Will brake cleaner remove paint from an ar

[Sentryau2]

Im going to paint my guns, but if I want to strip it off what is the best thing to use thats not 45$ a gallon (aircraft paint stripper) I was thinking brake cleaner, but heard from an old timer that this could attack aluminum. I was also a bit worried about it affecting the polymer furniture. So what say the high road? Keep in mind the paint is oil based latex acrylic.

If I did clear coat it what clear coat would you recomend and would break cleaner strip the clear coat off as well?

 

[dfariswheel]

You need to remove all the plastic or wood before stripping to avoid damage.

Among the strippers that should work is ordinary lacquer thinner and one of the paint strippers like Citri-Strip that are listed as aluminum safe....READ THE LABEL.
Lacquer thinner is safe on bluing, parkerizing, plating, and aluminum and brass.

To test the lacquer thinner, take it outside away from sparks or pilot lights and use a solvent proof toothbrush to wet an area and keep it wet. If it's going to work, the paint should start to "craze" in a minute or so.
If that works, put some thinner in a large can and use the toothbrush to soak and scrub it off.

The aluminum-safe paint strippers work well on most paints, but again, wood or plastic comes OFF first.

Probably the best clear coat is the one sold by Lauer Duracoat.
With most coatings you just have to test to see if brake cleaner will remove it.

 

[rcmodel]

I was thinking brake cleaner, but heard from an old timer that this could attack aluminum.

That's 'old timer BS'!

Auto brake cleaner may or may not attack paint, plastic grips & stocks, and plastic sight inserts.

But metal is metal, and aluminum is metal, and it won't attack that.

rc

 

[Rom828]

Some automotive brake components that the cleaner is made for are aluminum.

 

[frankenstein406]

I use brake cleaner to clean stuff off paint. Never had it remove any but I don't let it sit on it either

 

[Sentryau2]

Sorry but the main reason I'm looking for a polymer safe paint stripper is because the stock of my savage .22 is synthetic (allwell, guess ill just sand the paint off) Its a beater gun so its not like a bit of sanding will destroy the stock. (tho some solvents might) however tho I was also planning on painting my polymer mags, and my moe furniture, guess thats out of the question.

 

[frankenstein406]

They make a stripper that I've used in a spray can $10-15 at auto parts store. The paint bubbles up and washes off. I've used it on bike plastics and it works fine.

 

[hentown]

Brake cleaner does eat some plastics. I found that out when I followed an "expert's" advice to use it to clean out the powder hopper on my Dillon 650. OTOH, I use it on Glocks, with no problem.

 

[45_auto]

Different brands of brake cleaner will have different effects on paint and other finishes. I happily cleaned the cosmoline off a couple of Moisin-Nagants with some brake cleaner, they looked brand new, didn't affect the stock at all. I ran out of whatever I was using in the middle of cleaning my son's, bought some Valvoline brake cleaner, and it proceeded to strip the stock finish better than sandblasting.

Good thing about it was that after refinishing the stock with Tru-oil, it looked so good that I stripped mine and refinished them the same way.

 

[FROGO207]

FWIW the product Hydro-Seal would strip the finish off aluminum/brass carb parts when I used it back in the 60's. It is now reformulated and gone due to it being a toxic mess IIRC. Most carb cleaners now will attack a lot of plastics but do not seem to bother nylon when I used them. Test it on a hidden spot (under buttpad) to see if it is safe. Or if you are going to sand it off anyway why worry about hurting the surface.

 

[WardenWolf]

Well, I know brake fluid will eat any paint and plastics like nothing. And for bluing, Birchwood Casey makes some great blue remover. Strips bluing extremely fast and easy; wipe on, wait a couple of minutes, wipe off.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

Brake cleaner should be fine on aluminum. I would keep it away from everything else. I don't know if it would damage plastics or what not, but it sure would suck to find out.

 

[Sentryau2]

Thanks guys, I already have my stuff. I decided to stick with citristrip (tho its a PITA as it didnt do a good as job as I hoped on the lettering on the side of my ar reciever) I've got a base coat on my .22 done, Now I just have to coat red and then black. Its just so time consuming :banghead: I have to make myself atleast get the stock painted in red tomorrow.