Oven and Inch FAL question.

[Sean]

Hello,

I need some info. I want to use a bake on finish such as Norell’s moly resin or gunkote on some rifles that have been parkerized. The problem is that the full size barreled receivers are to long for my oven. Are there any finishing ovens out there that are “long” enough for a barreled action? It must also be electric and… since I live in an apartment at this time… somewhat “storable.” I looked on the web but could not find any. Any help would be appreciated.

Also, are Australian and British bolts/bolt carriers interchangable? I have access to a new Aussie bolt but want to use a Brit sandcut bolt carrier. Thanks again.

Respectfully,

Sean

[Tec 9]

I did my 16.25" OAL barreled upper in my home oven (while the wife was out of course!). I think someone mentioned you can bake it in halves, with part of the rifle sticking out, then reverse it. Ask John Norrell, he's very helpful.

take care,
TEc

[pauld@candid.com]

I was needing to do the same thing. So I went out and picked up a heat gun. Worked great. I was just using a cheap can of Krylon BBQ paint thought.

[Mike D.]

Generally speaking, British and Austrailian bolts are the same. So are the carriers. Both are sand cut. ;)

[Rhineland1]

Sean all FN,L1 and Israeli bolts and carriers are fully interchangable, think of them like legos.

I rountinly sell inch bolts in metric carriers and they work great.

As for refinishing in a oven. Full size barrels need to be removed from the receiver. If you dont want to do that then I think sticking half in at a time would work great. Just be sure that the paint is not touching anything or it will come off.

[Gage]

These Are some instructions I pulled off of the old FAL Files Web Sight two years ago. I used the same principals, but instead of a wire mesh box i used a six foot piece of aluminum vent pipe with a reducer on the end with the heat gun. It worked fine. HTH Gage


Here are the old instructions:

You start with that1/4" mesh wire (like the kind you use on the bottom of the rabbit
hutch), that you can get from the hardware store for about $0.50FRN/foot. Make a box
shape big enough to hold your part and hang your part inside using pieces of
coathanger, leave the bottom mostly open, so you can open the insulation and remove/ install parts. Cover exterior with a couple of layers of tinfoil and one layer of fiberglass home insulation, make it have a flap over the bottom, like a door for
removal/ installation of parts. I made a "door" out of mesh that's wired to the rest of the box with loops of coathanger. Duct tape the seams together. Leave a hole in one end and place a $35.00FRN paint stripper heat gun nozzle first in opening. Secure with wire/tape. Leave a hole somewhere in the middle so you can place your wife's best candy thermometer (Not married? They're about $2.00FRN at the grocery store.) near the middle, so you can read it from the outside. Place the entire assembly on the garage floor and apply power to the paint stripper heat gun. Adjust the power 'till you achieve the desired temperature air-flow along the box. Wives just LOVE these things. You will wind up (eventually) with two boxes, one about the size of a breadbox and another one about 10"X10"X30".

[204]

Make your own oven with a 4x8 peice of foil backed insulation board. Use a 500 watt halogen light for the heat source. Be sure to cut a hole in the end to let the light shine through. make the hole big enough so the light wont touch the insulation board.
Works like a charm.
ken