Has anyone intentionally removed the case colors from a shotgun receiver to intentionally turn it into a bright surface?

I am contemplating buying a sidelock that I would prefer to have in dull silver finish rather than the case colors it now has.

If someone has done this I would appreciate learning how they did it.

thank you

I do it regularly. It is quite easy. I use lapping compound on a soft cotton rag and rub lightly. It does not take much to remove the colors. The whole unit must be thoroughly cleaned afterward. Not complicated, but time consuming.

Scotchbrite,,the maroon or gray colored pads will leave a nice finish.
A fine wire wheel will make quick work of it. Coat the surface with oil first and use light pressure and you'll have that nice 'burnished' look.

Any chemical that removes bluing will remove case colors. But disassembly, dunking, rinsing, oiling and reassembly is required.

The others are less messy and time consuming. You can leave colors on the inside and protected areas with them too if you want to.

You can protect engraving from most "wash-out" by using a stiff backer behind a very thin abrasive carrying cloth or paper and using light pressure. Directionally, courser grit is duller and fine grit is more shiny.

DDA

When you get the color off could you mail it to me? I would kill to have nice colors on the polished action of the gun I'm working on now.
CHAZ

Gnonon
I have taken a gu that had limited CC in a few spots. Hit it with glass beads the finished with clear finish. Makes a nice "in the white" finish

Jerry

dif ernt strokes fer dif ernt folks...guess hits ok, so long as you do hit rat!

Give your hero Barack Obama a few more years and he will remove the case colors along with the whole gun. End of problem.

The fine, green Puma knife polish will do it. I generally use a small muslin wheel on a dremel tool. A stiff backed pad might be better as advised above for flat surfaces, but will be no help if you have deep relief engraving. Start with absolutely fine polish--it doesn't take much, and I would be afraid anything coarser would just make more work (and damage?) to finely polish it out. Storing it in direct sunlight will erase, but not polish it over the years, but you'll likely not wait around for that!...Steve

Thank you for all the constructive help!

If I get the gun I'll keep it a while until I'm certain I really do want to remove the case color, then will try some very fine abrasive as suggested.

Hoof - Do you want any specific color or would you like them all?

Try rust and blue remover .Then polish or brush as you see fit .This should take it out of any engraving and all those awkward nooks and crannies .

I have heard that silverware polish will remove case colors. It might be easier to handle than liquids.

IMO: Just about any abrasive cleaner will remove case color. I learned the hard way that Flitz will readily remove it several years ago. Since then I've been very careful when working on a case colored gun.
Jim