I am refinishing the frame of a 45 auto that was finished in baking lacquer and it now has a lot of rust appearing on the grip frame ,hammer and the magazine. The gun was parkerized before and then baking lacquered. The gun is a carry gun for a security guard and he has continual problems with rust. I told him to trade it for a stainless model but he wants to keep the gun. I need to remove the lacquer and refinish the gun but what kind of finish do some of you recommend ?
Thanks for any suggestions I can get.
Dale M

Bead blast it. Then polish the side. Haven't ever tried using anything else. Don't really thing any chemicals will remove it after it has been baked. I know K-G bake on states that you have to sand blast it in order to get it off once it is baked. I am up for other suggestions if any of you have some others.

I haven't tried it, but I think my first try would be with a gel type paint stripper, slap it on then wrap the frame in saran wrap overnight. Also try (don't laugh!) brake fluid, soak it in a coffee can for several days and it loosens up a lot of finishes.

Now for preventing the rust from re-occurring, I'd look at how he was carrying this. If the magazine is rusting I'd suspect the gun is being neglected. I would give him a small bottle of gun oil and a rag and teach him how to clean and lube his gun properly. I would also change the magazine and hammer to stainless, and have less things to worry about rusting. Is the finish scratched much? If not Teflon might be an option but nothing is a substitute for proper maintenance.

I'd sandblast the finish off. If you're going to re-coat or parkerize the pistol again it'll have to be sandblasted anyway.

I've had very good luck with Norrell MolyResin.

Here's how it looks on a .45:




[ 08-12-2002, 16:34: Message edited by: SamB ]

Sam that is a nice refinish on the 45. It looks like a completely different gun.
Thanks for all the advice guys. I already bead blasted off the lacquer and rust and I am just going to reparkerize it. I am going to just tell the owner that he will have to keep it oiled up at least twice a week. Thanks again, Dale

If it was coated with a true baking laquer and not a phenolic resin type I.E. Gun Kote or Molyresin, aceatone may take it off, if not, a good paint stripper like airplane stripper should take care of it.
if you are going to recoat with a product like described above, then blast it off with 80gr. aluminum oxide blast media. 80 grit is probably the best grit to use when coating. The coating really takes a good hold of it. When sparying, it looks almost like it soaks into the blasted surface.

FWIW
Celt

KG recommends blasting with 120 grit silica media for a good mechanical etch.

Jordan

Yes, KG does say that on the direction sheet.
I called them and and was told that 80gr was good. The reason they say 120 is because it works good does not make the sheen so flat with non flat coatings.

Norrel states that between 60 and 90 grit is best.
FWIW
Celt