Ruger 10/22 Receiver Refinishing Options

The finish on the 10/22 receiver has changed over the years, originally they were anodized, then a teflon type coating was applied, now they are powder coated. 
In case you didn't know the receivers are made from cast aluminum

So let's say your receiver's original finish is not looking so good

What are your options? As noted above the factory receivers are aluminum which means you cannot blue, parkerize or color case harden them, but there are still plenty of options.

You could always sand blast it and leave it in the bare aluminum or....

use sandpaper (600 grit) to get a matte finish

or give it a semi-polished look

......a high polish finish like these folks have done

 
Here is the one I did on my target rifle project

After polishing you could jewel the entire receiver

You could also chrome plate the receiver

This one is polished, but it sure looks like chrome plating

for that matter you could plate in it nickel, brass or copper as well. 

Some people chose to use spray paint, not a bad option as the receiver is mostly protected by the stock
This guy went with a camo theme

Cerakote and Duracoat are also very popular

The one below is from Brimstone Gunsmithing

The one below is from Monarch Defense

These next two were painted with automotive paint, they turned out very nice, the first one almost looks like a high polished blued finish

 
Powder coating is an option, this is what the factory currently applies to the receivers

Anodizing is another option, although I have seen few factory receivers re-anodized, it can be done. I found these for sale on Armslist

Many aftermarket companies offer their replacement receivers in a multitude of colors, if doing it custom like those above, your color choices are almost limitless

Another anodizing option is the hard coat anodizing like found on AR rifles, this is how some aftermarket receivers are coated, this one is from Brownells

One last option is hydro dipping, there are a ton of different patterns and colors, this one is made to look like carbon fiber, see it here