While refinishing the metal is mostly
for cosmetic reasons, it also can serve the purposes
of preventing corrosion and preventing glares. There
are many different gun coatings availible and in many
different colors, some are even impregnated with
lubricating materials such as Teflon. In the spirit
of doing the project on the cheap, I selected
Brownells matte black baking lacquer.
The key to a good finish is good
preparation of the surface. You should file any dings
and lightly sand the surface for adhesion. I used 400
grit sand paper. Then blew it off with compressed air
and degreased everything with paint thinner. In
addition to the barrel, I refinished all the steel
parts, such as the magazine, trigger, etc.
Following the directions on the can,
I put on 3 coats, allowing it to dry between each.
Then I baked everything at 325 degrees. I removed the
small parts after 35 minutes, and the barrel after 45
minutes.
The finish looks much better than I
expected. It is very smooth and color is even. It did
not fill in any of the markings. The durability seems
fair. I was able to scratch it easily with a nail (in
a hidden area) however in normal use, it should hold
up OK. Also it will be a simple matter to reapply
later if needed.
To pretty up the bolt a bit, I
polished it using some fine compound and a buffing
wheel on a bench grinder.
A look at
the results
Mosin-Nagant Sporter
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