Pimp gun parts polishing

[ganderman]

I have a pair of Colts with the bright stainless finish (of course one has black pearl grips and one has white) . I'd like to get ambidextrous safeties, beaverails, triggers, and match barrel bushings. Should I attempt to do the polishing on the parts myself or would I be better served sending them to a competent gunsmith to do the install and polishing? Any recommendations can be PM'd.

Thanks,

ganderman

[cjstatlick]

If you feel you can do the work yourself go for it, use 800, 1000, and 2000 grit wet/ dry sandpaper to get a mirrored finish

[Accept]

Besides my guns I send my parts to Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing (http://www.fordsguns.com). With just parts it doesn't take long to get them back with a perfect finish.

Here's a Springfield Mil-Spec with a bright chrome finish which also has an extended slide stop and extended thumb safety, perfect finish.
http://www.fordsguns.com/milspec1.JPG

[Tom]

WOW! I need sunglasses just to look at the picture! That's some finish. Hope it is not too good to still shoot now and then.

[Accept]

It's a wonderful gun but I can't just let it sit there, I shoot it about half the time I go out. I have a couple other guns with fancy finishes including a gold one and I shoot those also but I take a bit more care with these.

[Tom]

You have to post more pics of this gun - different angles, partially disassembled, etc.

And who made the grips? Are those painted wood, plastic, or metal?

[Accept]

These are the only other photos I have of it right now. Looks like there's pits in the metal or some wear but it's perfect, like a mirror. I lay it on a towel in the safe and wipe it off after shooting and clean it after every other shooting and it stays perfect. Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing (http://www.fordsguns.com) did the finish and the grips are White Pearlite from Ajax Custom Grips (http://www.ajaxgrips.com/).

http://www.fordsguns.com/milspec2.JPG

[stans]

AGH! I'm blind, I'm blind!!!! That's some serous "bling-bling", a bit too shiney for my tastes, but what a bbq gun!

[Tom]

It's like the whole gun has been dipped in liquid chrome. Wow.

So with everything so shiny, how is the sight picture? Do you have any problems lining up the dots?

[Accept]

The front sight is chrome with a red dot and pretty small so there isn't any reflecting and the rear site is stainless with red dots so there's no problem lining them up. When I had it refinished I wanted the rear sight to have a matte type finish so sunlight reflection didn't blind me while shooting. There aren't any other angles on the gun where sunlight will reflect in my face.

[ganderman]

I have those same Ajax grips with the Colt Medallion on my .38 Super and the black pearl on my .45. Told ya they were pimp guns!!!

Would it be cheaper to have the parts chromed than polished stainless or would it not match?

ganderman

[Accept]

I've never had anything with a polished stainless finish, I just have whatever I want chromed refinished in chrome. I just like things to match that way, chrome with chrome and stainless with stainless and so on.

As for prices I go with Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing (http://www.fordsguns.com), their price lists are on their website.

[19elevin]

I have polished one using Flitz and a felt wheel on a Dremel. Do the initial polishing with fine grit polishing cloth then finish with the Flitz and Dremel felt wheel. Works great just watch the edges and keep sharp what needs to be. Good luck!