Best product to duplicate Remington BDL clear coat?

[VaniB]

I'm trying to duplicate that original clear gloss surface look on a Remington 700 BDL stock. I'm thinking of trying Dura-Coat gloss-clear paint being it's a tough epoxy 2 part paint that I can buy for about $30. I'd rather not buy automtive paints at $75 or more a gallon plus shipping, when all I need is about 8 ounces of paint. The left-over 3/4 gallon of paint goes to waste.

In the past years I've once tried spraying on Casey true-oil which gives a beautiful clear gloss finish. But I have been warned by a couple of guys that a thick coat of true-oil can crack and/or not be a durable finish. I'd never know how true that warning is about my thick gloss coat of true-oil, since that rifle is mostly a safe-queen. But I don't want to find out the hard way when I use the rifle years later.

Any suggestions/products you've used?

 

[JRS]

To duplicate that finish, you would probably have to dip it in a tank of polyurethane.
I had my latest build clear coated with a PPG clear. The same formulation as used by MB in Germany. Hard as nails, and virtually scratch resistant.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Another vote for automotive clear..

 

[VaniB]

I just googled PPG. There's like a cazillion different varieties of it in clear coat. Which one do you recommend?






And then when I start shopping for PPG on-line and see that the clear coat is $110 a gallon, the hardener is $38, and the shipping is $30, I'll buy the Duracoat for $35 shipped anyway! .......or end up doing another gloss coat of True Oil spray again for about $25. LOL ;D

 

[shortgrass]

Seems to me the NAPA store, in town, carries PPG automotive finishes.

 

[hogpatrol]

Not up on paints or clear coats but could a local body shop sell you a small amount?

 

[JRS]

The part numbers: D8115/D8117. Expensive, yes. If you ever have to touch up chips in a clear coat finish, you'll find it nearly impossible to do so with other clear finishes without re-shooting the entire stock. This stuff was a long time in the making!

 

[rwk]

You have to watch some of this stuff will turn yellow after a period of time. Those who make Auto lacquer candy colors make a clear that will stay clear.

 

[Preacher]

I've been checking out EASTWOODS European auto clear, and I am liking it a lot.
Easy to redo small spots, and there don't seem to be any down side to it so far....
It makes the laminates just sparkle.....

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

A common mistake in choosing clear for gunstocks, at least in my experience, is to overthink it. Slower curing clears work great for a nice slick finish on a car, with large and relatively flat panels. But on gunstocks they cure too slow and tend to sag and create runs due to all the curves and angles on a stock. Get a good clear that is fairly fast. You're going to likely wet sand, buff and polish it anyway. The premium slow clears that are marketed as being the best at laying down slick are a mistake IMO. This is one time when overkill is not a good thing...Just my 2 cents worth. Go with a good quality clearcoat in a medium to fast cure version.

 

[VaniB]

I've been checking out EASTWOODS European auto clear, and I am liking it a lot.
Easy to redo small spots, and there don't seem to be any down side to it so far....
It makes the laminates just sparkle.....

Yes, if you go on Amazon, there's Eastwood and a bunch of other brands. Here's a pint or a quart of stuff that would cost me less then $50 shipped, and has favorable buyer feedback on Amazon;

http://www.amazon.com/Restoration-Shop-Urethane-Hardener-KIT-RC4200-QT/dp/B00BLBR9KQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1394170874&sr=1-2&keywords=restoration+shop+urethane

PPG paint can cost me upwards of $150 a gallon to buy locally or have shipped. I need 8 ounces of it not 128 ounces. I'm not in the business of spraying rifle stocks and I'll use it once and the rest will go to waste ageing on my shelf . Nor do I want to be knocking on automotive shop doors asking them "What clear paint do you use...and would you mind pouring me about $50 worh of PPG base & hardener into a couple of to-go soup containers?". I don't want a shop to do the job for me either, as I want to know I did it myself.

 

[VaniB]

A common mistake in choosing clear for gunstocks, at least in my experience, is to overthink it. Slower curing clears work great for a nice slick finish on a car, with large and relatively flat panels. But on gunstocks they cure too slow and tend to sag and create runs due to all the curves and angles on a stock. Get a good clear that is fairly fast. You're going to likely wet sand, buff and polish it anyway. The premium slow clears that are marketed as being the best at laying down slick are a mistake IMO. This is one time when overkill is not a good thing...Just my 2 cents worth. Go with a good quality clearcoat in a medium to fast cure version.

I've spent a lot of time reviewing a whole bunch of products and the positive customer feedback, as well as listening to auto shop "experts" on youtube who do truly seem very adept and knowledgable about the one product they might prefer. I've reviewed the benefits of epoxies, urethanes, poly-urethanes, and other products..... AND I'M GETTING DIZZY. LOL


I don't subject my rifles to any real hunting or long hours of competition use. As long as whatever I use doesn't go soft or sticky on me, it will be good enough. I'll likely review the feedbacks and go with a quart of a lesser known 2 part epoxy paint on Amazon for under $50 and call it a day. I've got one more thread to post in this forum before making a final decision.


Thanks Gents for the input.

 

[jrm850]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NASON-496-00-QUART-AND-483-78-1-2-PINT-SPOT-PANEL-2K-CLEAR-KIT-FAST-SHIPPING-/111161701111?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item19e1c0f2f7&vxp=mtr

$27.95 for this stuff. I don't know how well it will hold up, but it laid on well. This image is first coat, no buffing or waxing.

 

[JRS]

I have mine mixed by TCP global. The same company I purchased my IWATA spray gun and airbrush from. They will mix and sell in small quantities. Good people to deal with.They also stock House of Color paints.