looking at a lot of the sten mags available and many seem to be in bad shape do you guys refinish them and if so what do you use and where do you get it... just trying to get an idea of the different options... this one is kind of a reach and I know this sounds stupid but is it possible to do it in od green.

I really dont want to bake anything if it can be avoided since I dont exactly have a spare oven

-Mike

Quoted: Alumahyde II

that looks like exactly what I need, the problem is brownells classifies it as ORMD which makes shipping to HI a no go, does anyone other than brownells sell something similar?

-Mike

You can buy a counter top toaster / oven that is big enough for Sten mags - not too much money either.  I baked-on black ceramic hi-temp engine paint on mine.  Saw this in the refinishing forum a couple years ago.

I used flat black krylon.  A lot of the bluing and park had already worn off so I didn't sandblast them.  Idegreased them and cleaned them up then painted them.  I let them sit for about a week before I handled them.  They've held up pretty good over the last couple of years but there are some shiny parts where they rub on the mag catch.  If they should need to be redone, the paint is cheap and easy to find.

didn't even think of a counter top toaster-oven I have one sitting in the closet that I cant remember the last time I used

-Mike

Yep.
Ceramic type high temp engine paint in flat black.
I did 10 in Brownell's gunkote type stuff in OD green and it had marginal results as it wore quickly from mag insertions.

My last 5 I just did were in engine paint and it held up WAY better, was easier to apply, was dry to the touch in about 15 minutes and totally cured in 7 days. I did a beater bushmaster barrel with it too and cured it in my oven for 2 hrs at 325. Came out tough as nails.

I'm never buying that Brownell's crap again. One can cost me what 3 cans of engine paint did.

I preped all mine by heating to remove the packing grease, wiping down with MEK and then painting. Not rocket science by far.

I've had good luck with plain old Krylon Grill Paint.  It's temp resistant, and easy to touch up.  Best of all, it's like 3.95 a can.  I did some sterling mags with it.  Of course, my Sterling Mag block idea never came to pass...so I'm not really sure how they hold up to USE.  They do look nice though.
ka