Suggestions for frame finish?
 

Gentleman,
I am in the process of giving my 1903 16 ga VH 0 frame a facelift. I have since rust blued the barrels and a high grade stock is in the works. I am at a loss however in how to proceed with the frame. Leave it silver or is there a particular finish that anyone can recommend? I'm not interested in original case colors and really like the look of some French Gray finishes I've seen but I understand that look is best served on engraved pieces. I actually really like the look of the metal in the white. Is it possible to finish the metal somehow to protect from rust and corrosion while preserving the "brushed steel" look? Does anyone have a tried and tested french gray method with pics of their results? Thanks for any help!

You can view pics of this gun in my profile. I would post here but still a rookie trying to figure this out.

You can view pics of the barrels at various stages of the rust blue process on my profile page. Couldn't be more pleased with the results.

Use the same product (usually clear lacquer) that you would use to protect case colors. If it is too shiny for your taste use a flattener to kill the shine. Oscar Gaddey preferred Behelins spray but Testor makes a clear lacquer used by model builders or you can use Tru Oil. If you use a brush on finish you will get the best results if you dilute the lacquer 15 to 1 with thinner and apply two or three coats.

A thin application (one or two coats) of Oxpho Blue will give a nice gray-blue color. If you use a cotton ball, a good mottled appearance will result from dabbing as opposed to wiping.

Great suggestions! I'll do a little research and see if I can find example pics of both.

So just exactly what is French Grey finish, plating, or ????

No, it's not a plating technique but rather a chemical staining of the metal.