polishing barrels

I Polished my PF9 barrel using my Dremel tool with buffing wheel and jewelers rouge. I purchased the jeweler's rouge at Mennard's in the isle where the Dremel tools are sold. As a matter of fact, it is Dremel brand name right on the package.

I imagine any home improvement/ hardware store would have it.

Ron

 

Here's the best picture I have that shows some of the barrel. It actually polished to almost a mirror finish using the dremel and rouge. The slide is nickle plated by Jack F.

Ron

 

Started with 400 grit, worked my way up thru 1500.  Then Jeweler's Rouge that came with the Dremel then white auto polishing compound.

Before, this was a very rough P40 Conversion Kit;





The feed ramp was as rough as a nail file



After;









3 evenings at about 2 hours each.

 

what speed on the dremel? one of the circle buffing wheels? did you do any prep sanding?

 

I use low or medium speeds on mine when polishing metal/gun parts. All I did was use the various cloth buffing pits/wheel to get into the various hard to reach spots. I did no prep sanding of any kind.

 

Great.... Just when I thought I was catching up on things needing finished, then I read this.  Guess what I'll be doing next ?  ;D

 

harbor freight has a rotary tool on sale for 9.99.and they have buffing wheels and polishing compound

 

I used low and medium speed with a round cloth buffing wheel. I did no prep sanding at all. You really don't want to remove metal, just buff to a shine that suits you. I believe it only took less than an hour total time. I keep a lite coat of Militec oil on the barrel to guard against rust.

Ron

 

Sears has it in the tool dept. Buffing Compound in Singles, and multi-grit kits.

White Rouge for first pass on steel, then follow up with Red Rouge for mirror polish

B.

 

At the Mennards near my home, it is hanging with the Dremel accesories. It has 4 bars of different rouge in four colors in the pack about 4 inches long each. Maybe all Mennards don't carry it. :-?

Here is a picture of the rouge I purchased at Mennards that maybe will help you so that you know what to look for. I used the white to buff my barrel.

Ron

 

As I said I did sand mine first but it was very very rough.  I used the cloth wheel & various felt tips in my Dremel.  I also ran it on high most of the time.

DO NOT USE THE GRINDING STONES THAT COME WITH THE DREMEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least on gun parts.

 

what steps did you take with the sanding? Im looking to remove the machine lines off of the exterior of my barrel, and used to work at a polishing shop so have an idea what to do, however dont wanna mess up any tolerances that need to be tight.

Would it be safe to lightly rough up the machine marks with 220, step to 400, 500, then finish off with 800 and a polishing compound + dremel?

I agree with the statement "DO NOT USE THE GRINDING STONES ON GUN PARTS". I was using them to remove the flashing on the frame [Dumb move number one..], With the Slide on the gun [Dumb move number two..] Next thing i know ive got a faint line across the muzzle end of my slide [Dumb move number three..]. Good news is this is a great excuse for a HC or Duracoated white slide. Now to find someone who doesnt want an arm and a leg to do it.

Also interesting pack of compounds.. my Dremel 4000 series came with a small bar of red rouge, number 421 for dremel products i believe.

 

I had machine marks on the barrel that looked like screw threads. Sanded as best I could & finially just concentrated on the part of the barrel that would stick out the front of the slide when the slide was back. On the feed ramp I removed quite a bit of metal but could not get all the marks out. Concentrated on the middle of the ramp where the round hits & slides.

I'd go slow with coarser than 400 grit as you may cut deeper than the groove you are trying to smooth out.

When sanding or polishing go perpendicular to the scratch or groove or mark you are trying to smooth out. PARTICULARLY on the
feed ramp. It's easy to end up with smooth rounded transverse marks instead of a smooth ramp.

BTDT.

 

If you really want to save some time and labor find a .380 sized wooden or plastic dowel. Carefully jam it in the barrel, and then put it in the chuck of a drill. You should be able to take some fine grit sandpaper, or a polishing cloth with abrasive and bring it to a mirror shine.

I also use this method to resize pins that are too large for holes. A cordless drill works pretty well for a poor man's lathe.