Recommended Paint For 10/22 and Maverick 88

[twofewscrews]

The other day I was noodling around with my 10/22 which sits in a hogue overmold stock which is free floated. I wanted to free float it more (add more distance between the barrel and the stock) so I grabbed my tin snips and made shims from a metal pepper box. Before I realized what I had done I scraped off some of the paint off the barrel retainer. The barrel was untouched. I ended up sanding away some of the stock instead of using shims but the damage was done.

On my Maverick 88, which as I've understood is the same receiver as the Mossberg 500 minus the cutout for the safety, I some how lost a literal spec of paint from the top of the receiver. I plan on throwing a UTG 590 Optic Mount (a saddle thing that attaches using an aftermarket bolt pin and ejector scew) on it and while reading the reviews some mentioned that it had taken some paint off their receiver.

I figured I'd buy enough paint to fix the 10/22 and potentially the 88, but I have two questions. I know that both receivers are made of an aluminum alloy and I've read that aluminum does not rust but oxidizes. The resulting aluminum oxide is a thin, hard layer that actually protects the metal from further corrosion.

Is painting the aluminum necessary to protect it or is the paint job on aluminum an aesthetic thing?

What kind of paint or brand do you guys use to refinish aluminum receivers/gun parts?
I was considering using some Testor's Enamel hobby paint or a Birchwood Casey Super Black Touch Up pen. I've read very mixed reviews on the Birchwood Casey option, but everyone raves about Testor's Enamel. Any product suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[LoonWulf]

Anodizing and just allowing oxidation of aluminum are two entirely different things.....well.....kinda.

Anyway aluminum oxide that forms do to exposer is neither hard, nor protective, so youll need to coat the area with something.

IMO most paints work fine for what you want to do, i personally like the krylon camos, and some of the engine enamels.

I also spray DuraCoat and have used Cerakote, and other epoxy finishes....those will be more abrasion, and chemical resistant, but also more difficult to properly apply.

 

[starling]

Are you looking to just touch up or are you painting the reciever?

If you are just worried about scratches and having aluminum exposed oxidation wise I wouldnt lose sleep over it. I have aluminum stuff that has survived just fine and its never been anodized (older stuff). It helps as a thin layer of surface hardness more than anything else for abrasion. Structural integrity is basically the same. A lot of people are not even doing it anymore on AR recievers and just throwing some paint over raw aluminum. good chance your mossberg is just an epoxy baser paint over raw aluminum. Whatever paint Mossberg is useing these days isnt that great anyways. Blue Locktite will discolor it.

Some rattlecan paints are much better than others. Make sure its heat tolerant (specs are on their websites) and spraying some on a piece of scrap... letting dry.... and test your solvent or cleaner of choice is good practice. Some paints wont hold up to different firearms cleaners/oils. Rubbing alchohol even removes a lot of them. I never had any luck with krylon but maybe they have some better ones now. Automotive Engine Enamel or VHT Break caliper paint worked pretty well for me.

Rattlecan jobs are trickier to do right than most people think. Temperature of the can.... distance from nozzle to target.... contaminants in the air.... lots of things come into play. If you dont mind fisheyes, runs, and contaminents its not a concern. If you want it to look professional its a lot of work (also have to prep the surface). Rattlecan paint is much thicker than something like cerakote. Heating up the can helps but it can be potentialy dangerous if you are not careful.

 

[troy fairweather]

The one rustolium black looks exactly like what ruger uses on the 10/22 receiver, I'll see if I still have the can for a paint code, it may have been the x2 paint.

 

[twofewscrews]

Are you looking to just touch up or are you painting the reciever?

If you are just worried about scratches and having aluminum exposed oxidation wise I wouldnt lose sleep over it.

I haven't taken any paint, excluding that little speck, from the 88 but the 10/22 is a different story. I'm not so much worried about the aesthetics of the firearms as much as preservation. I would like to someday pass these down to my kids, when I have em, and I want to do all I can to ensure that happens.