I just got some surplus Romanian AK mags from CDNN sports and plan to repaint them. I've already removed all the packing grease that they were coated in and so far the plan is to remove the rust using some cola that I have lying around and I need to stop by Autozone so I'll be picking up some high temp engine paint on my way home from work as well. My question is what do you recommend to degrease the mags before I start painting? I've heard people suggest rubbing alcohol, brake cleaner, acetone, etc. Also on some other forums and threads I've read some people recommend baking the paint on. Is this necessary?

Brake cleaner is your friend. Buy chlorine-free if it's going to touch any plastic.

If you have a bunch to do, get a gallon of acetone and a seal able bucket to put it in. Dunk your parts in the bucket to clean and seal it up for use later.

For just one or two, a can of brake cleaner will be enough.

Edti; Baking depends on the paint you use.

Also buy chlorine-free if it's for metal, really no chlorinated brake parts cleaner left anywhere that i've seen, they've found it causes metal fatigue and stress cracks.

OP, yes, baking is MUCH better. Baking will harden up even dirt cheap paint to a useable level.

Degrease with chosen product, heat mag bodies up on low (lowest setting on oven) to force last of hidden oil/grease out, degrease again, then I wash mine in Dawn and HOT water and dry immediately with a hair-dryer.

Prep is everything when it comes to painting metal.

Before I had to move back to town, I had a Morton building and my shop was in there. I had access to all kinds of stuff then. Point being, I bought about a dozen AK mags that were somewhat rusty on the outside. I sandblasted off the rust. Then I used an automotive pre-paint cleaner & de-greaser to clean them. A nearby paint store still sells the old acrylic enamel paint, reducer, & hardener. He sells it in small quantities, so I did not have to buy much. I used an automotive touch up gun & repainted them. They dry pretty quickly, but take time to cure. (about 30 days). They came out looking brand new, and still do. I probably did this about 6 years ago. It was probably overkill, but sure was fun for me. There may have been more than a dozen. Then again 30 years ago I used to paint cars, so had the tools on hand. Others have suggested easier ways, probably a lot easier, but I doubt any better. I mainly wanted to get my .02 in. Like I said, it was fun.

Thanks,
Mark

I tried brake cleaner and alcohol (I think) to degrease my SKS, Kerosine was actually the cheapest, best thing to use. Poured it in a big, flat, rubber-made type tub with the stripped SKS. Gas is supposed to work well, too, but its obviously got lots of fumes and such.

I use  Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy from walmart to refinish my mags.