Hello fellow AR.com members. I have I question that I know one of you AK experts can answer. I was wondering what would be a good way to remove the paint from my SAR-1. I would also like to know your suggestions of what to replace it with. I am open to all opions.
Thanks in advance.

I was thinking the same thing about mine.  The finish, even new, was not very good looking.

After some thought, I decided against it.  The SAR-1 is to be my "uglygun" and will keep whatever scratches and marks it gets.  In fact I decided to go against my natural tendancy to baby all my guns and abuse the hell out of it.

I will not clean it until it fails.  I am counting the rounds that go through it so I can give a report if/when it does fail.


Anyone wishing to donate ammo for the "Kill The SAR-1 Project", feel free to contact me.  Hehe... j/k.

I was wondering where could I acquire some of this navel jelly. Also, what are the benefits of baking the paint on the gun.

Navel jelly can be found at any of those xx book stores in your area..

Oh.. wait... check out boat supply stores.  I'm not sure where else you can get it.

To bake a finish onto your gun, you have to use a paint that was designed to be baked.  It hardens the finish and it is much more durable.  I believe the heat also allows the finish to penetrate the metal (does metal have pores?) so it will adhere better.

Nothing different on getting it off, but as to what to put on I can offer the following: I have tried the Brownells Alumi-Hyde II and worked well on everything but the barrel which cooked off after 3 or 4 mags. It takes about a week to cure right though. The Brownells Teflon-Moly worked better but scratched easier. I have been using Dura-Coat and Gun-Coat lately and have been the most pleased with them. Gun-Coat is a little better in my opinion but more involved of a proccess. The ease of the Dura-Coat application and very little curing time with out having to bake the gun parts, makes it the one I use the most as of now.

You don't have to buy navel jelly.  It is the substance that accumulates in your belly button after a few weeks in the tropics without a shower.  

If you have an 'outie', you're out of luck though.