matching /painting - need insight

[Wilco]

hey guys, building two guns....

both have Noveske stripped 2nd lowers. I'd like touch them up and am wondering if I should use the Allumi hyde Matt or Semi Gloss:

1. Matching Noveske 2nd with BCM upper
2. Matching Noveske 2nd with new Noveske stripped upper

Mainly its matching the lower with the BCM upper, because I know i can make the Noveske stripped upper and stripped lower the same. What is the closest paint to the original and BCM?

[barrelwrench]

Aluma Hyde is OK. I do a lot of KG gunkote and would try that if you have some basic equipment available. Basically sand blast with 120 aluminum oxide, spray gun, disposable ones work for small jobs, and when the wife isn't home, a oven the cure at 350 degrees.
I do a lot of coating and and could give you opinions on each type and whats best for your application. The common types are Duracoat, Cerama coat and Gunkote. For anything that is going to be cycling a lot of rounds I would use Gunkote. ie M4gery's or AK's. Most shotguns that come across my bench are for hunting so the generally get Duracoat. Hope this helps some.

[Wilco]

That helps quite a bit. My problem is I don't have a sand blaster. Is that a must have for Gunkote?

I work from home but the wife doesn't so the oven is no problem.

[barrelwrench]

It's possible but I don't think you could get the uniformity needed by hand sanding. But, if your receiver is new and still had a rough anodized finish it will be rough enough to coat it. This is what I would do if I had go that route.(1) Attach your wire for hanging the part first, you don't want to touch it at all once it's cleaned/prep. (2)Then dunk it in mineral spirits and use the wife's hair dryer to blow dry it and evaporate all the mineral spirits. (3) set in a preheated oven at, or between 150 -200 degrees. (4) let part heat in oven for at least 1/2 hour. (5) take part out and give a complete, but light coat. (6) put back in oven for 15 min. (7) ramp oven up to 350 degrees, take out part and give it a final coat. (8) put back in oven for 1 hour at 350.
Take out after one hour and your done.
Now Gunkote is thin and does not go on heavy like dura coat. You need to spray to cover the part evenly and with a uniform coating and color.
This is the extremely poor mans way of doing it if it needs to get done. If you go with dura coat it's an air cure and no heat is required.
You may be lucky and find a shop close by that would blast it for you and then it's just prep / clean and coat. Note: aluminum oxide not glass bead, glass bead will not give the bite need for any of the coatings to stick. Also go to the KG gunkote web site and look at their coating instructions. I hope this helped.

[kartoffel]

Don't sandblast through the hard anodizing.

[Wilco]

thanks guys. I just want my 2nd lower, that has a few blemishes to match my bcm upper. It is going to get abused anyway, but like any marriage, you want her to at least look purty at the beginning!