i ran this question by on the maintenence forum, but i figured i might have more luck here.. i just got a brand new DCM competition lower from bushmaster, and it's a little scratched up around the pins on the right side of the receiver. i tried applying a little bit of black sharpie and rubbing it in, as someone suggested, but it just gave me a shiny patch that looked even worse than the scratches. does anyone know a product or DIY method that will effectively blend scratches into the anodizing? i know it's not a big deal, and i know AR's are meant to take a beating, but because it's brand new and it cost me 489 bucks out the door, it kinda rubs me the wrong way.

Try Birchwood Casey Aluma-Black, dampen a qtip with it, apply and itll blacken up your marks perfectly. Just follow the directions on the bottle. I think it comes out much better than a sharpie and does not dimensionally chance the surface (like touch up paint does). Pretty much permanent too, especially in the areas your talking about.. John

okay, i think i'll head out to dick's and see if i can pick up a bottle tomorrow. i was just a little worried that the birchwood casey stuff was just a 6 dollar sharpie..

actually, i just looked, and dick's only has "super black", in gloss black & flat black. does the aluma-black work noticably better, or will flat black do the trick? sorry for so many questions, i just don't want to buy the wrong stuff.

Dont get the super black it freakin sucks ass.  Its nothing but a paint filled sharpie and the paint wont even hold up to CLP.

Exactly correct, dont get the paint pen! Get the bottle of Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black. Its in a 3oz. blue bottle. I just touched up a few small marks on Bushmaster lower I just bought. Cant see the marks at all, I cant even remember where they were. Itll handle CLP, FP10, pretty much whatever you use... John

Maybe I'm the only one.. I think scratches add character.  What's a gun without wabi anyways?  I'm suspicious of owner's whose guns look too new.

excellent, i feel better already [:)] thanks a lot for the info guys