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Refinishing/restoring an AK. What would you do?

slothlacrosse

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 19, 2010
1,318
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CENTCOM
So I've had a WASR-10 sitting in my safe for years. I think it's time to restore it.

Corrossion resistance is lower on my priority list than Mikhail Kalashnikov. This gun won't see hard use.

That being said, I don't think I'm going to reparkerize the rifle. I ordered a very nice set of wood furniture and I'd like to rest of the rifle to match it aesthetically.

Ideally, I'd like to get it Cerakoted Midnight Blue, but who knows?

Hot blue? Black Oxide?

Let me know what you guys think.
 
Re: Refinishing/restoring an AK. What would you do?

Unfortuately, the do-it yourself option is no longer an option now that I'm an apartment dweller.
 
Re: Refinishing/restoring an AK. What would you do?

find a buddy with a garage, then use rustoleum semi textured 7220. strip the rifle then lighly sand down the metal so paint has something to stick to. once sanded, degrease it completely MEK works very well. do a light coat and let it dry completely then apply a second coat, once the paint is nice and dry, reassemble.
i have done over 25 with friends over the last 8 years. whenever the paint get scratched, it is a cheap and easy touch up job and then again, it is an AK.
 
Re: Refinishing/restoring an AK. What would you do?

Well u said "restored" so that makes me think your wanting it somewhat original looking. I would suggest Cerakote Graphite Black, its a very nice rich black and would look good with the wood furniture. My .02 anyway
 
Re: Refinishing/restoring an AK. What would you do?

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The top rifle is black oxide. The one on the bottom is cerakote black. The both look good to me.
 
Re: Refinishing/restoring an AK. What would you do?

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There it is in its current condition.

It's by no means going to be an original gun, but I'd like to keep it simple and fuctional.

Can anyone recommend anyone in the DC/Balt/NOVA area who does good refinishing? Or atleast someone with a sandblaster so I can black oxide it?
 


I decided to send it off to Mark at Arizona Response Systems. Got my first look at it today. Can't wait to see how it looks in person.
 
Looks good, be sure to post up some pics when you get it back!