I've got a Maverick 88 12 ga. shotgun that I paid $75.00 for a few years ago. The barrel has some rust & pitting from lack of attention by the previous owner. I plan on using this pump gun in some IDPA shotgun matches, but I would be embarrassed to take it out the way it currently looks.

Since I didn’t pay much for this firearm, I don’t want to go to the expense of sending the bbl off to be professionally refinished or the expense of purchasing a new bbl. I've checked & I'd spend more for a new bbl than I spent for the shotgun in the first place.

Would sanding the bbl down then coating it w/ hi-temp bbq paint work?

Would I need to completely remove the bluing that currently is coating the bbl, or would just roughing it up be sufficient?

echo6

Quoted: I've got a Maverick 88 12 ga. shotgun that I paid $75.00 for a few years ago. The barrel has some rust & pitting from lack of attention by the previous owner. I plan on using this pump gun in some IDPA shotgun matches, but I would be embarrassed to take it out the way it currently looks. Since I didn’t pay much for this firearm, I don’t want to go to the expense of sending the bbl off to be professionally refinished or the expense of purchasing a new bbl. I've checked & I'd spend more for a new bbl than I spent for the shotgun in the first place. Would sanding the bbl down then coating it w/ hi-temp bbq paint work? Would I need to completely remove the bluing that currently is coating the bbl, or would just roughing it up be sufficient? echo6

I've used AlumaHyde II on some gun parts before (from Brownells) about $8 a can.  And I've used DupliColor 1200 degree black engine paint (about $5 a can) on my SAR1, you can get it at WalMart.  The DupliColor engine paint looks pretty decent.  Just follow the directions on the can.  It hasn't burned off and when I shoot it I shoot about 250 rounds per session.

A lot of shooters have found out that a coat of paint is a lot tougher and more durable than you'd think.

All that's necessary is to THOROUGHLY degrease the barrel.  I use lacquer thinner, (OUTSIDE, away from any spark or flame).  Wash the barrel down well with the thinner and an old toothbrush.
You don't need to remove any old bluing, nor do you need to roughen up the metal.  Any rust can be removed with fine sandpaper, but other than degreasing, that's all that's needed.

Put a Wood dowel in the barrel to use as a handle and rinse once or twice, with clean thinner.
Don't touch the metal from this point on.

Allow to dry completely, making sure no solvent is left in any cracks or joints.

Get a can of Rustoleum brand oil-based paint, in your choice of color.  Flat black looks good, but handling leaves slightly shiny areas.  Gloss black is too shiny, so I use satin black.

Spray on as thick a coat as possible, without allowing runs or sags.
I "fog" on a coat, allow to set up for 5 minutes or so and fog on more, until I've go a good heavy coat.

Allow the paint to set up for about 30 minutes, then bake in your electric oven at 325 degrees for an hour.
I put supports of some kind in the oven to hold the part to prevent it from touching the oven and marring the finish.

After one hour, turn the oven off, open the door and allow it to cool to room temp, then remove the barrel and spray on a coat of rust proofing lube.

You can buy special lacquer type paint coatings from Brownell's that are even more durable.

Paint is very long lasting, and in order for the metal to rust, the paint must wear through first.  VERY durable, easy to apply, easy to refinish, and available in about any color.

One word of warning:  Do this when no females are present.  The fumes from the oven really smell up the house, and women have NO sense of humor about these things.

Quoted: One word of warning:  Do this when no females are present.  The fumes from the oven really smell up the house, and women have NO sense of humor about these things.

AMEN!!

i refinished my FAL build w/ the duplicolor and my wife kept saying i was going to giving her cancer!  she was running around coughing and choking like it was serin gas or something.  i was just sitting watching TV, i didnt think it was bad at all.  needless to say i did the rest of the gun while she was out.

i am pretty happy with the finish, it is very easy and very cheap, but i have had a couple of small scratches show up that im not happy about.  i may try gunkote on my second FAL that im building now.

Echo I've gota couple of cans of alumahyde at the house.  Let me know if you want to give them a shot.  We can even use my oven as the only female I have to worry about pissing off is my dog.

another good paint is stove paint , any hardware store oughta have it . as for the rust , use some 4 ought steel wool with gun oil and you should be able to get rid of the rust , then use the degreaser as perscribed above . i like using a heat gun on mine and after the barrel is thouroughly dry , heat her up good and paint it .

ive used brownells teflon moly paint for about 3-4 guns.
steel wool and wd40 should get the rust off.

brownells instructions say to rub down the gun with acetone to get the oils out, then bake at 325 for 30min, or 350 for 15 min. i take it out and let it air cool.
everyone is gonna have there own way of doing things, and ive tried a couple different ways, i think the results are about the same

take a broomhandle size dowel and cut it into 6" long pieces and shove it into the muzzle and chamber and use it as a handle for painting.
run a wire or coat hangar down the barrel and make hooks on the 2 ends sticking out, put your oven rack on the highest setting, maybe even take out the lower rack, and hang the gun barrel UNDER the top rack.
DO THIS FIRST, make sure the barrel fits in your oven, and pre-arrange the barrel and wires before you paint so you wont be fumbling around with a fresh painted piece trying not to sratch it.