Rebluing

Double H Gunsmithing offers traditional metal bluing and related refinishing at our shop in Blanch, North Carolina. Customers come to us to restore worn finish, even up an older gun after repairs, or refresh a firearm that has seen hard use in the field. The right process depends on the firearm, the steel and existing finish, how much polishing or preparation is needed, and whether other metalwork should be completed first.

We began with a set of bluing tanks early in the shop’s history, and refinishing remains part of the regular work we do alongside repair and custom builds. Please contact us to discuss your project, timeline, and pricing before work begins.

Types of bluing we offer

Most double-barreled shotguns need to be slow rust blued. Hot bluing salts can work into the spaces between the ribs where the barrels are soldered together, so rust bluing is the safer process for those guns.

We do not offer Belgian bluing. We keep cold bluing solution on hand for limited touch-ups only. We use it on muzzle crowns and other inconspicuous areas when that is the right approach. In general, cosmetic bluing touch-ups are not practical. If there is a cosmetic imperfection in the finish, we will need to reblue the whole part, or the whole gun, rather than spot-color a small area.

Wall hanger treatment

One exception is older guns that already carry a lot of natural patina. For those, we can do what we call a wall hanger treatment. We clean the gun, apply a couple coats of rust blue without polishing, and then blend with Birchwood Casey Plum Brown so the finish keeps that aged patina look instead of a bright, fully refinished appearance. This is meant for display and conservation of character, not for making an old gun look brand new.

What the work can include

Typical rebluing work may include disassembly as needed, cleaning and degreasing, polishing or surface preparation to the condition you want, the chosen bluing process, and careful reassembly with function checks. Exact steps vary by firearm and by how far the finish and metal surfaces have deteriorated. Some guns need only careful preparation and bluing. Others need more surface work first if you want an even, serviceable finish.

If the firearm also needs repairs, barrel work, or parts replacement, we usually recommend completing that metalwork before final refinishing so the new finish is not disturbed later.

Lead times

Refinishing takes longer than most general repair work because of preparation time, tank schedules, and drying or curing steps. Current planning times for rebluing work are listed on our home page lead times table, including Standard, Priority, and Lightning options when those tiers are available for your job. Times can change with shop load and materials. We will confirm an expected window when we accept the work.

What to bring or send

Please bring the firearm fully unloaded, with magazines empty when applicable. Tell us what you want the finished look to be (for example, a polished presentation finish versus a more serviceable field finish), whether you want matching screws and small parts addressed, and whether other repairs should be done in the same visit. If you are shipping the firearm to us, follow our usual FFL transfer process on the Transfers page first.

Pricing

Those figures are starting points for straightforward rebluing. Final price depends on the firearm, which bluing process you need, how much preparation is required, and whether related repairs are included. Prices on this site assume payment by cash or check unless we note otherwise. We will give you a clearer cost picture after we see the gun and agree on the scope. For policy details that apply to all shop work, see our Terms & Conditions.

Getting started

Call or text 336-694-5739, or email info@ncgunsmith.com. Tell us the make, model, and caliber, what finish work you want done, and whether the gun needs other repairs first. We will point you in the right direction before you ship or drop anything off.