Art, wool and oil the whole gun. remove the grips of course. Fix the pin and enjoy shooting it this sumer. Then, in the fall, if you feel you want it renewed we will do it. Just my .02

You "could" cold blue it using a good cold blue. I would recommend Oxpho-blue from brownell's. Get the cream it's easier to manage. Clean with 00 steel wool, degrease, and use a toothbrush to slather then blue goo all over the metal. Then go back and rub it in with the steel wool using very light pressure. You just want it on evenly. Let it wok for about 5 minutes and wipe the excess of with an old t shirt rag. Let it dry over night to a wax like finish. Buff with 0000 wool and repeat the whole process about 5 times. After your last wool buff get another rag and wipe it down real good with RIG or some other heavier oil. It should look good enough to carry but not worry. If then you decide you want it hot blued then address that.

Don't you even dare to get out a piece of sand paper. I have seen MANY ruined guns because of wild men with sand paper. If you blue it yourself, do not do any metal work. Just wool it, blue it and shoot it.

David,
Thanks for the tips! I would never take sandpaper or any abrasive to a gun! I finally found 0000 bronze wool and I was very gentle and careful in rubbing on the one pitted spot on the trigger frame and it worked very well! Your idea sounds, great, Thanks again!!

Let me know when and if you're willing to blue a M1911A1 that has seen many better days. It's a shooter that I really enjoy and it looks terrible with very little of the poorly re-blued finish left on the gun. I don't want it to rust, so i keep it well greased until ready to shoot.

You can do it..believe me. Just do like I said. Brownells will kill you on shipping a little 8 oz bottle because it has to go ground UPS. The results are worth it. I use it all the time for touch ups. You do not have to take the gun apart to do it. Just a field strip like normal.

I'm going to try the "bronze wool and oil rub" treatment on the horribly blued M1911A1 this weekend to see if I can make it look/feel any better. The metal feels rough and "gritty", like the person blued over pits/rust without prepping the metal first. I hope it works!

you will find out quickly.

Here is my 1908 .380. same blue as your 51, and sportin' tusk.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301014382.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301014414.jpg

Simply gorgeous!!

Thanks. But I wouldn't go that far, it's one of my carries and a shooter. It was worse than your 51, way worse, when I found it. It had the wrong mag, and no finish at all. basket case. $300.gun.

Box for the Remington 51
 

You guys might think this is "hokey", but I found a guy in Traverse City, MI who recreates the original box and printed material that came from Remington with the pistol when it was new. I picked it up for less than $20 and now all I need is the cleaning rod... This is a disease, I know...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301055547.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301055598.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301055664.jpg

I couldn't help myself, the gun looks so good, it really needed the box....

I'm working on the M1911A1 with oiled bronze wool and I can't believe the difference already! I'll post some pics in the next day or two. The pistol was originally Parkerized and someone along the way blued the gun and it looked almost black and was a flat "matte" finish and looked terrible. I want to see what I can do to improve it and David recommended this technique.

It sounds as it could have been sandblasted before the bad refinish. I've seen it before. Go slowly.

Brass wool treatment, day 1...
 

Here are a few pics after 1 brass wool pad was completely used...The metal is very smooth, not rough as it appears in the pics... The metal is in excellent condition, the finish is just horrible...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301101526.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301101572.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301101623.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301101673.jpg

No rust or pitting at all, the metal is smooth but it looks really, really bad.

Ok ...did you do the frame too? The slide looks good, but the frame worries me. Now I know this will sound crazy, but, I want you to put some of the small parts, say the safety, and put it in a glass of white vinegar all night. In the morning, it should appear rusted and have like a velvet coat to it. If it does, then wool the red off. If that is any kind of bluing it will come right off leaving the metal "in the white". Ig not, then it has been parkerized and it's hell to get that off, but can be done. Maybe you should give me a call tomorrow. I will be home all day. This might be a candidate for Durucoating. Still easy and you can do it at home. Call me.

David, Yes, I did the frame and slide with the oiled brass wool and the layer of "black" mostly came off and it appears that a home-applied bluing was done over top the Parkerizing. I guess the only good news is that the metal is nice and smooth, no rust or pits at all. I'm going to Cabela's this AM but I'll try to call you. I may call you from Cabela's if I have questions about what I need.

This M1911A1 could look really nice if the finish was redone, I think as the frame and slide are in very good shape. Unfortunately, someone ruined the original Parkerizing and for that, they should be shot!

I'm going to the shop today to pick up a few bucks, but call me in the evening if you like.

Picked this up today at Cabela's
 

Picked this up today at Cabela's

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301169564.jpg

No Rig grease, so I'll have to order that, but I have Militec-1 grease to use up 1st...

that is the liquid. it's harder to control than the cream version. use cotton balls and rubber gloves. apply sparingly and many times keeping it wet but no runny for about 3 minutes or more.. you can also apply it with steel wool. not sure if i would use the bronze here for fear of a chemical reaction and leaving it on yer spoon. I will send you some rig monday. Don't order any.

David,
They didn't have the cream at Cabela's, so I got the liquid. I've been watching youTube videos showing how to use Oxpho blue and I'lll follow your instructions and use steel wool when I'm applying the product.

I think you may have to get rid of the old parkerizing before you blue. Try it and see what happens.