Stripping paint without damaging finish underneath

[mcantar18c]

As mentioned in the other thread I posted, the rifle I just acquired has black spray paint over the handguard and buttstock. The handguard is FDE underneath, and I want to keep the factory finish but strip off the spray paint on both pieces. Its a Troy VTAC, not sure what they use to coat their stuff I feel like paint thinner would take the factory finish off as well as the spray paint. The Magpul ACS doesn't have any colors showing through but it definitely has spraypaint on it and looks like ass, but I'm not as worried about damaging it.
If it comes down to it I'll just paint over everything, but I'd like to flip it and get as much as I can out of it and I don't see that happening if it has craptastic black spray paint all over it.

[palepainter]

Media blasting or soda blasting might be your safest solution. It will get rid of the paint safely on plastics and aluminum. It may require a repaint regardless of method.

[Wulf202]

If it's anodized the paint thinner won't hurt it, media blasting will.

[Kaiser.Shooter]

I'd try a brake parts cleaner

[mcantar18c]

The Troy website says "MIL-STD Type III Hard Coat Anodized" in black or FDE. So paint thinner, acetone, brake cleaner, or whatever I can find to strip off the pain should be OK?

[Wulf202]

yes, if they're anodized. Anodizing is aluminum oxide with color trapped in the crystals.

[sniper7]

as long as it is anodized. if it is painted you are pretty much SOL as far as getting to the first coat unless you are absolutely amazing at wet sanding.
if anodized, then use paint thinner. if not, you can paint thin or media blast to base material and start over or just put another coat over it.

[TAR31]

Paint stripper will take off the paint and not affect the anodizing, i'm in the process of doing the same thing to a rifle I took in on a trade.

[Great-Kazoo]

Media blasting will dull the anodized finish, as it would any finish. Try a small section with laquer thinner. BUT have a thing of rinse water on hand, just in case.

[ray1970]

Mineral spirits or lacquer thinner.

[TFOGGER]

Plain old spray carb cleaner will take most spray paint off with nothing more than a paper towel, but don't use it on plastic parts. Anything metal with a permanent finish should be fine.