Media blasting a Springfield 67 shotgun

[WickedSharp]

I'm going to take a whack at refinishing my Dad's shotgun. I want to give it a flat Duracoat finish. I have a LOT of detail stripping to do first, but wanted to talk about media blasting with you experts.

I have an air compressor and a Craftsman ceramic tip sand blaster (I just ordered two replacement tips for it). I also have about 25lbs of Black Beauty coal slag media. I am pretty sure it is "fine" based on the job I originally purchased it for (I stripped the paint/rust off the baseboard heaters in my finished basement).

Can I use the Black Beauty to strip the old bluing off the shotgun instead of buying aluminum oxide? There is very very minimal surface rust on the gun too.

 

[Wildweasel]

I would use aluminum oxide. but since you have the BB try it on a spot where you won't see it (under the handguard) and see how rough it is. you just need a little tooth, not a rough surface.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Black Beauty is aggressive as hell. I've spent many hours at a bead blasting cabinet and can tell you from first hand experience that if you plan to have any sort of smoothe finish, DO NOT use straight black beauty media in your blaster and be extra careful around any serial numbers or other markings you want to preserve.

Find a supply of finer glass beads and test it to establish the minimum distance to the work to remove what finish is on there or use walnut hull or other softer media. Straight black beauty slag will ruin your day and your gun if you are not careful.

I've used black beauty to reshape hardened steel rivet heads.....its THAT aggressive.

You've been warned.

 

[lsbbigdog]

Black Beauty is aggressive as hell. I've spent many hours at a bead blasting cabinet and can tell you from first hand experience that if you plan to have any sort of smoothe finish, DO NOT use straight black beauty media in your blaster and be extra careful around any serial numbers or other markings you want to preserve.

Find a supply of finer glass beads and test it to establish the minimum distance to the work to remove what finish is on there or use walnut hull or other softer media. Straight black beauty slag will ruin your day and your gun if you are not careful.

I've used black beauty to reshape hardened steel rivet heads.....its THAT aggressive.

You've been warned.

+1 on the BB .I wouldn't use it either it's way too coarse. Get yourself some 120grt alumn oxide a few local places sell it and it's pretty cheap and Midway also sells it . That's what Dura-coat recommends anyways. Makes it just rough enough to bite in but produces a nice finish. I believe bead blasting will leave the surface too smooth for the Dura-coat to adhere properly.
I've Dura-coated 4 hand guns all prep to their specs and never had an issue.

 

[appraiser]

you might as well hit it with a grinder with a 36 grit disc on it if you are going to use BB.

There are much finer materials, including soda blasting, that will leave you with a finish ready surface

Check out Dawson McDonald in Wilmington... they have all the blasting media you'll ever need.

 

[WickedSharp]

Thanks guys. Thats what I needed to hear.
I actually picked up the BB at Dawson McDonald last year. I'll just head back over there for the Aluminum Oxide.

Thanks again.

 

[appraiser]

a quick search said 60 to 120 grit aluminum oxide is what they say for prep, but they also said it will adhere to bluing or parkerizing.

Unless you have pitting, consider just hand sanding the areas where there is surface rust with 220 wet/dry paper, then dust in those areas to build them up to the level of the rest of the existing finish... just like priming a scratch on a car, let it dry for an hour then coat the whole thing.

Acetone... lots and lots of acetone to clean any oil off the surface and wear rubber or latex gloves when you handle it to keep fingerprints and oil off the part prior to spraying

 

[lsbbigdog]

+1 for Dawson McDonald in Wilmington. I went there to buy almn Ox and didn't need a whole 50lb bag. The guy behind the counter came back with a damaged bag missing about 20% of the media. He taped it up and said "no charge".