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Mossberg 590 SP rust/finish questions

DerBarbarianDerBarbarian Member Posts: 289 ✭✭
edited January 2018 in Ask the Experts
Hey guys, this is going to be a bit of a long post so bear with me per the title I have a Mossberg 590 Special Purpose with the stock heat shield, I grabbed it this afternoon to look it over over and I noticed a few small patches of surface rust on the barrel and under the heat shield.

Most of the spots are incredibly small we're talking like cast off from a drop of water, so the size of a small pin head at most; the 2 larger spots are about the size of the head of a small-medium nail or so. The small spots cleaned right off with some solvent, the 2 larger spots were a bit more stubborn so I used a tiny piece of Scotch-Brite along with some solvent to clean them up, they didn't pit the metal at all, you can run your finger over the area and it's completely smooth, but when you look at it under the light the 2 larger areas that were rusted now look like tiny black smudges on the metal, but as I mentioned the metal isn't pitted at all, so I'm wondering if that's normal? or if there's something more I need to do to it? The other question I have is, I think I may have used a little too rough of a grit of scotch-brite, as there's a barely noticeable difference in the color of the metal, the area as a whole is smaller than a dime.

With that being said, I believe the gun is blued, the barrel has a very reflective & smooth look/feel to it, from what I remember parkerized finishes are more of a dullish grey color and rough to the touch. So long story short I'm wondering if it's possible to touch the area up? Or if I'm going to be stuck having the entire thing re-blued? Sorry again about the long post, any info or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Comments

  • asphalt cowboyasphalt cowboy Member Posts: 8,904 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've used several cold blue solutions to try, operative word there Try, to hide scuffed/abraded areas with limited success. All, were still noticeable under close scrutiny and harsh lighting. Brownells Oxpho Blue and their 44/40 cold blue gave the best color results and durability.

    If you're insistent on perfection I would send it to Glenrock Blue to have it re-done.
    http://gunbluing.com/
  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Touch up bluing never really works 100%. Pin head size hides ok, nail head size will show in good light.

    De-grease the area. Warm the steel with a heat gun, apply your cold blue solution with a q-tip. A fresh sealed bottle, that has been well agitated and warm will work best. Let sit and work for a few minutes. Blot it off with clean dry cotton wipe. Re-apply several times, until it looks 'good'. Try not to have it run off the area you want to blue - it can damage good blue. When done wipe it clean with a water wet clean cloth gently. Use some heat to dry the area, then oil. Let it cure for a few days.

    Now you can rub new oil in harder or start over to try for darker match.

    Pick your poison. The last I used was the BC "Super Blue".
    https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=izxpWt-6Dc_sjwPLlLiwDQ&q=best+cold+blue&oq=best+cold+blue&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l5j0i22i30k1l5.3535313.3545622.0.3548193.22.17.3.0.0.0.204.2235.0j16j1.17.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..2.18.2050.0..35i39k1j0i131k1j0i20i264k1j0i13k1j0i13i30k1j0i8i13i30k1.0.DhPovwBT1pY

    My favorite finish is buffed, degreased, bead blasted degreased again, then hot salts followed by boiling hot water rinse, then immersed in an oil bath. The dripping oil wet parts are wrapped in newspaper and left alone for a week or two. Deep satin blue/black non shiny.
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A lot of foreign militaries/police use a spray painted, enamel? finish, over a parkerized surface.

    For a personal defense type firearm. That could see heavy use, and be exposed to inclement weather and rough handling. Probably be better, than any commercial finish.
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    In my opinion your mistake was the first sentence of your post SCOTCH BRIGHT should never be used on a firearm it will scratch the finish and be a place for rust to start what you should have used was KROIL to wet the surface and keep it wet for at least 24 hours then scrub it with BURLAP cold blue is also a poor idea sorry
  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 20,985 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you're gonna do the refinish job right I'd go NP3 or cerakote otherwise rattle can.

    So no pro-refinish. Then buy a clean used barrel or a new barrel.
  • DerBarbarianDerBarbarian Member Posts: 289 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by perry shooter
    In my opinion your mistake was the first sentence of your post SCOTCH BRIGHT should never be used on a firearm it will scratch the finish and be a place for rust to start what you should have used was KROIL to wet the surface and keep it wet for at least 24 hours then scrub it with BURLAP cold blue is also a poor idea sorry


    I realized my error pretty quickly, i thought that it was fine enough of a grit to where it wouldn't leave lasting marks on the barrel, unfortunately I was wrong, at the same time it's also why I did it very lightly on a small area of the barrel.

    As far as getting it re-blued professionally, it looks like that's going to run me about $300, and since the shotgun was only $350 NIB, it doesn't seem worth it. Even though touching it up may not yield the best results, I may still give it a shot, I figure it's not going to make it look any worse than it already does. Worst case since the receiver is still perfectly fine I can always buy a replacement barrel.
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    There was only one product that ever worked for me and sometimes it was better than great other times it hardly worked at all it goes by the name "Blue wonder"I don't know if it is available it was a 3 step process and the results depended on if you follow the instruction
    100% y0u need a small heater to get the metal too hot to touch but not so hot it would boil the liquid as soon as it touched the metal I have two or three barrels that really worked and then the next time I tried it [:(] A product Ballistol also works great on metal wood stocks and leather for both short and LONG term storage
  • DerBarbarianDerBarbarian Member Posts: 289 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
    A lot of foreign militaries/police use a spray painted, enamel? finish, over a parkerized surface.

    For a personal defense type firearm. That could see heavy use, and be exposed to inclement weather and rough handling. Probably be better, than any commercial finish.


    By a spray painted enamel do you mean like a clear coat, kinda like they do on cars to protect the paint?
  • asphalt cowboyasphalt cowboy Member Posts: 8,904 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by DerBarbarian
    quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
    A lot of foreign militaries/police use a spray painted, enamel? finish, over a parkerized surface.

    For a personal defense type firearm. That could see heavy use, and be exposed to inclement weather and rough handling. Probably be better, than any commercial finish.


    By a spray painted enamel do you mean like a clear coat, kinda like they do on cars to protect the paint?


    While clear coat does protect the paint on a car the main reason most use it is to give the color coat depth. To make it 'Pop' so to speak. For your application it will give rust protection but, it may also emphasize the scuffed areas making them more obvious. Also' just like bluing, any painted on finish is at risk for scratches, scuffs scrapes and it can flake if surface prep isn't just right.
    If you are considering a spray on finish the spray on bake on finishes bond better and are more durable.
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