joseywales76
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Camo spray paint
How do you deal with cosmetic damage to a pretty gun?
- Thread starter Scout21
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I buy them pre-dinged and appreciate the history marks that made the gun available at a more affordable cost. They are kept in good working order, but they are used and often eventually sold or traded away.
It's the same with tools. Good tools are made to work hard, and I would rather have a scarred up old Milwaukee saw than a pretty new Ryobi or Black & Decker.
It's the same with tools. Good tools are made to work hard, and I would rather have a scarred up old Milwaukee saw than a pretty new Ryobi or Black & Decker.
Stainless in firearms is deffinitly not rust proof. And when it does rust it Pitts pretty deep. The beauty is in the fact that its raw steel with no finish and you can just polish, sand, or bead blast it back to a nice appearance (deep pitting is another story though). Unknowing folks hear the word stainless and think its like a kitchen utensil or surgical steel type resistance to rust. Lots of different types of stainless out there. Always seems like Stainless castings (like Ruger) pit worse to me if neglected. Best practice of course it to keep things wiped down or waxed like normally done on blued firearms. Seems like Carbon steel surface rusts easier but doesnt pit as deep where as stainless pitts deeper but doesnt surface rust as much.
Now if you really want something that doesnt rust look at Zamak. It doesnt rust but it will dust sometimes. No carbon in Zamak to rust but it can break down internally over a long time time. A hi-point probably would have held up just fine in that basement.
Best combo I know of if you really want to neglect or rust proof a firearm is to go Hard Chrome over stainless steel. If I was going on hunting trips and living it in the bush thats likely the route I would take. Also if I was carrying concealed in somewhere like the Florida Coast and wanted to keep maintinance at a minimum.
HaHa.... You are not fooling me with your trick photography. There is not a scratch on that steel. Not saying you dont have worn firearms but you take good care of your stuff.... and thats a good thing.
No offense to anyone but these are some strange posts here in this thread. People glorifying the mistreatment of things they care about. Maybe we should talk preventative maintinance practices more to avoid all this.
citizenconn
Member
I don't drink beer, gave up Dr. Pepper because of the diabeetus, and my favorite bourbon which I drank for years is on allocation so I can never get it anymore (Eagle Rare), so I just do some deep breathing exercises and pet my kitty cat until the anger goes away.
If that doesn't work then I cuss and throw things....
wbm
Member
Yep.
Yes!
"Last night I dreamed that I passed from the scene
And I went to a place so sublime
Aw, the water was clear and tasted like beer
Then they turned it all into wine (awww)" Tom. T. Hall
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Rolled my pickup on a Ntl. Forest road......came to rest upside down.............Browning BAR was resting on the passenger seat at the time and did the squashed chicken.......split the butt stock and cracked the forearm.....Screw the wood, metal was good to go so I just did a synthetic re-stock.............Like it better now than before! If you use it you are gonna ding it, ding it, ding it.................way back in the dark ages when I was a LEO I'd sent my then duty gun, a Smith 19 (no dash) back to the factory for some light engraving and a nickle job.................absolutely beautiful till a combative DUI and a roll around on a hi-way got done with me. I still have it, it still bears those non factory 'engravings' that're now just the mark of what were truly good times now long gone!
Once dug a cupro nickle .30 from the butt socket of a model 99 Jap LMG..........now that scratch had memories and then some!
Once dug a cupro nickle .30 from the butt socket of a model 99 Jap LMG..........now that scratch had memories and then some!
jar
Contributing Member
The same way I deal with cosmetic damage to a pretty woman. I say "You are more beautiful with every passing day and we really need to spend far more time together; just the two of us!"
Paul R Zartman
Contributing Member
Hope the cat is not within grasp...I don't drink beer, gave up Dr. Pepper because of the diabeetus, and my favorite bourbon which I drank for years is on allocation so I can never get it anymore (Eagle Rare), so I just do some deep breathing exercises and pet my kitty cat until the anger goes away.
If that doesn't work then I cuss and throw things....
Paul R Zartman
Contributing Member
I might try, but not sure it will come out right on my pre model 10 M&P...
I have a few safe queens, and I realize, what a waste. This one was so new and pretty, while I did take it to the range and prove it shot, I greased it up and put it in the safe.
This one was stupid. I put a lot of money into this Combat Elite making it run well. As it came from the factory, it peened its frame so hard, that the frame was replaced within the two year warranty. Colt did not fix the hard recoiling problem so I decided to send it to Wilson Arms as it would surely peen out again, but be out of warranty. Wilson Arms had a two year wait. Wilson did the blended Bomar rear sights, new front sight, match barrel, beavertail, different hammer, trigger job, frame tightening, and probably more wallet busting work that I can’t remember.
and when it came back, I did not want to scratch it! Stupid!
Pretty much I subscribe to what Quinn Moore, a Camp Perry Civilian Service rifle champion used to say: "Do you want to shoot your rifle or make love to it?" Quinn cared little about the appearance of his rifles, his primary concern was whether they put the bullet in the center, each and every trigger pull. He was right.
In new finish this may be worth more than the Colt, so what, I shot the heck out of it. It is on its third hammer. The finish wear from about 10,000 presentations.
good wear leads to good results on target.
I do know competitive shooters who are extremely careful about keeping their firearms like new. Joe Farmer, Senior Civilian Smallbore Champion, was obviously one of these. This is the Bleiker Joe was shooting at the Nationals. He was very proud of the wood, and he made the stock out of a blank he got at Camp Perry in the 1960's.
This is on the other extreme. This shooting bud was on his seventh barrel when this was taken, and bud was a glue shooter. These M1a’s were hard recoiling weapons, and having a perfect, solid position was critical to accuracy in all phases of NRA Highpower Competition. Some shooters sprayed glue on their rifle, so it would stay in place when held. Glue was yucky, and the first time I saw a glue shooter stand up from prone, and he had to peel off his shooting mat, that was when I decided I did not want to use glue.
What matters at the end of the day, is how many bullets you put in the middle, they don't give awards for prettiest rifle.
This one was stupid. I put a lot of money into this Combat Elite making it run well. As it came from the factory, it peened its frame so hard, that the frame was replaced within the two year warranty. Colt did not fix the hard recoiling problem so I decided to send it to Wilson Arms as it would surely peen out again, but be out of warranty. Wilson Arms had a two year wait. Wilson did the blended Bomar rear sights, new front sight, match barrel, beavertail, different hammer, trigger job, frame tightening, and probably more wallet busting work that I can’t remember.
and when it came back, I did not want to scratch it! Stupid!
Pretty much I subscribe to what Quinn Moore, a Camp Perry Civilian Service rifle champion used to say: "Do you want to shoot your rifle or make love to it?" Quinn cared little about the appearance of his rifles, his primary concern was whether they put the bullet in the center, each and every trigger pull. He was right.
In new finish this may be worth more than the Colt, so what, I shot the heck out of it. It is on its third hammer. The finish wear from about 10,000 presentations.
good wear leads to good results on target.
I do know competitive shooters who are extremely careful about keeping their firearms like new. Joe Farmer, Senior Civilian Smallbore Champion, was obviously one of these. This is the Bleiker Joe was shooting at the Nationals. He was very proud of the wood, and he made the stock out of a blank he got at Camp Perry in the 1960's.
This is on the other extreme. This shooting bud was on his seventh barrel when this was taken, and bud was a glue shooter. These M1a’s were hard recoiling weapons, and having a perfect, solid position was critical to accuracy in all phases of NRA Highpower Competition. Some shooters sprayed glue on their rifle, so it would stay in place when held. Glue was yucky, and the first time I saw a glue shooter stand up from prone, and he had to peel off his shooting mat, that was when I decided I did not want to use glue.
What matters at the end of the day, is how many bullets you put in the middle, they don't give awards for prettiest rifle.
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Coyote3855
Member
I can handle honest wear, whatever that means. Different for hunting rifles and carry guns. I will take care of my tools but life happens. I have a moment's regret and move on. Now a fresh scratch on my vintage bicycle is something else entirely.
redneck2
Member
I’ll be the odd man out here. I used my hunting guns quite a bit. One was an 870 that I used probably 25+ years and took dozens of deer plus ducks, pheasants, doves. Used it for trap and sporting clays. Had tens of thousands of rounds through it. When I sold it there were maybe a few very small scratches, but it basically looked new. If you doubt this I sold it to one of the moderators here. Ask him
I’ve seen guns that have the crap beat out of them for no apparent reason other than the owners are slobs. “It got scratched by a barbed wire fence”.
Carry your gun in a case, not piled on a bunch of tools. Don’t use it it clear brush or be a total idiot and use it to push down a fence.
I have a friend that has expensive guns and is anal about them. One of his acquaintances asked to use his new Bennelli shotgun. The dumbass leaned it against the side of a truck. It fell over scratching the truck and dinging up the stock in the gravel. So dumbass says “oh man, sorry I scratched your gun”. My friend replied “no, you scratched your gun because you just bought it”
My wife has a Grand Cherokee that is six years old. Looks brand new because we park at the far end of parking lots so idiots don’t bang their car doors into it. Just take care of your stuff instead of being a pig
If you put $800 in a rifle and scope, maybe think about $50 for a good padded case.
I’ve seen guns that have the crap beat out of them for no apparent reason other than the owners are slobs. “It got scratched by a barbed wire fence”.
Carry your gun in a case, not piled on a bunch of tools. Don’t use it it clear brush or be a total idiot and use it to push down a fence.
I have a friend that has expensive guns and is anal about them. One of his acquaintances asked to use his new Bennelli shotgun. The dumbass leaned it against the side of a truck. It fell over scratching the truck and dinging up the stock in the gravel. So dumbass says “oh man, sorry I scratched your gun”. My friend replied “no, you scratched your gun because you just bought it”
My wife has a Grand Cherokee that is six years old. Looks brand new because we park at the far end of parking lots so idiots don’t bang their car doors into it. Just take care of your stuff instead of being a pig
If you put $800 in a rifle and scope, maybe think about $50 for a good padded case.
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JTHunter
Member
In the late 80s, I bought a used Stevens 311 shotgun, a SxS with double triggers, made around 1961. I have used it for hunting for many years, leaning it up against trees, fences, using it to push thorn bushes out of the way, etc. Several years after I got the gun, the stock got 2 small splits in the waist (??) just above the triggers. I took the butt loose and carefully drilled 2 small holes through the top and into the wood below the cracks. The upper holes were enlarged slightly to allow for the head of the brass screws I was putting in the wood. Using a small, flat blade screwdriver, I smeared Elmer's Wood glue deep into both cracks as well as the holes for the screws. When screwed up snugly, the excess glue was wiped off an the stock was allowed to sit and cure for 24 hrs. After that, I used some "wood putty" to conceal the sunken screwheads, then stained that when they were dry. Finally, I put a little "spar finish" poly (low gloss) to protect that surface and it has worked flawlessly ever since.
I might try, but not sure it will come out right on my pre model 10 M&P...
Well then, something a bit more conservative.
I made a scratch on a perfect bluing, when my screwdriver slipped while I was trying to pry out a slide stop.
Happened long time ago, I am embarrassed when thinking about this now. And every time I look at the scratch I feel embarrassed.
Lately I have been spending (wasting?) time to learn how to fix deep scratches on the blued parts (and I am not far enough in the process to try fixing). This is helping me to cope with the situation.
Happened long time ago, I am embarrassed when thinking about this now. And every time I look at the scratch I feel embarrassed.
Lately I have been spending (wasting?) time to learn how to fix deep scratches on the blued parts (and I am not far enough in the process to try fixing). This is helping me to cope with the situation.
Mark_Mark
Member
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- Jan 9, 2021
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- 17,783
Nice Wear on that Kimber! I look for that in used guns
I will have a great estate sale.
Not predicting when that will happen. Hoping for a long time till.
I remember when alcohol, tobacco and firearms was a fun Saturday afternoon...now, all that is verboten.
That being said, proper cleaning and maintenance is important...how it looks, not quite so much.
Don't think a lot of makeup on a woman (or man) is attractive either...I must be getting old...
That being said, proper cleaning and maintenance is important...how it looks, not quite so much.
Don't think a lot of makeup on a woman (or man) is attractive either...I must be getting old...
Mark_Mark
Member
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2021
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- 17,783
well according to the Supreme puppet Leader, it’s Alcohol Firearms & Tabasco
Paul R Zartman
Contributing Member
Yea, I dust the old top shelf Bourbon bottles every now and then, clean the fins and grids of the beer fridge, it a pain to get prepared this time of year. But worth it when the weather rolls in...
Paul
JR24
Member
First scratch on a gun is like the first scratch on a new car.
Once it’s out of the way you don’t have to sweat the rest.
Im typically rough on stuff so I never sweat it.
Once it’s out of the way you don’t have to sweat the rest.
Im typically rough on stuff so I never sweat it.
JR24
Member
Conelrad
Member
As mentioned, have a beer and quit lookin' at it!
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