Need help on rifle refinish

[cumminsnut76]

I’ve got a rossi single shot that I just got back from JES rebooting it to 357 maximum. The only problem I have is that I have a little surface rust on the barrel and am looking at options for revisit g the outside of the barrel. Currently I believe it to be a black oxide type finish. What are your recommendations? Looking for something durable and simple. Doesn’t have to match perfectly. But I would prefer to just do the barrel so I’m not planning to paint the entire gun. What type and who can do it well? DIY options with good results?

[hoodat]

I would totally clean off any rust with a Frontier Big 45 cleaning pad with oil. Then with one of the many cold blue/black liquid or pastes I'd try an inconspicuous area to make sure it works and blends well, and go forth from there. jd

[gnoahhh]

I would remove existing finish with 320x sandpaper, follow up with 400x, and paint it with Brownell's Oxpho Blue. (Heat the barrel with a hot hair dryer or heat gun for best results.) Takes little time to accomplish and the Oxpho Blue is a surprisingly durable finish. Might (probably) have to do 2-4 applications to get a nice even finish. Oil it up good when done, let sit overnight, wipe off - good to go for another generation of use.

[G W Wade]

As Hoodat said. Super fine steel wool and oil can do amazing things to a rusty looking exterior .. Saw this in a gun shop in Calif. over 50 yrs ago. Customer brought in a rusty Win shotgun to sell. After he left, the guy reached back into a can removing a piece of steel wool soaked in oil. With a quick swipe back and forth produced a pleased smile from the clerk and a new tip for me. GW