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.Originally Posted by Uncle Scary
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.
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.
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.
I like the black oxide Duracoat .
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
Where are the pictures???
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.
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!
OK then.Personally, I prefer lacquer thinner for this step. But that's after 10 years experience as a professional electrostatic painter.
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!
I'll take your word for it...
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.
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.
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.
Try the experiment.I'll take your word for it...
You'll see....lol
I prefer parkerizing; other than that: high heat barbecue paint...
I've used Gunk Kote and Norell's Mollycoat. Gun Kote is my clear preference. Goes on and covers better, more durable when baked at 320°F. Glass bead is not a good surface prep media. 100 to 120 grit Aluminum oxide in a blaster is if you want a smoother but rough enough finish to stick to. 80 grit if you want a more aggressive surface finish, but watch the air pressure as it can almost stipple softer metals. Not familiar with the Brownell's version of Gun kote I presume it is from KG Industries OME packaged for Brownell's. Gun Kote sticks best to a fresh parkerized finish but aluminum can't be parked. OTOH it can be K-Phosed as I've done it and the Gun Kote stock perfectly after baking. K-Phos is a clear liquid that you spray on the fresly blasted surface, (that has been rinsed off to clear the blast dust). BTW I use acetone for this just in case oil seeps out of a crevice or a finger prints are left on the parts after pulling them out of the blast cabinet. I was doing a lot of Gun Koting when I had my FFL. I used organic vapoer filter masks, the type with cartridge filters and solvent proof rubber gloves to keep it off my skin.
You apply the GK to a warmed surface. They tell you to preheat it to about 120 degrees. I eventually learned I could heat the metal with a propane hand torch easier. The MEK carrier in the Gun Kote is very toxic and you really should use the cartridge mask or do it out doors maybe to prevent inhaling that carap. I'd use at least a dust mask to block the particulate if doing it out doors. The MEK flashes off quickly when the GK is applied and soon a very warm to hot part becomes cold. Reheat is often necessary. Often 2 coats are necessary as you will often find an area that didn't get painted as well as you thought it was. Good lighting is important in combating that problem.
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