https://thegreatmodel8.net/

I have a 1908 (SN 1183XX) Model 8 in .35 Remington.

It is an honest old used rifle (gray patina). At some point someone silver soldered the barrel jacket at the base and it is 'silver shiny' and there is a dent in the barrel jacket (but it doesn't effect operation). The bore also looks like a Paris sewer. Basically it is worth what I paid for it.

I finally detail striped and cleaned 100+ years of gunk out of it. I plan to use a Foul Out III on the bore (as soon as it shows up - the Foul Out III that is). Right now it shoots fine but primers on factory .35 Remington are "top hatting" (popping out slightly) which might be excessive headspace.

My intent is to shoot it occasionally.

Since the barrel jacket repair seems like something that won't take a blue, I was thinking about using KG Gunkote (either matte black or gloss gun metal blue) as a finish.

Am I a heretic?

not a heretic at all. I think it's a smart move if you're going to continue to use this occasionally, keeping the metal protected. We'd love to see before and after pictures!

If the headspace is a little generous, and if you reload, the answer is to neck size only the fired cases. That way, the slight extra body length will maintain the proper headspace. The worst thing you can do in such a situation is to full length resize the cases. You can neck size OK by backing out the FL die slightly so that the case shoulder is not set back. If you have a .38 Special sizing die, that would probably work OK as a .35 Rem neck sizing die. But I have not tried that, so I don't know if it would work. A Lee Loader (the one you use a hammer with) neck sizes only. I don't know if Lee makes a Lee Loader in .35 Rem.

You have lots of options on refinishing. I have had pretty good luck in applying the various teflon finishes, however they are best applied over a phosphate finish (or an anodized finish for aluminum parts), and you should spray the Teflon finish on. You can bake the finish in a kitchen oven if the pieces will fit into it. It's not that cheap, but Brownell's sells what you need to do it. It's not anything like a blued finish, but it does not look bad, and it is very protective.

If your bore is rusted, you might try filling the bore with Naval Jelly. Several treatments may be required, with stainless steel wire brushings between. Don't get the Naval Jelly on any blued surfaces, unless you want to remove the blue. Weak hydrochloric acid will also remove rust, but is a little hazardous to work with..

Thanks guys.

No before pictures.