Hello, my wife is working on a dedicated .22lr build, for this build we ordered 100% of it from online.  Once we get all the parts in hand we realized all the color differences.  The upper is a flat black, the lower is a satin black.. The barrel is a satin black and the flash hider is a flat black.  We did a dry fit of all the parts we do not like how it looks.   So now we thinking, should we just get a different stripped upper and flash hider with a better more matching color, or is there an easy way to finish it to get it more of satin black out of it?

I have never refinished a part before or had the need to do so.

Probably if it was a typical all black rifle build it would look ok, but my wife wanted to use all the new Magpul gray MOE parts, so with the flat black parts looking more gray than black it is just giving everything a weird look.

You can do a frog lube bake in. This will even out the colors, but with anodozing things will vary even in the same batch. Cerakoting is the only way to get one true colour.

Don't worry about the barrel and flash hider. They use a different coating and will never look the same as the anodizing on the aluminum receivers. As far as those go, the only sure fire way to get a matched set is to buy the same brand receivers. Nobody anodized exactly the same, sometimes you can get close and even if you do get the same brand for the upper and lower, the different batches may not be a perfect match.

Rattle can

^this. Or find a good Cerakoter and to the whole thing in Magpuls gray

Think you can combine the two suggestions now and use a rattle can Ceracoat.  Coating is the only way you'll even get perfect matches.

Have all the parts Cerakoted or just live with it.

This.

Oil it down and it will look fine.

Get a small bottle of Militec...coat it good...heat it with a hairdryer...let cool then wipe...and it will even out the sheen and they will all match.

 

The flash hider and barrel are phosphated steel and the receivers are anodized aluminum. Completely different materials and processes. Shoot it and don't worry about it, it's a rifle.

Yep, I agree. Edited - Eric802

I can live with the flash hider not matching but I would hope I could get the upper/lower to be a closer match.

I tried to look up the oil baking that someone mentioned on google, and either I fell for a joke or I am looking up the wrong thing because I just got results on cooking haha.. Cant anyone give me more info on that or let me know what phrase search for?

The thing that sucks is the upper/lower is the same brand, Rainier Arms but the finishes do not match at all.   Their website said the upper was the exact same finish as their lower but when I got it, it clearly was not.  I contacted them and asked them about it and they said there is a slight difference in color and I could return for a full refund if I wanted.  I decided to keep it though, I got a great deal on it as part of their pre-order on the Revolvr App.   The only way these two look the same is in the dark with no lights anywhere around haha.. They even feel different, the lower is a nice smooth as silk satin finish, the upper is a rough, dry flat black..

Again, get yourself a small bottle of Militec and coat the entire weapon with it...then take a blow dryer and heat it up as directed....then let it cool and wipe off the excess and you will have matching components.  You can repeat if necessary and once its done you will need to do nothing more to it.



 

Off-topic, GD-type comment removed - Eric802

Ok, I will say I agree with this!

Once you're behind the trigger, you'll only see the upper receiver.  Rattle can or rub some dirt on it.

VHT epoxy rattle can
Looks flat on the cap but is a satin in reality ….. I did my raw receaver with it and its fairly tuff stuff