Cost of getting guns reblued

BrittB · November 7, 2011, 12:08 AM

I'm considering getting a couple of guns refinished. I know that this won't increase their value but the guns mean something to me. What is the average cost for a revolver and an average cost for a rifle. These would be quaility jobs that would reflect how guns use to be from the factory, not the current cheesy stuff some of them are doing nowadays.

mapsjanhere · November 7, 2011, 08:20 AM

The blueing part is cheap, it's the prep that has open ended cost. I had a rifle (barrel and receiver) lightly bead blasted and blued for a mat finish, cost was $75. The quote for "shiny deep blue" was more than double. If you do all the polishing and want just the dip, you can probably get a decent job for $50.

Don P · November 7, 2011, 08:30 AM

Look here for prices. This shop is known for top quality work.
www.fordsguns.com

Dfariswheel · November 7, 2011, 07:42 PM

Since 95% of a good blue job is the hand polishing and the people who can do quality polishing don't work for minimum wage, the cost is rather high for good work.

A gun may be dark blue and shiny but a ham-handed polisher will ruin a gun by rounding off sharp edges, dishing out holes, and leaving ripples in the flats.
A professional job will look like a factory job.
How shiny you want it affects the price since shinier requires much more polishing than a factory job.

You can have quality work or you can have cheap work.... pick one.
Here's a list of the best re-finishers. Each offer different options and pricing.
Usually, the cheapest is the "factory polish" which looks like what the factories used to use.

http://www.apwcogan.com/

http://www.fordsguns.com/

http://www.gunbluing.com/

http://www.elitecustomguns.com/index1.htm

There are others, but the above are known in the industry as being the top.

James K · November 7, 2011, 09:18 PM

The biggest mistake most reblue shops make is to believe all the old stuff about a "mirror finish" and "deep black blue." Neither is necessarily bad, but most factory* finishes are nowhere a "mirror" and trying to make them that way will not look right.

*OK, Weatherby and some others are exceptions.

Jim

Scorch · November 8, 2011, 12:39 PM

Different shops charge different prices, but in this area you would be looking at $150-ish for the rifle and $180-ish for the revolver. If the gun is disassembled, polished, and ready to blue, they will charge you $75-$100 just to blue it. If anyone is offering to do it for less, they are cutting corners somewhere, and I would recommend you go elsewhere. If they want much more than that, I would want to see some of their work to verify that the quality delivered justifies the asking price.

November 7, 2011, 12:08 AM	#1
BrittB Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2011 Location: Oregon Posts: 554	Cost of getting guns reblued I'm considering getting a couple of guns refinished. I know that this won't increase their value but the guns mean something to me. What is the average cost for a revolver and an average cost for a rifle. These would be quaility jobs that would reflect how guns use to be from the factory, not the current cheesy stuff some of them are doing nowadays.

November 7, 2011, 08:20 AM	#2
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	The blueing part is cheap, it's the prep that has open ended cost. I had a rifle (barrel and receiver) lightly bead blasted and blued for a mat finish, cost was $75. The quote for "shiny deep blue" was more than double. If you do all the polishing and want just the dip, you can probably get a decent job for $50. __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

November 7, 2011, 08:30 AM	#3
Don P Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Swamp dweller Posts: 6,187	Look here for prices. This shop is known for top quality work. www.fordsguns.com __________________ *NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer, ICORE Range Officer, ,MAG 40 Graduate* *As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.*

November 8, 2011, 12:39 PM	#6
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Different shops charge different prices, but in this area you would be looking at $150-ish for the rifle and $180-ish for the revolver. If the gun is disassembled, polished, and ready to blue, they will charge you $75-$100 just to blue it. If anyone is offering to do it for less, they are cutting corners somewhere, and I would recommend you go elsewhere. If they want much more than that, I would want to see some of their work to verify that the quality delivered justifies the asking price. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

November 7, 2011, 07:42 PM	#4
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Since 95% of a good blue job is the hand polishing and the people who can do quality polishing don't work for minimum wage, the cost is rather high for good work. A gun may be dark blue and shiny but a ham-handed polisher will ruin a gun by rounding off sharp edges, dishing out holes, and leaving ripples in the flats. A professional job will look like a factory job. How shiny you want it affects the price since shinier requires much more polishing than a factory job. You can have quality work or you can have cheap work.... pick one. Here's a list of the best re-finishers. Each offer different options and pricing. Usually, the cheapest is the "factory polish" which looks like what the factories used to use. http://www.apwcogan.com/ http://www.fordsguns.com/ http://www.gunbluing.com/ http://www.elitecustomguns.com/index1.htm There are others, but the above are known in the industry as being the top.

November 7, 2011, 09:18 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The biggest mistake most reblue shops make is to believe all the old stuff about a "mirror finish" and "deep black blue." Neither is necessarily bad, but most factory* finishes are nowhere a "mirror" and trying to make them that way will not look right. *OK, Weatherby and some others are exceptions. Jim