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The thing about finishing the furniture of your rifle is that it takes time, a day or more between each application of oil/varnish, so that the finish has time to dry and cure. This means you have plenty of hours to start work on the metal. So don't be a slacker, get down to it.
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| sights off, stripper on |
First things first, you gaze at the barreled action, wondering why the British Army in its infinite wisdom decided to coat the venerable III in some kind of thick, baked on, matte black paint.
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| get the paint off, LSP |
After removing front and rear sights (tap out the holding pins) you brush on noxious K3 and wait for the stripper to work its magic. Ten minutes later you take plastic scraper to paint and wonder why so little of it comes off. After three or four goes at this you think, "This is incredibly annoying. Maybe I'd better use something stronger." A trip to Walmart and a can of Aircraft Remover later, you're there on the porch spraying and stripping. Use gloves, eye protection and avoid flame. The stuff explodes, apparently, like a bomb.
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| some kind of bomb |
After an hour or so the paint's off, helped on its way by scraper and fine steel wool, revealing a somewhat pitted receiver and a decent enough looking barrel.
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| barrel |
Next step? Polish the metal to prepare it for bluing.
Train Hard. Think Positive. Fight Easy.
LSP
