Cleaning a brushed or satin finish revolver?

[Matt304]

I have a gun here that is used, it's a Raging Bull. Anyways, I'm not sure if this finish is plated steel, stainless, or what. But it has the satin stainless look of course everyone has seen one I believe.

On the bbl, there are a few black nicks down the length, one on an edge. They are not obvious gouges, it almost looks like some need to be polished off with a Dremel, like it's gunk instead of chipped. Can you use a polishing wheel on a satin finish in any way shape or form? I would think you would begin a polished finish if I were to do that, something I don't want.

How would a smith restore a satin finish, properly?

Admittedly, the finish on these guns is cheap. The harder I look, the more obvious it is "polished" where it has ever rubbed something, like a rest, and those marks may indeed be pitting. But, it's a whole lot of gun for cheap. Some hate it; I believe the stripe on the grip should be gray rubber matching the frame, not RED, and they would have changed a lot of minds about "looks". That is their big mess up. I mean, who puts a big red warning stripe right where we know our hands will be whacked?

 

[rcmodel]

If it is a Raging Bull with a silver matt finish it is bead blasted stainless steel.

Step away from the Dremel Tool!

Nothing you can do with it that won't look worse then what you have!

I'd try some strong solvent, maybe fingernail polish remover on a cotton ball, and see if you can clean the black spots off.
It might be paint where it bumped a gun rest or bench or something.

A gunsmith could bead blast it again to make it look like new.

rc

 

[TonyAngel]

If it's just bead blasted, all you really need is a friend with a good sized air compressor (if you don't have one). It would be a plus if he had a blasting cabinet or gun. I got a bead blasting gun at Harbor Freight for something like $20. They carry the media too, but I don't remember how much it cost.

Glass bead blasting is really no big deal. I've done it to a few of my stainless guns.

 

[BCRider]

Start with a nylon bristle "tooth brush" and some cleaning solvent. If that doesn't work upscale to a brass/bronze bristle brush. If that doesn't do it do NOT move up to a stainless brush as that most certainly will mark the finish texture. You need to stick with bristles that are softer than the finish of the gun.

Trying a variety of solvents isn't a bad idea as well. It may be some sort of mark that you picked up from the least obvious cause and it needs something other than the usual firearm solvent to remove it.