Old Chinese rifles

[Bionicback321]

I recently acquired two rather beat up Chinese rifles, a Type 53 and a Type 56. The stocks need refinishing and the receivers & barrels are badly pitted. Which brings me to my question, what can I use to fill in the pits to get a reasonably smooth surface before I paint them.......yes, paint them. These rifles will never be fired and because a lot of us are holed up in our workshops waiting for the current crisis to pass I'm looking for something to do. They're going to be wall hangers so I'm just trying to improve the appearance of the metal parts, something that will stick to metal and can be sanded smooth. Any suggestions?

Information

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[vintage hunter]

Bondo glazing and spot putty works well. Available at most any auto parts store. It can be sanded and painted but be sure to get all the rust out of the pits before applying or else it wont bond well and blisters are likely to form after a while. Bead blasting is probably the best method of cleaning the rust off.

[Singer B]

I had the same problem with a 91/30 I received from Classic Firearms. It was horribly rusted and pitted. I had to have it bead blasted to remove it all. Since it was only a $240 gun, I wasnt going to pay $300 to have it reblued. I took it too a friend who runs a body shop and he used a type of metal bondo that he was able to use to fill in the pitting, sanded smooth, and then painted with duracoat. Actually it came out pretty well and we shoot the gun once in awhile. The problem is the duracoat sticks to the metal bondo very well but for some reason, it doesn't like the Russain metal and tends to not stick.

[ed skeels]

Media blast it, fill it with JB Weld.

[#1oilman]

Devcon works well, can be drilled tapped or machined

[Bionicback321]

I've been able to get rid of all the rust thankfully, appreciate the suggestions.

[Aragorn243]

Kind of a long thread but I doubt your Chinese rifles were as bad as this Swede and I actually fired it when it was done. In specific answer to your question JB Weld filled in the pitting and Krylon paint was the exterior finish.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=43216

Hard to believe that was seven years ago now.

[Bionicback321]

You're right, mine aren't that bad......close but not quite. The putting is deep in some spots so I'm not sure how comfortable I would be shooting them. I made it through the first page of the thread but it's last my bedtime so I'll save the rest of it for tomorrow.

[Singer B]

Kind of a long thread but I doubt your Chinese rifles were as bad as this Swede and I actually fired it when it was done. In specific answer to your question JB Weld filled in the pitting and Krylon paint was the exterior finish.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=43216

Hard to believe that was seven years ago now.

Incredible job on that Swede. I wouldn't have even started it. Definitely impressed!

[usabaker]

The problem is the duracoat sticks to the metal bondo very well but for some reason, it doesn't like the Russain metal and tends to not stick.

Had that issue on a few parts. Solved it by using TruStrip Cleaner/Degreaser. They also sell an Adhesion Promoter product but I have not used it.

Has anyone used their Parkerizing kits? I've been thinking about trying it out.

smooth surface before I paint them.......yes, paint them

You could give the DuraPark Spray-On Parkerizing Replicator (Paint) a shot.

My wife asked me to Duracoat out Front Door...

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