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Posted: 11/22/2013 4:04:52 AM EDT
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Hi,
New guy here looking for some information and a little direction. I'm an avid handgunner, but the events of the last year have convinced me to get a few black rifles in the safe so, being a mechanical engineer and general do-it-yourselfer, I decided to build from scratch would be the way to go. I purchased 3 80% finished lowers and 3 uppers in white so that I could get them hardcoat anodized together, figuring a burnt bronze color would look sharp against black components. I got the lowers engraved and then finished them out myself and fairly pleased with the results so far. The plan is a simple 5.56 carbine for the first one, a home defense rifle in .300 BLK (legislation is in process to allow SBRs in Michigan) and probably a 6.5 Grendal tack driver once I get some experience building. I'm having trouble finding any place that will do the anodizing work. The local metal finishing shop has an FFL and are willing to do the work but only if I have an FFL as well. I don't understand why this would be a requirement. I've emailed US Anodizing and haven't gotten any replies although, according to their website, they do make it sound like they would do the work if they weren't so busy that they aren't accepting non commercial work. Web searches on the topic all seem to give fairly cryptic answers about the rules and laws on doing work to firearms so I'm not real sure what to do or where to go. I've got a fair amount of money sunk in parts, jigs, tooling etc and really don't want to just shelve them now and just buy plain black stripped lowers, and frankly the appeal of less paperwork on what I own and what big brother knows is strong. Given how hard it was 8 months ago to even get these lowers tells me there have to be a lot of people building from scratch, so what are people doing to get them anodized? In retrospect I guess I could have had them done while they were still 80% finished, but having the internals raw just doesnt sit right with me. Can anyone give a relatively simple answer on the rules for doing work on a firearm? If I wanted to have work done to one of my guns does it have to be done by someone with an FFL? Does anyone know of a place that will do the hardcoat anodizing? Any suggestions / direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Jeff |
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"but having the internals raw just doesnt sit right with me." - Get over it
"If I wanted to have work done to one of my guns does it have to be done by someone with an FFL? Does anyone know of a place that will do the hardcoat anodizing?" - Once it is finished it will go onto the books of any FFL that anodizes it. --------------- Paint it with auto exhaust paint or Cerakote it yourself at home. Either the bake on or room temp Cerakote is fine. I have seen painted lowers go years and thousands of rounds with no problems. If wear of trigger and hammer pin holes worries you. Install anti-rotation devices for those pins. Hardcoat anodizing is great but somewhat over hyped and not really required. Under extreme conditions and hard use other parts would probably fail before the receiver. |
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You could also look into DIY anodizing as well. The materials are fairly easy to find and relatively cheap. At its most basic, some sulfuric acid, tubs to hold liquid, dye and a variable current DC power supply. Some water to clean and a pot of boiling water to seal.
I'd recommend experimenting with scrap aluminum first to get an idea of times and temperatures to get the results you want. Usual precautions apply, sulfuric acid is dangerous, be careful and wear gloves and eye protection, etc. Duracoat and Cerakote are also alternatives you could look in to, especially since you were wanting something other than the basic black. |
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I am a mech E too... working on helicopter designs now.
My advice if your lower has turned out nice.. send it to WMD for a NIB treatment. They will NIB a stripped upper and lower for $150. Robar NP3 is about $250 since there is no anodize present already. They look nice, have a high Rockwell, clean easy and serve a function too. |
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