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Thread: Best DIY gun finish?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Uncle Scary's Avatar

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    Best DIY gun finish?

    I'd like to try to refinish an AR upper and lower with either Brownell's Gun Kote or their Teflon-Moly finish. Anybody have experience with these products? Any advice on prep and application would be appreciated, too.

    There's only one auto body shop in town, and they may not want to do any parts bead blasting for me. Would the finished product look like total shit if I sanded instead of blasted?

  2. #2
    swampdragon
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Scary View Post
    I'd like to try to refinish an AR upper and lower with either Brownell's Gun Kote or their Teflon-Moly finish. Anybody have experience with these products? Any advice on prep and application would be appreciated, too.

    There's only one auto body shop in town, and they may not want to do any parts bead blasting for me. Would the finished product look like total shit if I sanded instead of blasted?
    No experience with the products you are asking about.
    But....
    I did just refinish my AK.

    I used paint stripper, a wire brush in the end of a drill and sand paper.
    No.
    It did not hurt the rifle.
    The slightly rough surface helped the new finish stick a whole lot better.

    After the rifle was stripped, I wiped it down with acetone.
    Then I heated it in the oven for about an hour @ 400*
    That made the oil come out from all the nooks and crannies.
    Wipe it down again.

    Then I painted it.
    Baked the paint.
    It came out beautiful.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Uncle Scary's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    I did just refinish my AK.
    It came out beautiful.
    Well, let's see some photos of your AK. What type of paint did you use? I hear that brake cleaner works as well as acetone for degreasing.

    A guy named Nutnfancy did a youtube video where he refinished a rifle with duracoat after roughing up the surface with 400 grit sandpaper. The end results looked good.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    After the rifle was stripped, I wiped it down with acetone.

    I can paint vehicles and a clean oil free surface is essential. Using acetone to clean it was a good idea.. Did you get a good buzz? lol

    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    It came out beautiful.


    Where are the pictures???




  5. #5
    Senior Member Uncle Scary's Avatar

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    Photos Swampy, photos. lol.

    After I finish my AR project, I'll post some photos (no matter what it looks like). Right now, all I have is a Spike's stripped lower. I'm going to fill it with a Spike's enhanced lower parts kit. The upper will be a RRA Coyote 20" with 1/9 barrel.

  6. #6
    swampdragon
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Scary View Post
    Well, let's see some photos of your AK. What type of paint did you use? I hear that brake cleaner works as well as acetone for degreasing.

    A guy named Nutnfancy did a youtube video where he refinished a rifle with duracoat after roughing up the surface with 400 grit sandpaper. The end results looked good.
    Maybe Santa will bring me a digital camera for Christmas or something.
    Right now I don't have one.
    Sorry....lol

    However.......I have an experiment for you to try, and it will only cost you $5

    Go to any nearby store and pick up one spray can of: RUST-OLEUM "STOPS RUST" PROTECTIVE ENAMEL

    Pick an old gun part that you don't really care about either way.
    Clean it really well like I described above.
    Paint it with the RUST-OLEUM and let it dry.
    Then place it in a cheapo pie tin or on foil or something a put it in the oven.
    Bake it for an hour or more @ 400*-450* or so.
    Let it cool for about an hour afterward.
    Pull it out and examine it.
    I promise you it will be just as nice and just as tough, if not even tougher, than the vast majority of factory paint jobs that many rifles already come with.
    You will truly be amazed.
    I'm serious.

    Let me know how your experimental part comes out.
    You'll like it.
    The baking process makes a whole world of HUGE difference.

    EDIT: I used RUST-OLEUM "Flat Black" by the way, but you can pick semi-flat or matte or semi-gloss or whatever you like.
    Last edited by swampdragon; 11-21-2010 at 03:22 PM.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    Maybe Santa will bring me a digital camera for Christmas or something.
    Right now I don't have one.
    Sorry....lol

    However.......I have an experiment for you to try, and it will only cost you $5

    Go to any nearby store and pick up one spray can of: RUST-OLEUM "STOPS RUST" PROTECTIVE ENAMEL

    Pick an old gun part that you don't really care about either way.
    Clean it really well like I described above.
    Paint it with the RUST-OLEUM and let it dry.
    Then place it in a cheapo pie tin or on foil or something a put it in the oven.
    Bake it for an hour or more @ 400*-450* or so.
    Let it cool for about an hour afterward.
    Pull it out and examine it.
    I promise you it will be just as nice and just as tough, if not even tougher, than the vast majority of factory paint jobs that many rifles already come with.
    You will truly be amazed.
    I'm serious.

    Let me know how your experimental part comes out.
    You'll like it.
    The baking process makes a whole world of HUGE difference.

    EDIT: I used RUST-OLEUM "Flat Black" by the way, but you can pick semi-flat or matte or semi-gloss or whatever you like.
    I used to do the exact same thing with my entrenching tool when I was in the army. After using it in the field I would come home, clean it up, paint it and bake it. Looked like new for the next inspection.

  8. #8
    Senior Member abpt1's Avatar

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    I like the black oxide Duracoat .

  9. #9
    Senior Member Oswald Bastable's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    After the rifle was stripped, I wiped it down with acetone.
    Personally, I prefer lacquer thinner for this step. But that's after 10 years experience as a professional electrostatic painter.
    If we refuse to rule ourselves with reason, then we shall be ruled by our passions.

    He, Who Will Not Reason, Is a Bigot; He, Who Cannot, Is a Fool; and He, Who Dares Not, Is a Slave. -Sir William Drummond

    There are some things I will not abide within my sight!

  10. #10
    swampdragon
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oswald Bastable View Post
    Personally, I prefer lacquer thinner for this step. But that's after 10 years experience as a professional electrostatic painter.
    OK then.
    I'm not a professional.

  11. #11
    Moderator & Team Gunsnet SILVER 01/2011 AKTexas's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    No experience with the products you are asking about.
    But....
    I did just refinish my AK.

    I used paint stripper, a wire brush in the end of a drill and sand paper.
    No.
    It did not hurt the rifle.
    The slightly rough surface helped the new finish stick a whole lot better.

    After the rifle was stripped, I wiped it down with acetone.
    Then I heated it in the oven for about an hour @ 400*
    That made the oil come out from all the nooks and crannies.
    Wipe it down again.

    Then I painted it.
    Baked the paint.
    It came out beautiful.
    I'll take your word for it...
    NRA, TSRA, GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA
    BEING THE MODERATOR OF THE ROADHOUSE IS LIKE BEING THE JANITOR OF A PEEP SHOW.




  12. #12
    Senior Member Oswald Bastable's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    OK then.
    I'm not a professional.
    Not my point. Just suggesting a change for next time, and for anyone else following this thread.
    If we refuse to rule ourselves with reason, then we shall be ruled by our passions.

    He, Who Will Not Reason, Is a Bigot; He, Who Cannot, Is a Fool; and He, Who Dares Not, Is a Slave. -Sir William Drummond

    There are some things I will not abide within my sight!

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    OK then.
    I'm not a professional.
    I'll take your word for it...

  14. #14
    swampdragon
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    Quote Originally Posted by AKTexas View Post
    I'll take your word for it...
    Try the experiment.
    You'll see....lol

  15. #15
    Moderator & Team GunsNet SILVER 11/2010 Tx Dogblaster's Avatar

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    None of the Rustoleum spray paints are solvent resistant. You'll get a nice looking finish until you hit it with brake cleaner or other harsh solvent. It washes right off with brake cleaner.

    Brownell's Alumihide II is about the best spray can finish you can get for guns. The only drawback is that it takes a couple of weeks to fully cure. Baking it does no good as curing is caused by chemical reaction rather than evaporation. It's really solvent resistant when fully cured.

    If you have access to a cheap airbrush then Duracoat can't be beat for a painted finish. It cures pretty fast and is almost indestructible. It stands up to brake cleaner as well as Xylene which I used to clean up with afterwards. Used with an airbrush it's about as forgiving as a paint product can be.

    I think we had a discussion about these in the BIY forum...

  16. #16
    I prefer parkerizing; other than that: high heat barbecue paint...

  17. #17
    swampdragon
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tx Dogblaster View Post
    None of the Rustoleum spray paints are solvent resistant. You'll get a nice looking finish until you hit it with brake cleaner or other harsh solvent. It washes right off with brake cleaner.

    Brownell's Alumihide II is about the best spray can finish you can get for guns. The only drawback is that it takes a couple of weeks to fully cure. Baking it does no good as curing is caused by chemical reaction rather than evaporation. It's really solvent resistant when fully cured.

    If you have access to a cheap airbrush then Duracoat can't be beat for a painted finish. It cures pretty fast and is almost indestructible. It stands up to brake cleaner as well as Xylene which I used to clean up with afterwards. Used with an airbrush it's about as forgiving as a paint product can be.

    I think we had a discussion about these in the BIY forum...
    I tried brake cleaner and brake fluid too when I was trying to strip the gun.
    Didn't work.
    But, I never use harsh chemicals like that on my firearms anyways.
    I see no reason to do so.
    CLP works fine and has no effect on any finish.

  18. #18
    Moderator & Team GunsNet SILVER 11/2010 Tx Dogblaster's Avatar

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    I agree that there is no need for such harsh chemicals on firearms. I was just pointing it out from purely a durability stand point. My first build was a Polish UF that was painted with Duplicolor high heat ceramic engine paint and it washed right off when I hit it with brake cleaner (testing durability) and then I repainted it with high BBQ paint and the same thing happened. I repainted it with the BBQ paint and because I was gonna de-mill and re-build anyway. That was 4-5 years ago and I haven't done it yet LOL...

    Now that I have 25+ builds behind me, the first was painted then the next 12-15 were homebrew hot blued (which is awesome BTW just a PITA to deal with). Then I did a few with Brownell's Alumihide II which is extremely easy and very durable as well. The last several that I've done have been with Duracoat and I doubt that I'll use anything else now. It's so idiot proof when used in an airbrush that you would REALLY have to try to get runs in the finish. You can get (2) complete rifles painted for less than $20 in paint. The stuff is virtually indestructible when it's cured...

    Just my .02 from my own experience

  19. #19
    Senior Member Uncle Scary's Avatar

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    I considered Alumahyde II for my project. I discarded it as as an option because many who have used it have reported that it gave them a semi-gloss luster when they really wanted a matte finish. The end product still looked good from the photos I saw. Yes, the cure time seems to be rather lengthy.

    If one is concerned about the effect of solvents on rattle can rustoleum or krylon, there's always clear coat treatments to protect the paint.

  20. #20
    Senior Member ubersoldate's Avatar

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    Ive used AII as well on a few firearms, good stuff! Just like already posted it does take a while.
    I like using a base coat of it, then doing the camo with krylon.

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