How much time do you spend prepping parts

[hunterwarrior]

on a build?

Consider this a poll.

1. Do you just bead blast the parts.

OR

2. Detail each piece by deburing, removing tool marks and then bead blasting.

Thanks HW

[TinMan99]

I don't refinish my home-build FALs unless the condition of the metal is such that I am risking oxidation issues after assembly is complete. My recent builds are an STG58 and an Imbel, both sport their original military finish. Though not beautiful, they don't risk rust and absolutely hit everything I shoot at and function properly. Personal pride in a first build will often get you looking at perhaps refinishing your weapon, but I consider refinishing the last act to preserve a weapon from the ravages of time. I had to refinish a Springfield M1 Garand about a year ago. The person that had it last didn't keep the parkerization oiled and it went spotty. The reason I keep the military finish on my rifles when possible is that represents how the weapon looked originally to the best of my ability to restore it. STG58's were blued, not parkerized as so many wind up today. Imbel's and L1A1's were painted. A weapon's history is as important as it's ability to make the silhouettes go clang at 400 yards on every shot. Keeping it looking like it was when issued means something to me, but not everyone. I have a friend that believes it is better to look good than to shoot good. You'd cry at what he's done to vintage weapons he owns.

As for deburring, what FAL is in such condition that parts on it need deburring? What receiver did you get, if you don't mind the question? I've never encountered a FAL parts kit that was in such condition, I had to remove metal from the parts. Or a receiver in such poor quality, it needed machining marks removed. This is a FAL, right?

TinMan99

[hunterwarrior]

TinMan99

Deburring may have been the wrong word. Maybe breaking sharp edges "slightly" with fine file or stone would better describe what I meant.

Yes my FAL kits have tooling marks. Images below are examples of what I'm talking about.

HW

[Sergeant]

I build first, then go back and clean up the small stuff later.

If you're parkerizing, you don't have to worry nearly as much as for most other finishes, as the blasting will smooth out most of the small grinding marks, etc.

Obviously, for a blue job, you'd want to clean up most of them, although my StG lower has quite a few scratches that were blued over at the factory.

Using one of the bake-on finishes is kind of a middle-of-the-road proposition. You pretty much need to take care of the big scratches, but most of them will cover up the small stuff.

Sergeant

[TinMan99]

Believe it or not, youre the first person I've encountered that was bothered by the tooling marks on their military surplus FAL rifle. The items you pointed out are of a trivial nature and youre more likely to change the appearance more than you bargained for trying to remove them. Most parkerizing jobs will fill and obscure such fine lines. The bead blasting will breakup the lines partially and the matte coating of the parkerizing will do even more to obscure it. You will not get a commercial grade finish on a military rifle that looks right. I've seen pimped out and over-finished weapons in the past that results in chuckles from most people that see it. Remember, your STG58 is like 30-40 years old. At that age youre going to start showing a few lines. It's laughable when men get facelifts too.

TinMan99

[L/FN]

I dis-assemle a FAL/L1A1 completely except for gas block, recoil spring tube, etc.
I clean up all the soldier induced blems: nicks and scratches;
dings & scratches on the sheet metal; dress & recut screw driver slots; maybe file the "V" slots or checkering on the rear sight push button; scratches & burrs on gas regulator and gas tube nut if needed, etc, etc.
I don't mess with factory tooling marks and try to AVOID even smoothing them out!! I've even reproduced or at least tried to reproduce tooling or bending marks when I've messed them up trying to get a heavy scratch or burr off the metal.

Larry aka L/FN

[charlie echo]

I'm with Larry all the way here. I completely disassemble, degrease and scrub with a wire brush all parts. Parts are then individually painted, right down to the last screw, even some springs.
Disassembly is not reccommended on inch rear sights, unless exceptionally rusty, and pins, frame lock and hammer, etc. are excluded from painting.
I want to see it painted
painted
painted black.
No colors anymore, I want them to turn black.

[Potshot]

I've read here that some of the rifles had an original finish of bluing over park. All the rifles that I've build I've parked (Brownells Amer-Lene-which should be zinc phosphate) after blasting with very nice results. Does anyone know anything about the bluing over park gig? Can I Amer-lene a kit then take it to a smith and have it blued? Is it a safe assumption that bluing was applied after water rinse of the park and before oiling? I really don't know much about bluing, but is it doable on the stove-top (for lack of a better term) like parking?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[TideWater 41009]

Yes, you can hot blue over park. The finish will be flat jet black. Be sure to completely de-grease the parkerized metal before bluing.

Hot blueing can be done outside on a camp stove (if you don't mind how the stove will look afterwards), but it is a much more dangerous process than parkerizing. The blueing solution mix must be contnually monitored so that it boils at about 295 degrees. A stainless tank will work, but a black iron tank is preferred. The hot blueing chemicals are extremely caustic, and begin to dissolve skin on contact; don't even think about getting a drop of it in your eye. Also, it is very important that you do NOT ever plug a barrel.

The instructions that come with the Brownell's blueing salts are very clear and comprehensive. They are also free, so it might be a good idea to ask for a set of instructions first to see if you still want to get into this. If you are careful, and if you follow directions well, you should not have any problems.

PS. Some StG's were originally supplied with a phospate finish.

[EMDII]

PS. Some StG's were originally supplied with a phospate finish.

My 6xxx StG definitely came Parkerized (phosphated). Not a lick of paint anywhere. And the original finish is about 90%.