Refinishing a barrel

[northdude]

Ive got a baikal target rifle she could do with a tidy up. After test shooting it to make sure its worth putting the time into want to reblue the barrel. It has rust and some minor pitting so a polish finish is out. Im thinking of soda blasting it and that should help hide the pitting by putting a slight texture on the barrel. Then ill try and reblue it. Is there anything special ill need to do to the metal before blueing as ill be using baking soda?

[Oldbloke]

Draw filling, then sanding should remove the pits if they are minor.

I have read you can get a decent blue by preheating/warming the metal then using cold blue compounds but no personal experience.

Have you thought about simply painting it with pot black?

Backing soda? What's that for?

[on_one_wheel]

Any oil, finger prints or marks will show so keep it clean as a whistle between applications will help.
And definitely use nitrite gloves.

[northdude]

Baking soda is used as a fine blast media.

[northdude]

Pits are a little bit deep to file out unless I go for a custom wobbly look to the barrel

[MtnMan]

Cerakote

[northdude]

So i blued the barrel today. It didnt quite go to plan, the soda blasting didnt work. Its more suited to fine work. I ended up sanding it back with wet and dry to a nice finish then put about 6 coats of blue on it. It came up pretty good as far as one of my bluing jobs goes. Ill have another look at it tomorrow as it says to leave it overnight oiled to let it cure

[Oldbloke]

So i blued the barrel today. It didnt quite go to plan, the soda blasting didnt work. Its more suited to fine work. I ended up sanding it back with wet and dry to a nice finish then put about 6 coats of blue on it. It came up pretty good as far as one of my bluing jobs goes. Ill have another look at it tomorrow as it says to leave it overnight oiled to let it cure

What was the blue?

[northdude]

Birchwood caseys cold blue liquid

[N.Field]

Birchwood caseys cold blue liquid

Any chance that you could post a photo showing how it turned out?

[northdude]

Its in my you tube whatever it is. Look for tony lakefield