Ruger Vaquero stainless

[broom jockey]

I've owned my Ruger for several years and now find I don't like the polished stainless look. Buying a replacement blue Ruger is not an option. So, I am wondering if there is a method or company that can either blue it or give it a frontier type finish. I welcome any replies and thank you.

[emmagee1917]

You could have it nickle plated , I recon.
Chris

[mustanggt]

I have a new vaquero in polished stainless and I've grown to not like it either. I don't think you can blue stainless, at least I've never seen it done or read of it being done.

[Nick Riviezzo]

Maybe you could get it bead blasted so that it looks like an old,no finish left,patina.I think I read were there is a process to "darken",if not blue, stainless but I don't think it looks like a blued gun. Probably the best course of action is to trade it for a blued model.I would think a polished stainless gun would be appealing to some folks. Nick

[da gimp]

there are different coatings that can be applied, teflon, blackened,etc, think I'll let emma g chris talk on em, having a senior moment tonight. We had a Charter Arms Bulldog .44 tefloned back in the mid 80's, as I didn't care for the shinyness of it, it has worn little, still looks v nice, with only high edges shiny from holster wear.Still have the gun.

[navdocret]

I suspect cerakote (sp) will work

[rider]

I've owned my Ruger for several years and now find I don't like the polished stainless look. Buying a replacement blue Ruger is not an option. So, I am wondering if there is a method or company that can either blue it or give it a frontier type finish. I welcome any replies and thank you.
AFAIK, the large frame Vaqueros are no longer being made. If that is so, you'll destroy your Ruger's resale value just for cosmetic reasons. When I learned that the large frame Vaqueros had been discontinued, I drove two hours through a snowstorm after work one night to buy a used 45LC bright stainless 3 7/8'' Vaquero. I just enjoy this one for what it is.

[pdc]

I once had a blued Bisley Vaquero. Fantastic gun! Wish I'd kept it. The only problem with it was the "case-hardened" finish was really pathetic. It rusted if you took your eyes off of it for about 30 seconds. In hindsite I would have sent it off the Turnbull for the real deal. I'd like to find a Stainless Bisley Vaquero now. I don't like the ultra shiny finish either, so I'd opt for a nice bead blasted finish. You could do that, or you could check these guys out: http://www.caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing/chrome-plating-kits/black-krome-plating-kits.html, and see what they could do for you. Black chrome may look pretty good.

[John Sukey]

One good thing about stainless Vaqueros is you can polish Blackstone's law library off the barrel:D. Did that before I gave a pair of them to my nephew. (When I stopped cowboy action shooting)
Kept a pair of Ruger Bisleys, and Uberti Schofields
Please keep in mind that many revolvers of the period were nickel plated.