I have a 32 long Ctg that needs help. Mechanically it’s good, cosmetically it’s rough. Staining all over, rust and light to medium pitting. I would like to know of any gun smiths who can do this project and give me back a GOOD looking blued gun. Thanks

While there's only so much you can do with pitting, I would contact Mike Allee at Gunsmithing Only. Email - [email protected]. Website - GunsmithingOnly.

He is a wizard at restoration type of work and has a portfolio of some pretty amazing work.

Fords in Crystal River Florida

Glenrock Blue in Glenrock Wyoming has done some very nice work for me on a couple of Smiths.

There are few true masters of polishing metal, and 95% of a great blue job is in the polishing.
Most people look at how shiny and dark the color is. Even a botch job will be shiny and dark.
To determine how good a blue job is look UNDER the blue at the metal.

A bad blue job will have edges and transition areas that should be sharp and well defined that are rounded off and blurred.
Flat areas and barrels will have ripples in them.
Holes will be dished out.
In general it'll have a bar of soap "soft" look.

The cause of this is people who don't do enough metal polishing to obtain and maintain the hand skills, or who simply don't have the skills.
A real professional will be polishing 8 hours a day 5 days a week.
Second reason is polishers who don't use the correct equipment.
As example, a good polisher will use HARD wheels that are 8 inches or more in diameter and stacked on the spindle to widths of 6 inches or more.
He'll use special shaped polishing tools for areas like inside the trigger guard or on cylinder flutes, and these will usually be specific to a particular model or brand of gun.

Using soft wheels allows the wheel to dig in and cause the above problems.

These days you can get GOOD bluing or you can get cheap bluing.... choose ONE.
Even botch job bluing is expensive these days.

Here's some of the true professionals who have the skills of a Master polisher.

Professional Gunsmith - Accurate Plating & Weaponry | Cogan Custom
Possibly the best all around metal finisher. They don't offer a Colt Royal Blue type mirror polish.

Glenrock Blue
Possibly the best bluing operation. Many top custom gunsmiths used them when they want the absolutely finest quality blue job. They offer a true mirror polish finish.

Ron's Gun Shop - New & Used Gun Sales & Service. Concealed Carry
A top restoration service.

I would also list Doug Turnbull but I'm not sure they still do revolvers.

Home - Custom Shop
They are NOT affiliated with Colt or the Colt Custom Shop. They also do S&W revolvers and probably other brands also.

Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing | Crystal River, FL *********
There are questions about Ford's quality of work today.
They used to have a fine reputation but about a year or so ago several members of the Colt Forum sent Pythons to them for refinishing and one gun to have the stamps renewed.
They got back totally RUINED guns that looked like they'd been polished with a fist full of sand paper.
The stamp renewal job literally looked like a kid with an electric pencil did it.
Story was Ford's had hired a new worker and he was a gun butcher.
No word on whether this was a temporary anomaly or whether it's been corrected.
So, until I get some feedback on current work I will not recommend Ford's.

Thank you for the excellent re-bluing resource list!

Ive just had a rusty and pitted USFA .45 re-done at Fords and i'm very satisfied with their work. I was worried that the lettering wouldnt come through in good shape but it's fine. Turn around time was almost exactly 13 weeks (their initial estimate) and cost for the work was 400.00 for their highest polishing level.

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Turnbull and Tyler Gun Works are incredible at what they do.

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Jorge

I will vouch for Bobby Tyler at Tyler gun works, have used him twice, bith times first rate.

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shrade