Refinishing Colt 20 round aluminum mags

[strm_trpr]

So, I have 5 of these bad boys that need some TLC because they are worn and scratched that there is no finish left. What is the best way to refinish them.

[Troublco]

Colt 20 round aluminum mags have a 2 part finish to them. They were given a chemical treatment (I think it was alodine, which gives aluminum a gold color) and then sprayed with a coating called Solid Film Lubricant. The "solid film lubricant" has the usual moly and such in it, and so you can't put anything over that and have it stick.

The only way I know of to recoat these (unless you happen to have a can of Solid Film Lubricant, and I haven't seen any in 10 years IF you were in the military) is to abrasive blast them, degrease them, and then use something like DuraCoat, Moly Teflon coating, CeraKote, GunKote, that sort of thing.

[ben4372]

I fond some dry film lube a while back. Forget brand it was a bit expensive. Maybe $35.00 a can. Google dry film you'll find something like this http://www.haward.com/dryfilmlubrication/ the Duracoat shake and shoot kit is great, but its a two part system so you should have lots of them ready to go as it goes a long way. I did a HK91 and a dozen mags with one kit. still had some left over. Seem to hold up decent.

[theGinsue]

Check out this thread (http://www.ar-15.co/threads/46751-New-Life-To-Old-Magazines) that I posted about a year and a half ago on refinishing aluminum mags.

If you want to stay true to the Colt 2-part finish process, to get the sub-layer chromate conversion end (gold finish which acts as a corrosion inhibitor), fully sand/steel wool ALL existing coating off of the mags, dip it in Alodine (http://www.chemical-supermarket.com/product.php?productid=364), give it time to properly set in, then hit it with the Perma-Slik G. Be sure to put the coating(s) on very thinly as to avoid sticking/binding within the magwell.

[ben4372]

Recently tried some Loctite dry moly lube. Looks great. Similar to Perma-Slik G. Looks like some older NIW colt mags. Fairly tough if air cured. Says if I cook at 500 for 30 mins the finish will be solvent resistant. Will 500 degrees mess up the "hardness" or temper of the mag?

[strm_trpr]

Cool guys, it looks like these may be important to keep in good shape for at least a while :(

[hatidua]

In light of the fact that Colorado is a whole long ways from saltwater that could corrode aluminum, is refinishing simply a cosmetic endeavor?

[ben4372]

In light of the fact that Colorado is a whole long ways from saltwater that could corrode aluminum, is refinishing simply a cosmetic endeavor?
mostly

[IFFV]

I would leave them like they are.
They show character.
Those are what we used in Vietnam. They had .223 on the butt plate. Not 5.56. The 5.56 were later.
I never saw a new one in Nam & mine work flawless.
Those are great mags.I still use them.
It's your call?

[Troublco]

Recently tried some Loctite dry moly lube. Looks great. Similar to Perma-Slik G. Looks like some older NIW colt mags. Fairly tough if air cured. Says if I cook at 500 for 30 mins the finish will be solvent resistant. Will 500 degrees mess up the "hardness" or temper of the mag?

500' shouldn't affect aluminum; aluminum alloys used in gun and gun stuff are usually aircraft alloys; and they are heat treated but 500' shouldn't bother them even if they were originally heat treated.

I may have to get some of this and try it on a few old 30's I have that have the solid film worn off.

[ben4372]

Follow up on my Loctite dry film lube. I baked them in the oven, did 10 of them. Funny thing is four of them then finish is shit and can be scraped off with my finger nail. The other 6 are fine. Not sure what happened. Maybe the four bad didn't dry long enough before they went in the oven. Who knows. If I do another batch, I'm either not cooking them or gonna buy Perma-Slik.

[DFBrews]

I picked up a can of the crc dry moly spray from grainger that a lot of people are using seems to do pretty well I will snap a pic or 2