If you wanted to have a scopes finish altered could you get it done at Car Panel Shop . I have a friend who is a car spray painter.

Would you need to strip the glloss finish off first ??

Would it in anyway damage the scope ??

[ 08-13-2003, 16:33: Message edited by: PC ]

It depends on the finish, if it is flaking then you would want to remove it, however if it is still intact then you could leave it. Mask the lenses well, and put some winds of dental floss under the adjustment caps. If it had an adjustable objective you will need to cut the seam with a razor blade or some other way.

Thanks Mark,

have you seen the results of this before ??

I have painted steel scopes before that had gotten rusty and sold to me,and one that had horrendous ring marks all over the body, but they have all been fixed power scopes. I used an airbrush to paint them but the application methods all do the same thing. I say go ahead and try it, especially if the current finish leaves something to be desired.

What tyoe of scope are you thinking about doing this to, a fixed power or something variable with a big adjustable objective lens?

Mark,

it's a fixed 4x leupold with a horrid gloss finish and a few ring marks. I just dislike gloss. Jim Spradlin in the states charges $70US to re-finish them but me being an Aussie and with our $ rate and postage that could work out expensive. I have a mate who owns a panel shop and I am wondering really can Spradlins do anything that my panel beater mate who has all the gear Oven etc. could not do ??

PC,

Well what you have to realise is the scope tube is alloy and is not painted but anodised so the US$70 is probably fair enough as I would guess he strips them down reanodises (sans internals) and rebuilds them for the money....and you get the factory look.

Hux
Brisbane

I know what your saying Hux but wouldn't a professional panel shop be able to come with something that looks as good ??

I don't think the issue is do you get your moneys worth, if he is a Leupold authorized facility I suspect he does pretty darn good work. To me the issue would be whether or not to buy something else with the $70 and refinish the scope myself.

I would suspect that they are coated with a finish rather than re-anodized, that would not hide any scratches or dents, no matter how insignificant they were.

Now to the subjective question as to what looks "as good", that depends on the choice of finish and the quality of application. Exercise good choices in both of those and you will have something nice to look at and use too.

Hello PC - I think that I would use an airbrush and blackboard black. It gives a nice matt non-reflective finish.

If you want to strip it off later it should came away with lacquer thinners.

Do a test run on a piece of scrap anodised aluminium to put your mind at ease.

cheers edi.

This brings up a question that I have wondered about. Will Leupold, Zeiss, Swarovski, Schmit & Bender, etc.... refinish scopes at a reasonable price? Has anyone had them refinish a scope? If so, how much was it?

I contacted Unertl about an old Hawk that I have. they said 60 to reblue the tube, 10 to remove a dent in the bell and 30 to regass it after reassembly. I decided to pass since they couldn't do the bells (they are aluminum, and can't be reblued they said) so the scope would look even worse if it were mismatched. Prices seemed fair though.

Red

The plot thickens,

I wonder If I should be the first to take a punt with a panel shop.

It is nott hat Spradlins is expensive really it is the cost of the postage which would make it un-economical !!.

You could always wrap it up neat and tidy with some camo tape.