Painting steel mags

[tonytor58 0]

I picked up 3 used comblock mags and they have some rust around the inside near the follower. Should I try to sand a little and paint them or just leave em as is? I would like to restore them a little? But don't want to hurt reliability, if you have painted them what process did you use scuff up with sanding then spraying a couple coats? Think the same color black that I used on the receiver during the conversion.

[BigChongus 765]

If you don't care about cosmetics (which I wouldn't for the area you described), just wire brush the area and spray that area with Duplicolor Rust fix. It turns the remaining rust into a black primer and inhibits further rusting.

[tonytor58 0]

I don't care about the finish just don't want them rusting anymore. The product you mentioned sounds like a good fix ill have to look into it.

[Brian M1 50]

Just be careful painting mag internals. Paint can get tacky and soft under heat and wear (as well as solvent's and oil), which may affect the mag's performance. I've had decent luck with Rustoleum flat black engine enamel (baked on) on exteriors, but personally I'd avoid internals.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

I would sand and blue.

[Lone Eagle 839]

I would sand and blue.

^^This^^

 

All my combloc mags are blued.

 

The other downside to painting is if you get it too thick where the mag goes into the weapon, then it will scrape it off on the first insertion. I did some 20 round Colt mags with VHT Header Paint(next best thing to Ceracoat), and got one a little too thick. First time in, I had a nice bare spot on my mag.

[tonytor58 0]

Thanks guys! How do you blue them? What products do you use? I'd like to do it myself, so any info on the process. What grit paper? How did you sand between the ribs in the mag?

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Use something like this;

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/284241/birchwood-casey-super-blue-cold-blue-3-oz-liquid

 

600 grit should work you aint trying to remove metal.

youtube is your friend.

[tonytor58 0]

Thanks Rhodes, are the mags originally blued?

[mostholycerebus 415]

Anyone try that Brownells Alumahyde? I have some korean mags that came basically bare.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

all mine were

[uzitiger 193]

Years ago I got a rusty AK mag for $3 and cleaned it up to free the follower and it works reliably. I did paint the follower after cleaning up the rust with Duplic Color ceramic engine paint in semi gloss black. I allowed it to air dry then baked it a 300 degrees. Air drying before baking allows the solvents to evaporate instead of filling your kitchen with fumes and baking it hardens the paint and makes it more durable. I painted some mags with non ceramic engine paint and it's not as durable.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Bluing is just so much easier and prevents rust.

 

Bet they look good though.

[tonytor58 0]

Thanks for all the help guys, now that I have inspected them a little closer they are blued. Thanks Rhodes. Uzi do you bake after each coat or just the first coat? Thanks guys for the help. I've read other places that cola will strip them down to bare metal anybody use that method?

[blfuller 2]

Alumahyde II works well. If you have access to a bead blaster cabinet that would work the best using aluminum oxide then soak them in a phosphoric acid solution like Prep and Etch from Home Depot or Lowes. After that coat them with the Alumahyde. Even better use GunKote and spray and bake.

 

Don't waste your money on the Krylon stuff, solvents will dissolve that stuff in short order.

[gunfun 3,931]

If you don't care about cosmetics (which I wouldn't for the area you described), just wire brush the area and spray that area with Duplicolor Rust fix. It turns the remaining rust into a black primer and inhibits further rusting.

 

Lots of companies make brush on rust converters, which turns the surface of the metal into magnetite. Like blueing, it is a form of controlled oxidation. However, this turns the affected ferrous metal's surface and oxidation into a different compound which adds surface hardness. I really like rust converters and used them frequently in a former job. I also recently used some on my motorcycle exhaust before using high temp paint.

 

I would be a bit careful about using it inside the mag because it can add a little thickness. That will be minimized if you prep the surface thoroughly as it works the best with some iron oxide to work on.

 

Bluing would look nice too, but I would use the rust converter as an undercoat if you plan to paint. Then again, there are so many good choices, such as moly resin, cerrakote, duracoat....