Magazine Refinishing

[Furious]

Just thought I'd post a before and after pic of some mags i refinished.

Usually when I get the mags out of my box o mags and decide to refinish them they still have tape residue, dirt, etc on them from being used 20 or so years ago. I disassemble the magazines completely and then take the magazine body and go over it with a wire brush in my drill press. This removes and tape or anything else that may be sticking to the magazines. After I have ran the magazine against the wire brush on my drill press I then wipe it down with a rag to remove any oils, etc from handling it. (I'm in the process of getting a sandblaster to do the paint removal.) I then insert the mags into my paint box, which I do all my painting in to protect my garage walls). A couple coats of whichever paint I'm using for the mag and two coats of paint and a day later the mags look like new.

 

[jrbtzx12r]

Give us the skinny. How'd you refinish them?

 

[Big_Red]

Give us the skinny. How'd you refinish them?

Yeah, yeah...how did you do it?

 

[Furious]

I added some info into the original post as to my process. Any more questions just ask. I have about another 30 mags I am going to refinish over the next week for a couple of shooting buddies.

 

[peterpressure]

What type of paint?

 

[Furious]

What type of paint?

The picture was of a mag done with krylon. I use different paints depending on how much use a mag will get etc. These are just mags that will be stored for a rainy day/future use.

 

[matt]

The picture was of a mag done with krylon. I use different paints depending on how much use a mag will get etc. These are just mags that will be stored for a rainy day/future use.

What do you use for heavy use?

 

[ScottS]

I disassemble the magazines completely and then take the magazine body and go over it with a wire brush in my drill press. This removes and tape or anything else that may be sticking to the magazines. After I have ran the magazine against the wire brush on my drill press I then wipe it down with a rag to remove any oils, etc from handling it. (I'm in the process of getting a sandblaster to do the paint removal.)

You're not worried about destroying the anodizing on the mag body? Most tutorials Ive seen on refinishing aluminum USGI AR mags warn about not cutting through the anodizing, which will accelerate wear on the mag. Just curious.

 

[rscalzo]

I refinished a bunch of magazines using a product called Permaslik-G. It is the closest to the original finish as delivered new. It requires baking on but doesn't build up the magazine bodies at all.

It can be bought here... http://www.neelyindustries.com/

 

[stinx]

+1 on Permaslik-G I just ordered two cans of the stuff. Permaslik-G is a Mil spec approved Finish.

 

[Furious]

You're not worried about destroying the anodizing on the mag body? Most tutorials Ive seen on refinishing aluminum USGI AR mags warn about not cutting through the anodizing, which will accelerate wear on the mag. Just curious.

No. I don't think hitting the mags w/ a wire brush lightly would cause them to wear out any quicker, at least not quick enough for me to see in my lifetime.

 

[Furious]

What do you use for heavy use?

a dry lube finish from Sandstrom industries.

 

[stinx]

Heres is a recent batch I did with Permaslik-G. I originally bought the mags form Furious:

 

[Furious]

Those look really good, is the finish pretty close to how the pics make it look?

 

[2000GM]

I've been using the CRC "Dry Moly Lube". (I also just bought a batch from Furious) It comes out a little darker that the Perma Slik looks. I don't bake it or heat it or anything..just give each one 2 light coats. Just like the Perma Slik, when something rubs it hard enough it makes bright spots.

I'm not anal about mine, I just like them to all look pretty much the same, and I figure since I always put new springs and MagPul followers in them when I pick up older mags, I may as well take the extra hour to clean up the bodies a little and hit them with the dry moly.

 

[stinx]

yes the finish is very similiar to the pictures. The finish is a little gritty its a very dull grey. I am going to do some more next week. I will try and take some better pictures. overall I really like how they came out.

 

[jrbtzx12r]

Those look sweet Stinx. Does any one know if the have Permaslik-g in black?

 

[Furious]

I think permaslik only comes in one color.

 

[stinx]

http://www.neelyindustries.com/ here is a close up:

 

[Jamie]

Are you guys getting this dry film lube locally or what? I just tried a few different online places and the shipping is more than the cost of the item.

 

[2000GM]

I got mine from the MSC company my link above takes you to. As far as the shipping goes, yeah....that must be why I bought 3 cans of it...to make it seem more worthwhile!

 

[Len-2A Training]

Sounds like a candidate for a group buy?

Paging C-pher, Paging C-pher . . .

 

[skol]

Two cans of Perma-Slik G from neely + shipping is 50 bucks as of today. Each spraycan can do ~25 mags with two coats.

 

[skol]

Two cans of Perma-Slik G from neely + shipping is 50 bucks as of today. Each spraycan can do ~25 mags with two coats.

heh.

perma-slik G just rubs off, basically.

 

[Ninsho]

heh.

perma-slik G just rubs off, basically.

Care to elaborate?

 

[Hoppy]

Care to elaborate?

well theres a month between the first post, and the new one. looks like he tried it and it didnt work out.

i too am interested in the results. considering some gun show special mags to rebuild.

 

[skol]

I'm not really pleased with the results. Perma-Slik G goes on real thick, and real even. It looks great once you wipe off the overspray and let it cure. But as soon as you stick it into the magwell or even rub it hard, it just comes right off.

If I knew that, I would of just used cheap spray paint instead of 20 dollar cans of this stuff I had followed the ar15.com refinishing guide, except you don't bake Perma-Slik G.

 

[skol]

When my other shipment of mags arrive I'll just clean them, replace the springs/followers if needed and leave them be. That way I won't be so pissed when I trash them when I move back to NC and buy 100 pmags

 

[Ninsho]

I'm not really pleased with the results. Perma-Slik G goes on real thick, and real even. It looks great once you wipe off the overspray and let it cure. But as soon as you stick it into the magwell or even rub it hard, it just comes right off.

If I knew that, I would of just used cheap spray paint instead of 20 dollar cans of this stuff I had followed the ar15.com refinishing guide, except you don't bake Perma-Slik G.

Everyone I know of who has used Perma-Slik G to refinish their mags has baked it, that could have been the problem?

 

[skol]

The stuff rubs off in my hands even. Interesting.. the side of the can says you don't need to bake it.