View Full Version : House fire damaged BCM & 1911 advice
My good friend at work house burned to the ground last week. He and his wife made it out ok but all of his stuff got destroyed. Yesterday he dug through the rouble and found the BCM I built for for him years ago on a mag lower,along with his Kimber. The moe handguard was melted so I threw it away. There is a rainbow effect going on near the fsb due to heat. Does anyone have any advice on anything to look out for on the ar? Im going to take the 1911 to Allegheny arms to see if Josh can do anything for it.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181106/4d966ae441d780dd89e2205ce1e1330d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181106/3118f8809e7a6e62d8f38b2755bc035e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181106/1d958e48519b2316cb76cce0925f2383.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181106/944c8d9bae312082d58abc79f5c9f8a3.jpg
MountainRaven
11-06-18, 14:29
Put those guns in a shadowbox or something.
I would not, I repeat NOT, shoot either of those guns. The heat they have been subjected to may have very easily destroyed the strength of the metals in the firearms and rendered them unsafe to use.
My good friend at work house burned to the ground last week. He and his wife made it out ok but all of his stuff got destroyed. Yesterday he dug through the rouble and found the BCM I built for for him years ago on a mag lower,along with his Kimber. The moe handguard was melted so I threw it away. There is a rainbow effect going on near the fsb due to heat. Does anyone have any advice on anything to look out for on the ar? Im going to take the 1911 to Allegheny arms to see if Josh can do anything for it.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181106/4d966ae441d780dd89e2205ce1e1330d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181106/3118f8809e7a6e62d8f38b2755bc035e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181106/1d958e48519b2316cb76cce0925f2383.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181106/944c8d9bae312082d58abc79f5c9f8a3.jpg
Looks more like water damage than heat damage to me. It doesn't take much to melt a handguard. The lower receiver was junk before the fire. Is the oil in the BCG liquid or is it charcoal? That would be a good indicator of how hot it got.
Straight Shooter
11-06-18, 15:02
Man I got no advice on this- but damn my breaks for the guy over loss of his home, and of course his weapons..my prayers for him & his.
Yea I think it's mainly water damage, and I know the mag lower is junk.i think I'm going to replace all the furniture and rattle can the ar.
Man I got no advice on this- but damn my breaks for the guy over loss of his home, and of course his weapons..my prayers for him & his.Thanks
I would wonder if some of the AR may be salvageable. The handguard melted and you have discoloration on the barrel, so that's gone. But the rear didn't get hot enough to damage the grip or stock. Check the buffer and extractor o-ring for heat damage. If they're damaged, the whole thing should be considered destroyed. But if not, maybe the upper receiver and BCG may be salvageable?
OTOH, considering what uppers and BCGs cost, is it really worth risking your life?
Ask insurance what evidence/docs they need for a claim, get that documentation, then scrap them.
That looks like major heat damage, I would not shoot any of them. Only alternative would be to restore looks if there is sentimental value.
Edit- just saw that it may be water damage. Still offering same advice. Time/effort put in to restore will likely be the same as a new gun. You pay for insurance, use it.
That's not a BCM. It's a BCM upper on a Mag Tactical lower. Scrap the AR and see if the 1911 is salvageable. I would be more concerned about the house and other items. Maybe insurance will cover it.
IMO, that stuff is toast. File them on the insurance claim and move on.
Doc Safari
11-06-18, 16:40
I would not take a chance on an upper kabooming because it got too hot in a house fire. Remember it's aluminum, not steel. I just wouldn't take a chance.
What caused the house fire by the way?
The fire was an electrical fire, total loss. I'm going to advise him to get the insurance money for them. Taking a closer look at the 1911 the entire barrel is rusted iside and out.
Heat damage is a larger issue than the surface damage. They are beyond repair, do not try to play around with them, they are covered under insurance and a claim should be made.
The fire was an electrical fire, total loss. I'm going to advise him to get the insurance money for them. Taking a closer look at the 1911 the entire barrel is rusted iside and out.
Kimber 1911’s rust inside & out regardless of fire or water damage. Just kidding but not really. I’d scrap both of those, take whatever insurance will give, & drive on.
The_War_Wagon
11-06-18, 19:11
The fire was an electrical fire, total loss. I'm going to advise him to get the insurance money for them. Taking a closer look at the 1911 the entire barrel is rusted iside and out.
Take that 1911 to Pittsburgh Cerakote (http://pittsburghcerakote.com/) (out past the airport), and let them break it down. They can certainly bead blast away the rust, and see if there's anything salvageable underneath. New barrel is cheaper than new pistol, if some blasting & cerakote would make the rest of it work.
Take that 1911 to Pittsburgh Cerakote (http://pittsburghcerakote.com/) (out past the airport), and let them break it down. They can certainly bead blast away the rust, and see if there's anything salvageable underneath. New barrel is cheaper than new pistol, if some blasting & cerakote would make the rest of it work.
1. Insurance will cover the items.
2. PC isn't going to cover the heat issues and consequent metal fatigue. No smith will, there is a lot more at stake than blasting off the rust. That part is easy.
Great reminder to have insurance on all your valuables, especially firearms.
I’m assuming he didn’t have them in a safe. Feel terrible for the guy.
PB
Thank God it was a Kimber and not a real gun.
Man, that sucks. Take the BCM to a range and tie a string to the trigger and see what happens. :suicide:
I would take a nice picture of the AR, frame it for your gun room and scrap it. Not worth risk to life or limb to shoot it.
heat treat / temper are everything. That fire more than likely messed it up real good.
I would take the AR to a "gun buy back event". You might get $150 for it.
I would take the AR to a "gun buy back event". You might get $150 for it.
Agreed. Rattle can it with black rustolium and see if you can get some dollars for it. ;)
TangoUniform
11-12-18, 11:12
I would take the AR to a "gun buy back event". You might get $150 for it.
This!
1_click_off
11-12-18, 11:19
I would take the AR to a "gun buy back event". You might get $150 for it.
Do these guns get destroyed or is there a chance the PD sells them. I could agree if you know it will get chopped, but if there is a chance of a resell you should either dispose of it yourself or weld a nice bead in the chamber to prevent a round from chambering before trading it in.
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