Hello Gentlemen,
I am completing a Retro M16A1 build and I am wanting to know how to obtain a gray magazine release button or charging handle?   I have seen the charging handles, which are rare to find to me, but how do you go about making the magazine release gray?  Are there steel magazine releases that I can use naval jelly to turn them gray?  How much would Victor charge to make a black charging handle gray?  By the way, the naval jelly trick works very well and I can't wait to receive my NDS-16A1 lower.  Also, after I complete my Retro M16A1 build I will post pictures of it and my Winchester M1200 trench gun project.  Thank you to everyone on this special forum for sharing very valuable experience.

Chris

My bet:
Purchase black ones, send them to Victor at US Anodizing.  I was going to have him do a slip-ring for me but 45FMJoe and I traded instead.
http://www.usanodizing.com/

Send an E-mail (e-mail only) to member PrivateSnafu and ask is he still has those parts in gray.He picked up a bunch of original gray parts from demilled M16's.Good luck,tellem m1sniper sent ya.

Some charging handles can be lightened to a near gray by using 000 steel wool on them.

It's midnight and you guys are still helping a brother out!  Thanks!

Edit:  How do I get PrivateSnafu's email address?

Just click on the little email box next to your sign in name,it will go to the email center.Where it says send to,or compose,just type in PrivateSnafu just as I wrote it thats all you do,it will send to his email addy..If you still have trouble let me know.

When clicking on email user it wants to send me an email.  I can't type in any other member's name.

I think that it sends an IM the way it was described.  Here is another way to get a persons e-mail if you know their screen name:

Go to "Search".  Enter the person's screen name and check the "Reply Authors" box.  Search for 30 days.  You should get some hits.  Pick the most recent one and go to the persons entry.  Check their profile by clicking the "User Info" button at the bottom left in their entry.  Sometimes their e-mail is listed.  If not, hit the "E-mail User" button and send him one.  You will get the actual address when they respond.

To save you the search, here is one for PrivateSnafu:  http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=123&t=456001

Thanks for the link.