Removing Paint from a Rifle

[rallen]

I have a few AR15 rifles that I recently acquired that are painted camo. What is the best way to remove the paint?

[G.B.]

If its spray paint take a rag and soak it in brake clean and wipe the rifle down. When I painted mine I had to take a q tip with brake clean to get it out of some of the cracks.

[CLHC]

MEK. But caution is in order when using that specific paint remover. Hope you find what you're looking for and strip away!

[c3006]

MEK is good stuff used properly and the further you can tear them down will make it go better also.

[GH41]

It depends on how far down you are willing to strip the guns. Besides being very flammable MEK doesn't like most plastics! Also be aware that some paint removers don't like aluminum. GH

[SteveS]

The older I get the crankier I get !!! Just run then as is. Too much effort is placed on how a gun looks.

[SGTMAJ]

What always worked for us was Avon skin so soft , apply a heavy coat wait 20 mins and use a soft toothbrush or nail brush, it gets under the painted surface due to the mineral oil in I. t The soft brush is just so you don't scratch anything if that's a concern. WE used this on ARs and Long Guns that had been painted for deployments and worked well. Does not eat plastic like other liquids.

[samuse]

Acetone and Goof-Off Professional work best for me.

[AreWeNotMen?]

This stuff:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Motsenbockers-22-oz-Spray-Paint-Graffiti-Remover-Lift-Off-4-411-01/100040544#

I bought a used painted upper last year and researched the crap out of paint removers. I went with Motsenbockers and was shocked at how well it worked and how easy....

[Hump66]

I've always used Acetone. Seems to be safe on the plastic parts too.

[balloo93]

I will 3rd Acetone.

Went from this:
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x282/balloo932/0c613d0d-899d-4705-8721-294b7a9ee5b1_zps7a440705.jpg

Changed the handguard so went to work with Acetone:
http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/t677/balloo933/DSC01376_zps22ec4cbd.jpg (http://s1319.photobucket.com/user/balloo933/media/DSC01376_zps22ec4cbd.jpg.html)

[TCB]

I used break cleaner on one and had good results, there were multiple layers of paint on that one so it took some time but it came off.

[skywalkrNCSU]

Brake cleaner worked alright for me, took a lot of elbow grease and it looked more hazy than black when I finished. Good enough for what I was after though so I didn't concern myself with it too much.

[pat701]

Good Luck!!!

[viper3colt]

You may try Hopps #9 cleaner, a "non scratch" green dish scrubber and a few nylon dental gun picks. Its what I used to take off Spray paint from a upper I bought last year. I had good luck.
Put Hopps on a rag, wipe down and leave a heavy film on surface. Let soak for a few min, lightly scrub with scrubber soaked in Hopps and use picks/q-tips for the rail crevices. Go slow
Note; dont use Hopps on a AK like a Saiga because you will have a bare metal gun.

[rapomstage3]

Acetone. Soaked mine in a stainless pan and it pretty much just flakes off.

[P2000]

This stuff:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Motsenbockers-22-oz-Spray-Paint-Graffiti-Remover-Lift-Off-4-411-01/100040544#

I bought a used painted upper last year and researched the crap out of paint removers. I went with Motsenbockers and was shocked at how well it worked and how easy....
I used this as well, along with a nylon brush. It worked well, especially considering it is a water based product that doesn't have fumes. It left behind only the slightest haze of paint on the surface, but this was hard to see and I left it. I imagine that acetone or another solvent would finish the job nicely with only a few wipes.

[Cmm46]

Has anyone used acetone, or anything else, on Brownells Aluma Hyde 2 with success?