Finish

[blindpig]

I've an old Hopkins & Allen 12 Gauge single shot shotgun my brother-in-law was discarding. Think he got it in a bunch of garage sale stuff.To say it had been mistreated would be an understatement,the butt stock was rotting off at the bottom,the trigger guard is badly pitted as are smaller areas on the receiver and to top it all off the barrel had been used as a pry bar (probably could shoot around corners LOL). We decided to see if a 50 cal. muzzle loader barrel we had could replace the pry bar and if that worked I'd replace the stock and fore arm.It did and I have.
I'd like to remove the finish on the metal parts(the barrel is blue/black and the receiver sort of faded brown)and replace it with a blue or brown finish.
A problem with this is I don't think all the pits can be worked down on the receiver and the trigger guard would be paper thin by the time I'd smoothed out all the blemishes
Is there a repair material that would fill the pits and be the same color as the surrounding metal after applying the finish?
Would blue or brown be more forgiving in this case?
I know this is a weird project but am retired and having fun ...
Will appreciate any suggestions....
Thanks,
Don

[Old Stony]

Browning the parts would be much more forgiving. To blue properly you should polish first and this just accentuates the pits and bad spots. As an alternative, you could bead blast and then blue this would produce a matte finish and help hide imperfections.

[Roughedge]

You can sand the pits and remove a little and the rest give it character. I find it easier to do a rust blue than the brown.Post some pics when you finish it.

[guncrank]

You can fill the pits with some filler
and use a applied finish

Bondo and spray paint
Durafill and Durakote

To a high temp solder and Cerrokote

[blindpig]

I appreciate y'alls reply's and got to thinking that trying to smooth out all the blemishes on the receiver would be a losing battle so after reading the replies decided to bring the barrel down to more or less match the receiver,(adding to the character,thanks for the idea Roughedge) also went for Browning(thanks Oldstony) using Captchee's Clorox bleach technique. Might have to further adjust the barrel color a little later if it doesn't darken some.
Here's a pic:


Somehow this seemed better than tossing the old gun IMHO......

[PetahW]

.

In over 50 years, I've never seen a break-open shotgun with the buttstock at such a severe downward angle.



.

[semi_problomatic]

I thought it was just hanging on with electrical tape...

[blindpig]

PetahW, you are right but it ain't a shotgun anymore,it's a 50 caliber muzzle loading rifle and I sort of made the stock to fit me as I ain't as limber as I once was.

[oneoldsap]

Looks like , as long as it doesn't blow up in your face , you're good to go . That is indeed some SERIOUS drop in that stock , you must have a very stiff neck .