Sister delivered her old Colt Cobra to me this weekend " I can't even take it to the range looking like this" and "I just want it all one color"

Backstory; she thought she would do a home refinish not knowing that it was an alloy frame, so it's been sitting in a drawer for a decade or two, embarrassed to show it's naked face.

Besides the bare frame, there is some (minor) external pitting on some of the steel, which I think I could buff smooth.

So, why not Cerakote a revolver? And what color would look best if going for an original style look?

Black.  I carecoated a GP101 years ago, it didn't hold up to well in the area where the hammer was and where the pin  came through the 'breach plate (?).  The cylinder wore a ring off around the locking 'dents' and I started to rust after a few trips to the range.

In retrospect, I should have just had it blued.

What product would need to be used to blue an aluminum frame?

would the barrel have to be removed?

The aluminum frame is an anodizing process not blue.  The barrel would have to be removed to re-anodize the frame.  Anodizing is not a an easy DIY process.  It requires chemicals, power supplies and process control.

pics?

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Added a pic, haven't used this phootbucket in years...

Clean up what you can, fill the pits in the steel; take it apart as much as you can and cerakote it.  Something like midnight blue would be close as you'll get to a 'blued' look with an opaque finish.  

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