Removing paint from a gun

[mikenbarb]

I have a gun that someone had camo painted the barrel and reciever and want to remove this stuff without harming the blueing. Is there any product that will do this without harming the finish? I was thinking of maybe using a gun scrubber spray that isnt plastic safe or zipstrip but I think zipstrip may harm blueing. The barrel is blued high gloss and the reciever is blued aluminum.

[Lavid2002]

Well, how about some acetone and a very very very fine steel wool, such as 0000. Dont apply pressure, just let it ride the barrel. This is what I do for rust, im sure it would work for paint. Lets see if someone else has a tip.

[Bill DeShivs]

Just soak it in mineral spirits.

[jaguarxk120]

Try MEK, don't smoke around the stuff!! No steel wool on the alloy reciever as it will take off the anodizing. TF

[mikenbarb]

Im trying to stay with something that I can put on and rub it off without using abrasive. Im gonna try a test spot of Zip strip and the others mentioned and see what happens. I will let you know how they work. Thanks.

[Doyle]

Acetone will remove most paints without harming the bluing.

[Dave Haven]

Lacquer thinner.

[Jim Watson]

Spot test anything.
I don't know of a paint remover that will affect blued steel or anodized aluminum, but there are some aluminum parts that are just lacquered and would be stripped.

[Swampghost]

If the piece was prepped right before painting, don't expect much. I use 0000 steel wool if the piece is in good condition. You have to scuff the surface for it to accept the primer. If it's not flaking, the chances are that it was done reasonably well. Think polishing and re-bluing + value

[homefires]

Break it down to the smallest part you can. Let it sit in Acetone! Bluing is not bothered. Use a soft rag to clean it up. Acetone will not bother the bluing!

Some paints are based on Tulane, Again not a problem on bluing. Bad on you but not it!

If the crack police smell this stuff expect a visit!

[brickeyee]

You can use any number of solvents depending on the paint type, but avoid chlorinated solvents or lye on the aluminum parts.
Lye will eat aluminum VERY quickly, and chlorinated solvents can damage the surface also.

[Rex B]

Brake fluid, no kidding. Regular old Dot 3 from the parts store. Ever see what it does to car paint when you spill some?

I have used it on machine tools extensively. You don't want to leave it on there indefinitely because it absorbs water. It should get the job done in a few hours, bubbling it up so you can wipe it off with a rag. Soapy water when you are done.

there are probably some of the newer epoxy paints that it doesn't affect, but I have yet to run across any of that that needed to come off.

Good luck

[mikenbarb]

Acetone worked well for the barrel but had to soak it for a long time to do the reciever. The paint residue blew off with compressed air and the bluing is intact. Thanks everyone for the help.
PS- The original bluing is 99% and looks like the guy that owned it painted it the day after he bought it. and repainted a couple times after that. I got lucky with this one and it could have been terrible under all that paint. The vent rib took alot of work with a fiber brush but I got it.