Painting blued metal?

[lurch420gam]

Recently I've started back working on my old B3, and decided that instead of spending money on a bottle of cold bluing solution, I'd just spray on a couple of coats of matte black Rust-oleum. However, quite a bit of the paint just rubs right off after it's dried and cured. Is this because I didn't fully degrease and clean the surfaces, or does paint just not adhere to blued surfaces very well? I just thought the matte black would look nice with the bedliner coated stock, and would resist rust much better than blued metal, using a rust inhibiting paint and all...Any suggestions? As far as other mods to the gun, I've cut off the hideous and cockeyed front sight, re-faced and re-crowned the barrel, chopped 3 1/2" off the cocking lever, stripped the original poopy brown finish off the stock, and filled in the sling mounting holes with epoxy. Future plans include installing a decent sling stud in the proper place, bedliner coating the stock, and putting in the QF-2 spring, along with the nifty aluminum and steel spring guide a machinist friend made for me. Oh, and fitting a co2 cylinder to replace the cheesy plastic cocking lever handle. But for now, I really just need the advice on painting. Thanks, folks! Joel

[QVTom]

Gun blue is a form of rust.  So I would think you would need a rust conversion primer, to stop the oxidization process, as well as a good degrease.  I have had luck with preheating my metal parts with a propane torch before spraying them.  Roughing up surfaces also helps with adhesion.

-T

[Bob P]

Get some of the bake on teflon from brownells. Its great stuff!

[Pete]

stip it down...
paint it with battrey acid
blue will be gone in seconds.
rince WELL in cold water.
dry & paint

[goodland]

If you use acetone it takes out any oily residue.
Then use hunters specialties black paint available from midway usa.
It's permanent and bonds to everything.
Then you can clear coat with your choice of sheen or leave it.
I have not had and problems with this paint on pb's or ag's
Hope this helps... oh yeah about 6 bucks a can

[lurch420gam]

A good, thorough degreasing, then removing any degreaser residue with 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol did the trick nicely. Sprayed on a coat of flat black Rust-Oleum, and it worked like a champ. I ran out of paint, as I'd used the can for several other things, but as soon as I buy a fresh can, I'll recoat it a couple of times. It's cheap and easy, with no need for specialty items. Thanks for the help, guys. Joel.