How to Remove Paint Off a Gun Barrel

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Do-it-yourselfers often have difficulty removing paint stains without causing unintended damage to underlying surfaces. This isn't a complication if you are removing paint from a gun barrel; metallic gun barrels are durable enough to withstand a considerable amount of duress. Utilize a stripping solvent to thoroughly free your gun barrel from ugly paint stains, Take the proper safety steps before hurrying into this project.

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Never try to remove paint stains from a loaded gun.

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Things You'll Need

  • Canvas Drop Cloth

  • Steel Wool

  • Rubber Gloves

  • Plastic Putty Knife

  • 80-Grit Sandpaper

  • Plastic Drop Cloth

  • Lacquer Thinner

  • Rags

Step 1

Unload the weapon and ensure that the safety is on.

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Step 2

Carry the weapon outdoors, and place it on a canvas drop-cloth.

Step 3

Remove as much of the paint as possible by scraping it with a flexible-plastic putty knife. A rigid-metal putty knife might cause minor scratches in the metal's finish.

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Step 4

Protect your hands from potential burns by wearing rubber gloves.

Step 5

Apply lacquer thinner to the gun barrel; use a clean rag. Immediately cover the barrel with a plastic drop-cloth.

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Step 6

Remove the drop cloth after five minutes. Scrape the loosened paint from the barrel. Use the flexible putty knife and coarse sandpaper.

Step 7

Clean the gun barrel with lacquer thinner and steel wool. Wait ten minutes for the thinner to evaporate.

Warning

Cover the barrel with a drop cloth. The lacquer thinner might dry before it has an opportunity to loosen the paint.

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