Chemical stripper on gun parts?

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nemesiss45

New member
I picked up an FAL that has some finish issues. I am tenetively planning to refinish the metal parts with kg gun kote. My question is, will a chemical paint stripper harm the metal? I do not have ready access to a sand blaster, so I'd rather use a paint stripper if I can.
 
Gun Kote requires blasting as part of the prep.

There is no way "around" this step if you expect the coating to remain on the parts.

You'll need to blast, or go with another coating that does not require coating as part of the prep. I use Cerakote and Gun Kote- both require blasting with aluminum oxide.
 
Do you need sand blasting or bead blasting? I once needed a metal object bead blasted and took it to a boat repair place that had a bead blaster. He did the work for me for twenty bucks.

Bead blasting will remove all the paint and finish without being too aggressive.

You might also check local auto body shops. If they don't have a bead blaster, they will know who does.
 
Paint stripper doesn't do anything to steel or the phosphating on an FN. Used E-Z-Off on gas plugs, long ago. And that's a lot more caustic than paint stripper.
A great deal will depend on who made the part though.
 
Do you need sand blasting or bead blasting?
Click to expand...

I find that these terms are often used incorrectly- even interchangeably.

"Sand" - e.g. silica- isn't even used anymore in enclosed environments/blast cabinets due to the health hazard.

"Bead blasting" correctly refers to glass beads- which are NOT used as prep for either Gun Kote or Cerakote. Beads peen the surface rather than etch it- and do not create a sufficient blast profile for adhesion.

Aluminum Oxide is what's used, 100-120 grit, air pressure dependent on the material being blasted. Go too deeply into the surface, and the very thin coating (about 1 mil) will not fill the valleys. Fail to get a sufficient profile, and the coating will just peel off after curing.

If the part's still shiny, you haven't blasted enough...
 
For about 15 bucks you can get a hand held bead blaster, but you will need a compressed air source to use it.
 
I guess that's what I'll do. I do have a couple compressors, jut never picked up a media blaster... unfortunately, like a week ago, I had the option to pick one up fairly cheap... didn't think I'd be wanting one so soon.
 
well, lucky me, while visiting my parents for Easter, I mentioned the project to my dad and he tells me "I've got an extra sand blaster if you want it..." so now I have all the tools I need, I just need to get some blasting media and some gun kote. once I do, I will practice on a couple mags that need to be refinished.
 
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