Originally Posted by keith
Originally Posted by dogon
Call Kirk Merrington and ask him. The labor is the largest part of any project, the bluing costs will depend on the hours needed for the polishing prep work. This day & age I would say the low side would be $500.00 with a high of around $1000.00 + or - for the bore clean-up & complete rust blue.

I looked, but couldn't find anyplace where the OP said the bores needed a clean-up. A freckled, but not pitted surface would likely require minimal polishing. The total cost of materials for rust bluing a single set of double barrels (once you have the boiling tank, burner, damp box, etc.) is typically less than $10.00 to $12.00 for the chemicals, abrasives, steel wool, etc.. Most of the cost is in the hand labor for removing the old finish, polishing, applying rusting solution, boiling, carding, etc.

I do my own rust bluing, so haven't checked prices for quite a while. There are a number of practitioners who list their price on the internet. It seems that nowadays, prices start at around $250- $300.00 and go to around $400.00 for a standard finish, which would typically be a polish no finer than 320 grit. So it appears that John Roberts estimate was right in the ballpark. Naturally, there will be additional cost for dent removal, repairing loose ribs, or a higher level of polish. And it will cost more to properly prepare and blue a high grade gun that has engraved breeches and other detail that must be preserved. It would be wise to do some research and/or get references to make certain that you do not hire some jack-ball who would power buff lettering or engraving, and ruin your barrels.

There are a few practitioners who make some wild claims. A couple said that slow rust bluing is "a lost art." It certainly is not a lost art. Lots of folks do it, but there is a bit of a learning curve. It is more efficient, thus cheaper, to blue several sets at a time. It does get tougher to achieve a glossy finish. In fact, many say that is impossible, and a total waste of time to polish beyond 320 grit. And it gets harder (and more expensive) to properly do Damascus with the correct color and contrast. As with all aspects of gunsmithing, some practitioners are better than others. There are some who do not list a price, and you must request a quote.

I stand corrected after re-reading the original post. I would think $500.00 would be on the high side for a good polish clean-up & re-blue.