My Dad has an old Colt Trooper Mk III that he has mentioned he wants reblued several times. I was wondering if anybody could let me know about how much it should cost to have it reblued? It is in good shape. Just a tiny bit of surface rust and holster wear.
How much should it cost to reblue a revolver?
- Thread starter Emberglo
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Not sure today as so few shops in this area do hot tank bluing due to the various safety and health regulations. Call your local gun shops or gunsmiths and ask. Many shops will reduce the rate if you can do the disassembly and re-assembly yourself, since that is a big part of the rebluing cost.
Jim
Jim
FLRon
Member
Ford's is considered a fine company with an excellent reputation. Here is a link. Looks like they charge $150. - $275.
http://www.fordsguns.com/index2-1.htm
You can also send it directly to Colt.
http://www.coltsmfg.com/CustomerServices/RepairRefinish/FirearmRefinishing.aspx
http://www.fordsguns.com/index2-1.htm
You can also send it directly to Colt.
http://www.coltsmfg.com/CustomerServices/RepairRefinish/FirearmRefinishing.aspx
dfariswheel
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For the best job, send it in to Colt.
They still do fantastic factory type re-bluing.
A Colt factory re-finish will also lower the value less since it's a factory job.
http://www.coltsmfg.com/
To refinish a Trooper Mark III to like new factory look will cost around $250 from Colt.
This is very competitive with any other service that does really quality re-finishing.
Most other services will be right around that, the one's who are lower do crap work.
These days bluing costs a lot more than it used to. Getting it done by a lower quality service will ruin the guns value. Nothing looks worse then a gun that's been over-polished by a ham-handed buffer.
Colt still does it RIGHT.
They still do fantastic factory type re-bluing.
A Colt factory re-finish will also lower the value less since it's a factory job.
http://www.coltsmfg.com/
To refinish a Trooper Mark III to like new factory look will cost around $250 from Colt.
This is very competitive with any other service that does really quality re-finishing.
Most other services will be right around that, the one's who are lower do crap work.
These days bluing costs a lot more than it used to. Getting it done by a lower quality service will ruin the guns value. Nothing looks worse then a gun that's been over-polished by a ham-handed buffer.
Colt still does it RIGHT.
SleazyRider
Member
Take a gander at this price list from East Coast Gun Bluing. I've seen his work, and it is on par with Colt's. I'll probably be dropping off my Detective Special to him in the near future. It is slightly pitted and it bothers me.
http://www.eastcoastbluing.com/pricing.html
http://www.eastcoastbluing.com/pricing.html
hardluk1
member
If you have seen a Dan wesson revolvers blueing Blue Ridge Blue is a guy that did there work for some time. Cost well very by what the condition of the firearm to so degree.
Look here-http://www.blueridgebluing.com/bluing/bluing.html
Look here-http://www.blueridgebluing.com/bluing/bluing.html
FLRon
Member
Dfariswheel is the oracle of all things Colt and then some. You can't get better advice, IMHO.
bikemutt
Member
Just had one re-blued locally, I was underwhelmed for the $250 it cost me.
This is one where you pays your money, you takes your chances.
This is one where you pays your money, you takes your chances.
ColtPythonElite
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I had a rifle blued for $85...I got what I paid for. It got too little prep. The shop owner bead blasted it back to white for me and let me do the prep. I spend about 8 hours polishing. He redipped. It turned out pretty darn nice....Would I do it to a Colt revolver? No way. I'd send it back to Colt.
Joe_m107
Member
I don't mean to steal the thread, but I have a S&W 29-2 that is nickel plated. Some of the nickel is flaking off, especially around the crane. There are some other minor scratches and minor defects in the plating has well.
Is it possible to blue this revolver? I assume it requires some kind of chemical means of stripping the old nickel off the revolver.
I would like a nice blue if possible, if not a new modern treatment would be ok. Something like NP3.
Is it possible to blue this revolver? I assume it requires some kind of chemical means of stripping the old nickel off the revolver.
I would like a nice blue if possible, if not a new modern treatment would be ok. Something like NP3.
PRM
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- Apr 14, 2008
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- 2,111
Send it to Colt and have it done right.
Get a local bubba gunsmith to do it and you may save a few bucks, but if they don't know what they are doing particularly in the prep, your gun can be quickly destroyed or degraded as far as any future value. Aggressive buffing can round edges and cause stampings to disappear.
You get what you pay for. If it is an heirloom Colt. You can't beat the Colt Custom Shop.
I would disagree that a re-finish always decreases value. Your average shooter grade gun needing a re-blue is not a high end investment to start with. One caution, you could wind up with more in the gun than it is worth depending on initial investment. Example: You pay market vale for the gun - and then drop another $250 in a re-blue, your upside down in the gun. Your not going to hurt your retirement portfolio having your Dad's Colt Trooper refinished at Colt.
I've seen some older higher end guns that were refinished/restored by some of the bigger names in this craft, such as Turnbull, and David Chicoine that have actually increased their value. Again you have to weigh the cost of the work being done against what you have and want.
Get a local bubba gunsmith to do it and you may save a few bucks, but if they don't know what they are doing particularly in the prep, your gun can be quickly destroyed or degraded as far as any future value. Aggressive buffing can round edges and cause stampings to disappear.
You get what you pay for. If it is an heirloom Colt. You can't beat the Colt Custom Shop.
I would disagree that a re-finish always decreases value. Your average shooter grade gun needing a re-blue is not a high end investment to start with. One caution, you could wind up with more in the gun than it is worth depending on initial investment. Example: You pay market vale for the gun - and then drop another $250 in a re-blue, your upside down in the gun. Your not going to hurt your retirement portfolio having your Dad's Colt Trooper refinished at Colt.
I've seen some older higher end guns that were refinished/restored by some of the bigger names in this craft, such as Turnbull, and David Chicoine that have actually increased their value. Again you have to weigh the cost of the work being done against what you have and want.
Last edited:
walnut1704
Member
Nickle can be removed the same way it's put on, with electrolysis. I had this done many years ago to a Colt 1909 Army that some cretin had nickle plated. Once removed it can be blued. Mine came out great.
dfariswheel
Member
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- Dec 26, 2002
- Messages
- 6,656
I don't mean to steal the thread, but I have a S&W 29-2 that is nickel plated. Some of the nickel is flaking off, especially around the crane. There are some other minor scratches and minor defects in the plating has well.
Is it possible to blue this revolver? I assume it requires some kind of chemical means of stripping the old nickel off the revolver.
I would like a nice blue if possible, if not a new modern treatment would be ok. Something like NP3.
A nickel plated gun is best stripped by reversing the plating process, which removes the plating.
Then the gun can be refinished in just about any finish you want from bright blue to any plated finish.
I think that S&W's Performance Center will do it, but I've heard (for what that's worth) that S&W no longer does the older brilliant bright blue they used to do.
For a really good job, you could send it to Ford's.
They have an excellent reputation for doing bright "wet look" bluing very similar to Colt's Royal Blue.
They can strip the nickel and give the gun any finish you want.
http://www.fordsguns.com/
Is it possible to blue this revolver? I assume it requires some kind of chemical means of stripping the old nickel off the revolver.
I would like a nice blue if possible, if not a new modern treatment would be ok. Something like NP3.
A nickel plated gun is best stripped by reversing the plating process, which removes the plating.
Then the gun can be refinished in just about any finish you want from bright blue to any plated finish.
I think that S&W's Performance Center will do it, but I've heard (for what that's worth) that S&W no longer does the older brilliant bright blue they used to do.
For a really good job, you could send it to Ford's.
They have an excellent reputation for doing bright "wet look" bluing very similar to Colt's Royal Blue.
They can strip the nickel and give the gun any finish you want.
http://www.fordsguns.com/
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Colt is not the first or last word in refinishing but I'm sure it's the "safe" answer. If any single shop is, it is Turnbull. My preference would be for Ford's or Accurate Plating.
http://www.apwcogan.com
http://www.apwcogan.com
This is a Colt Python that was re-blued by Colt. Someone had nickeled the revolver, since it was originally blued. I also had Colt re-do the roll marks. Out the door, the Royal Blue, and re-roll were around $450, including shipping back to me. Colt tuned the action at no cost, since no parts were required. It cost $80 to over-night the revolver to Colt. At the time (July 2011), turnaround was sixteen weeks. Now, it runs nearly six months.
PS - I also had the stocks refurbished.
PPS - Colt does not mark the revolver as refinished. No markings on the frame.
PS - I also had the stocks refurbished.
PPS - Colt does not mark the revolver as refinished. No markings on the frame.
68lemans462
Member
I just had my S&W model 29 8 3/8" barrel re-blued by the colorado school of gunsmithing (http://www.schooloftrades.edu/). All I need now is a correct set of grips - the grips currently on this gun are from my model 28 .357 "highway patrolman".. 
They did a nice job, and turned the gun around in 3 weeks! $90..
They did a nice job, and turned the gun around in 3 weeks! $90..Attachments
22-rimfire
Member
IF it's a Colt, I would send it to Colt for the re-blue. But as others have said, there are other options available.
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