How to "unpolish" a Ruger Vaquero?

[wyobohunter]

Or more properly, how can I just dull the finish around the sights of my Bisley New Vaquero?

I took my new toy to the range and was having a tough time getting good groups, best six shot groups were 8". Primarily because the sun was at such an angle to cause a glare. I really like the mirror polished look but I'd like to dull the area around the back of the rear sight.

 

[nanewt02]

tape it up good and blast it with a bead blasting media,

 

[DaleA]

If you don't want to do anything permanent to your gun there are a couple of classic ways to do this.

This aerosol product, Birchwood Casey Sight Black, claims to do the trick:
http://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Cas...F8&qid=1366086251&sr=8-1&keywords=sight+black

and then there is the really classic technique of smoking your sights with a carbide device. It's discussed at lenght here:
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=543769

 

[wyobohunter]

How about something permanent that doesn't require specialized tools (like bead blasting equip)? I was thinking about sandpaper. Just not sure what kind and grit.

 

[smee78]

You could tape off the area you want to dull out and use a little oil and a Scotch Brite pad and it will dull up the finish a little.

 

[Sweet Shooter]

wyobohunter, I took a file to mine and flattened off the sight as it faces me and squared off the top also adjusted for a bit of elevation at the same time. With the flat surface facing me it's very easy to run a sharpie® down it. It eventually wears around the very edges but is easy to repair.
-SS-

 

[jglsprings]

How about something permanent that doesn't require specialized tools (like bead blasting equip)? I was thinking about sandpaper. Just not sure what kind and grit.

I'm not sure where in Wyoming you are living (you lucky dog). But, any small or large welding shop or machine shop will have a bead blast cabinet handy. I found a welder/fabricator down here in Colorado that bead blasted my Lone Wolf barrel for $5.00.

If you can find "the guy", as my New Yorker friend always says, they usually will do it for next to nothing. - Sometimes just a six pack.

 

[wyobohunter]

Great idea. Come to think of it, the whole thing would look nice bead blasted. Might give it more of an old/used look. Also, it wouldn't have that shiny game alerting finish.

 

[Dragline45]

How about something permanent that doesn't require specialized tools (like bead blasting equip)? I was thinking about sandpaper. Just not sure what kind and grit.

Buy a couple sheets each of 800, 1000, and 1200 grit wet-dry sand paper made by 3M, I pick mine up at auto parts stores since most regular hardware stores don't carry it. This sandpaper is very fine and is good for dulling down surfaces to give a satin type but not shiny appearance, without leaving deep scratches in the metal in case you want to polish it out. It comes out looking like a brushed finish without any streaks, so I think it comes out more uniform looking. Tape around the section of the top strap you want to dull down on the revolver and give yourself an even bracket that will get sanded, this ensures your work looks uniform and that any areas below the top strap don't get sanded. Make sure to use a bit of gun oil with the wet-dry when working the metal, it makes a world of a difference in the outcome. Experiment with the 800, 1000, and 1200 starting with the lowest first, and see which results you think look the best. Anything you sand that you don't like the outcome on can be polished out with Mothers Mag Polish pretty easily by hand.

 

[wyobohunter]

I'll try that 1st, if I'm still not happy with the results I can look for a place to do the bead blasting. Thanks

 

[jglsprings]

Is there nothing that the internet cannot provide?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B7JWitLpJ0&list=PLE29AE9C1EE83AFE3&index=11

Here is exactly what you want to do.

 

[GeauxTide]

I just use a Permanent ink Sharpie. You can get right between the lines, too.

 

[wyobohunter]

That DIY bead blast looks much easier and cheaper than I would have guessed. I did the sandpaper thing and settled on 800 grit.

 

[wyobohunter]

I'll also show off the crossdraw holster I picked up in Cody.



I ordered a big wide gun belt with cartridge loops from Shamrock in Colorado to go with this holster. And I ordered a Galco Wheelgunner holster to go with my every day gun belt for when the big belt is just too much.

Either rig will be great for bumming around the desert.

 

[wyobohunter]

If I find the sandpaper job to be inadequate I'll try the DIY bead blast.

Thanks all.

 

[Dragline45]

If I find the sandpaper job to be inadequate I'll try the DIY bead blast.

If you plan to go the bead blasting route you can rent a compressor at most hardware stores for probably pretty cheap. You can really only buy glass bead media in bulk but you will have plenty left over in case you want to do aother project down the road. Absolutely make sure you wear a mask or respirator, the glass bead will wreak havoc on your lungs.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-liter-abrasive-blast-gun-92857.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/25-lbs-80-grit-glass-bead-blast-media-46426.html

 

[fshfindr]

I was taught to hold a match near it to blacken it. I guess it shows my age.

Richard L.