe burner about the length of the tank. Use less gas and it heats the water alot faster. Visit Brownells`s or Midway`s website and the instructions on how to use both products are there.Midway has a video with Larry Potterfield on rust bluing on their website. If you just want to give it a try to see if it is for you ,with small parts that`ll fit in a pot, Brownells has Mark Lee Express #1 in 4 ounce bottles for about $10.

Fantastic job on the restoration,all by hand is definitely a labour of love.

WOW, well done Sarge!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Sage Sarge, good detail. The small stuff sounds easier than I thought. Still I've several pieces longer needing finish for a restore as you have done. No $$ for tanks & heater.
By the way, what type of pot you use? heard stainless is not a great idea....
Just an idea, if you ever desire a different coating, try the Ceramecote. Had a Siamese Mauser in 45-70 done & I kinda like it. No rust worries, very scratch proof, just not gloss finish. Not really matte but can be if you choose.

Carl, It really is pretty easy with the small stuff. Stainless,aluminum or even an old iron pot work fine. To keep peace with "the boss" I moved my operation out of the kitchen and set up a camp stove that I keep for hurricanes. Been using and old pressure cooker bottom I bought at a garage sale for a few bucks for a pot. If you give it a try the most important step is the prep before you start applying the product. Polish with 320 grit wet/dry paper and then degrease completely....VERY Important. I use that stuff they sell at auto parts stores...Purple Power or similar.It is high alkali so beware. Soak it for awhile..rinse,scrub with dawn detergent...Rinse, then wipe it down with acetone,naptha or lacquer thinner. The test is when water sheens on entire surface with no beading... Did I mention that degreasing is Very Important? Handle it during the bluing process with degreased tools and oil free gloves . I use the throway cotton gloves ala Harbor Frieght.
Joe