Bluing and Parkerizing are electrochemical conversion coatings that gun manufacturers and professional gunsmiths use to improve the appearance of firearms. Bluing, a centuries-old technique, enhances the finish of steel and stainless steel parts while providing a measure of corrosion resistance. Parkerizing, a newer electrochemical process, uses a phosphate conversion coating to impart even greater corrosion resistance. Known also as phosphating and phosphatizing, Parkerizing produces a non-reflective, light to medium-gray finish whereas bluing is characterized by black-oxide.For unit91 of Shotgun World, an on-line forum for firearms enthusiasts, applying phosphate coatings to metal parts “really wasn’t that hard”. Finishing the job with a Flex-Hone® forcing cone and Flex-Hone® oil was also pretty easy. First, unit91 bead-blasted the receiver of a Remington Model 870 shotgun, the receiver of a Remington 1100, and several blued barrels (bbls). Baths in hot water, parcolubrite solution, cold water, and then parcolene were followed by a dip in preservative oil and a trip to the parts washer. Later, the shotgun parts were soaked overnight in a lubricant to further improve the finish.
The next morning, the Remington receivers and blued barrels looked “darker and more even”, unit91 reported. But the gun owner’s work wasn’t done. The forcing cones needed to be lengthened, and the phosphate deposits in the bores had to be removed. After reaming out the metal, unit91 polished the forcing cones with a flexible hone made specifically for firearms and high-qualilty honing oil from Brush Research. With a 1-5/8” length abrasive and 10” overall length (OAL), the Flex-Hone forcing cone for shotguns provides smoother shot constriction with less barrel fouling. “The bores are like mirrors now,” unit91 beamed on Shotgun World, “and should be heaps easier to clean”.
Additional Reading:
Parkerizing
How Real Gun Bluing Works
Proper Forcing Cone Polishing
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