How to dull the finish on a stainless vaquero

[wdbarbe]

Is there a way to dull down the stainless finish on a vaquero that won't break SASS rules and not hurt the gun?
I love the durability of stainless, but it is hard to see the sights in the sun.
Any suggestions? 

[Danny Bear Claw]

You could have it bead-blasted to achieve a matte finish, although I don't know why you'd want to do that.  The point of having a shiney stainless Vaquero is to imitate the nickle plate finish of the old west.  You could blacken that front sight to cut down on the glare.  Sight black can be purchased from any "gunny" type catalogue or you could try a felt tip marker.

[Gold Canyon Kid]

A black Sharpie pen works wonderfully on the sights and is SASS legal. If you want to go high tech, have the gun bead blasted.  The new model Blackhawks come with a dull finish.  If you just use the Vaqueros for a while the tiny scratches will dull the finish just due to usage.

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[Mustang Gregg]

Sorry, Pard.
It took me awhile to get back to you.  Been outta town.
Ain't done it to a K-Vaquero yet.  Dunno if'n it's SASS Legal or not.  But I have seen it done to several in the last few years.
I did strip down a 10.5" K-Blackhawk HB & glass-blasted it at about 75 PSI.  The finish came out beautifully flat.
It's one of my huntin' handguns.
Mustang Gregg
RATS #0

[wdbarbe]

Let me ask this.  Is it possible to "color" a stainless gun.  Something like bluing?  I am most interested in the rust resistance of stainless more than the actual finish.

[Mustang Gregg]

Do ya want a black gun or just a no-shine finish?

Do you have a stainless (K) or blued (RB) gun??

Yes, you can get yer stainless six-gun blackened with a phosphate-oxide finish, I recollect that's the right process.  Any 'smith who does bluing could answer jus' 'zactly what the process is called.  He might not be able to do it at his shop, though.

If ya have a RB (blued) Ruger six-gun & ya want it flat black---Ya bead blast the finish & the blue it without polishing.  Many 'smiths can do that jus' fine.

MG

[Mustang Gregg]

EXTRY-EXRTY-READ all about it!  From the TG's!

"A light bead blasted finish may be applied to the exterior of any SASS firearm."

I reckon that ain't 'zactly verbatim, since I didn't cut & paste.  But ya get the idee now.

MG

[Mick McCrady]

Howdy,

I have my bisley's bead blasted to stop the small scratches cause by the holstering of the pistols.  Loved so much I had my Rossi '92 SRC done.  It still gets comments everytime I shoot them.  I have an oil finished 1885 Uberti High Wall, 45/70 and have been thinking about having is armorlited in stainless finish.  They claim its just as good as beening stainless.  Going to check into it.  I think is avertized in Laurer Weaponry, someplace in Wisconsin.  It's in shotgun news.

Mick McCrady

[Piney Woods]

Here are my 45 SST Vaqueros - bead blasted.