need to refinish 1970's 870 wingmaster in a colt royal blue

Intense preparation and polishing. Don't know about the bluing process. That pistol was a Colt 01911 WWI reproduction, that the owner sent to Colt's Custom Shop. Pick up the phone and call Colt, and ask if the Custom Shop will do it, or could recommend another finisher. I know there's a guy that a lot of people have recommended on various gun forms, but I can't recall the name offhand. Might do a Google search for firearm refinishing.

The only real difference between the Colt Royal Blue and other blues is in the level of polishing done to the metal before the bluing process.
The actual chemicals and the tank system is more or less the same as everyone else uses.

To get that deep, glossy "wet look" bluing requires polishing the steel with finer and finer grits of polishing media, far beyond what other blue jobs go to.
Colt says that the final polish media for the Royal Blue finish is the consistency of flour.
The problem with doing that level of polish is that during all the polishing you have to keep all the surfaces true without rounding off edges that should be sharply defined, dishing out holes, and leaving ripples in the flats.

That requires very large diameter HARD polishing wheels and a true master polisher with years of experience.
Most any amateur who attempts that level of polish hasn't done enough polishing to have developed the skill and the "feel", and most try to use small diameter soft polishing wheels.
Result is a glossy blue job but one that ruins the gun from failure to keep surfaces true.

One professional refinisher known for being able to match the Colt Royal Blue polish is Ford's, another is Glenrock.

http://www.fordsguns.com/

http://www.gunbluing.com/

dfariswheel - very well written. Matches my world view - it's all in the prep!

The bluing chemicals only determine the color. The shine comes from polishing before bluing. The Colt guys knew a LOT about polishing.

So the question is so I really want to spend this kind of money or just gunkote it and be done with it since it will be my by the bed/clays shotgun...

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IMO, 870's are working guns. I wouldn't spend $300 on a refinish, I'd spend $300 buying another 870.

If this is going to be a home defense gun, I'd go with the same finish as used on Remington's Police guns: A parkerized finish.

After Parkerizing, liberally soak the finish with CLP Breakfree and wipe off the excess. This is a very durable finish and won't reflect light.

IMO: A buffed to oblivion super high polish Remington 870 would look worse then a wrecked 2013 Corvette I hadn't paid off yet and had no insurance for!

That would be a serious Faux Pas my friend.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faux_pas.

A faux pas is a socially awkward or tactless act, especially one that violates accepted social norms, standard customs, or the rules of etiquette.

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My best advice is, Don't.

And of course, a Colt Royal Blue 1911 or Python doesn't look anything at all like the over-buffed on a buffer 1911 in your first post either!

rc

save the high polish job for a colt combat commander I have

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They ain't supposed to look like that 1911 photo either if it's the Colt Royal Blue finish.

But whatever floats your boat I guess!

rc

If you are thinking gunkote take a look at http://www.shootiniron.com/

Mac does a great job and has a great price for a shotgun. I have an AK he did that is over 10 years old, has seen lots of use and still looks like new.

During and after World War Two, Colt has used bluing equipment, tanks and chemicals purchased from:

The Du-Lite Corporation
171 River Road
Middletown, CT. 06457
(860) 347-9404

Who are one of the largest suppliers servicing the firearms industry.

The bluing process is the same for all Colt handguns. The difference in color and texture is entirely produced by different levels of polishing. Colt's trademarked Royal Blue is the best they produce.

Duplicating Colt's Royal Blue on a shotgun would not be inexpensive. They're is a lot of skilled handwork involved.

I read this the other day but didn't reply. Get some Vans cold blue. If yo post a pic it would help. If the blues not bad you can go over it. If it's bad strip it with white vinegar, let it dry, wipe it with denatured alchohol, warm it up and blue it with Vans. Stuff works great. I've done allot of old guns with this and they come out looking great and correct.
http://www.vansgunblue.com/

I would stay away from Ford's, I think that company has jumped the shark. Last guns I sent took just shy of a year to get done and to say I was less than impressed with the work would be the understatement of the year. In fact I liked the "before" guns better than the "after" version.