Re-bluing a Mossberg 500

[BP44]

I've been looking into re-bluing an older Mossberg 500. Is this something a novice could do?

[Delkal]

Not really. You can try some cold blues but for me they never look right. There is a lot of prep work / polishing / special tanks and chemicals you need to do it yourself.

It is slightly easier to Parkerize it at home. You just need a boiling water tank and a Parkerizing solution.

Not to knock a Mossburg 500 (they are great shotguns) But you will spend more than the shotguns worth. Just get rid of all the active rust and live with a thinning finish. I tend to like that on a working firearm. Shows character.

[ar15jules]

Give it a try. I have found that bluing paste is easier to use than liquid. Check out Brownell's for their bluing paste.
Jules

[bluetrane2028]

I've had good results with Oxpho blue on steel parts. The aluminum reciever would need to be anodized to get the factory appearance.

[edritchey]

I've been looking into re-bluing an older Mossberg 500. Is this something a novice could do?

I'd have it cerakoted it will hold up better than blueing but you might get more into it than the guns worth.

[39flathead]

As bluetrane said, the receiver is aluminum and cannot be blued.

You can either spray it with some sort of coating (Brownells sells spray coatings that work semi-decent if one follows the instructions) and hope for the best or try some home bluing kit and hope for the best.

I can't ever recall seeing a home blue that looked decent.

[BP44]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I'll have to give this some more thought.

[knight0334]

Just Ceracoat or Duracoat it..

Steels can be blued, but aluminum cannot be "blued". Aluminum is anodized.