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Rants And Raves

Robar Refinishing and Glock work

Vector AK testing (ongoing)

Disassembly tips on AKs

Gun Kote finishes on handguns

GunKote is a spray and bake finish. Durable in average handling but can scratch off with hard usage.

(Even better! Show some use of your serious firearms . . .  mine do!)

Sig P239 in foilage green and tan.

Cerakote Finishes

Spray and bake finish, costs more than simpler finishes, reputedly more durable.

Currently running abuse tests on this type of finish.

Cerakote (ceramic based) coating services - an example above is a Springfield XD-45 in Flat Dark Earth.

Cerakote Flat Dark Earth and Matte Black appointments on a Sig P220.

Spray and dry Brownells gun paints - a look at a refreshingly different AR configuration and coloration

when it is time to be bold and different . . .   colors used: WWII OD, Earth, Field Drab, Forest Green.

Robar Coating Technologies Services

Featured: NP3 finish

Before sending up this Sig P226, several hundred rounds had been fired. In fact, the wear marks on the barrel become prevalent even in frequent cycling of the slide just by hand, let alone within the first hundred rounds. These pictures follow the P226 before and after the NP3 process has been applied. Prep work included some de-horning.

The rear of slide had extremely sharp points that got beveled before the protective NP3 refinishing was applied.

Constant handling of Sig Sauers by serious users will reveal the rust that starts on all steel parts of the Sig handgun.

The Sigs (and others) I use for teaching get some special NP3 (satin gray) or Roguard (satin black) finish applied to them as they get handled weekly by many shooters. The NP3 gray finish also makes cleaning after firing super easy.

Even if the slide inscription says 'stainless' it still rusts, along with the control levers and grip screws. Those who don't believe it or don't agree go ahead and leave a Sig un-oiled or wiped down for a day or two after handling it. Observe as a oiled white patch is run across the steel and it turns rust brown. Some have witnessed this the same day as firing!

The finished Sig P226, very nice contrast and even with lots of firing and holster usage, the excellent NP3 finish resists wear and only gets smoother as time goes on. While some liken NP3 to hard chrome or nickel finishes, NP3 can be applied to aluminum as well as steel, and does not allow rust to creep under the finish. NP3 is easy to clean and very rust resistant. The only other finish within any comparison is Glock's ultimate Tennifer finish - and that is a process done from the factory and goes below the steel surface, protecting and almost becoming the surface itself.

 Sig P228 complete NP3 finish. Trigger guard only gets slightly polished from holster use. Mags, parts stay rust free!

 Picture on right: some of many examples of Robar Coating Technologies' NP3 finish on parts that are rustable steel. 

Cleaning made easier with Robar Technologies' NP3

 The rub marks that appear on barrel after firing is easily wiped off. NP3 finish is so slick that fouling cannot adhere.

Locking block and inside of frame: Carbon fouling wipes right off. Barrel and recoil spring guide exterior likewise.

Inside of barrel is not NP3'd, so clean it in regular fashion with bore brush, etc.

The slide breechface and under extractor: A nylon brush does it and that's without any harsh solvents or liquids!

Clean under the extractor, and once that is done the rest is easy wipe-down.

Within slide recesses, cleaning is with paper towel or cloth; again without harsh solvents. Light oiling and it's done.

The bolt assembly and inside the reciever of a NP3 coated Thompson after 400 rounds were fired.

Cleaning promptly yields an easier time at it, again most of the carbon fouling is wiped off with paper towels!

Robar Technologies' Roguard Finish

Springfield XD pistol before being sent for refinishing with Roguard exterior and NP3 interior.

Roguard is a satin black corrosion resistant finish, here applied to the rustable steel parts like trigger, crosspins, slide.

Internal parts like locking block, trigger bar, firing pin block are NP3'd and almost eliminate the rust concern.

These finishes also make it easier to clean the firearms and increase lubricity of parts and smoother function.

Robar Technologies' Forward Slide Serrations

Sig P220 and P226 before forward slide serrations cutting and Roguarding. Pencil lines indicate planned serrations.

The after picture: forward slide serrations cut and refinishing done.

Another view of the finished slides' rear and now front serrations. By the way, standard sights left, night sights right.

Sig internals NP3'd (locking block, trigger drawbar, ejector). Exterior levers, hammer, and grip screws Roguarded.

Robar Technologies' Glock Grip Reductions

Glock 27 and Glock 22 cut down to a model 23 (shorter frame height). Comparison of reduced backstrap, factory.

Reductions of grip helps one to reach the trigger and Robar adds a secure textured surface to the Glock frame.

Cut down G22 frame to accomodate flush fitting, shorter G23 magazines. G19 on right, different backstrap contour.

With the arch of a backstrap reduced, some find the firearm much easier to control at speed in handling and firing.

Comparison of frame (gripping) height and with mags inserted in a G27 and G22 (frame cut down to G23 height). Picture on right: side view of a G19's grip reduction. A slight curve was specified to remain on this G19 backstrap.

By the way, here are two possible methods of gripping a small handgun. When frames are short, extensions can help. Originally designed for the small finger to curl under the mag, abbreviated frame handguns were designed optimum   for legal concealed carry where applicable. Finger rest extensions have been created to make it more comfortable.

Of course, the more comfort in grip height, the less efficient it is for concealment. Larger frames give more control.

Continuing report on Vector AK-47

September 20, 2005

This ongoing 'test' is continuing over the past three months. It will continue to ? ; as long as I can resist cleaning this AK and doing what should be done (really, you ought to) - far as maintaining one's firearms and cleaning after firing!

Vector Arms Model AUSA, at the 300 round mark. Of course, we all "know" AKs can handle abuse; just want to conduct a long term test and see how much crud it can take as well as how Vector's parkerized exterior holds up.

Earlier Part I report looked at different magazines and feeding characteristics. There are differences and due to vast numbers and varieties of AKs out there, some magazines will not work as well as others in one AK as another.

Underside of the reciever magazine well opening, some accumulation of crud. Visible is the mfg stamp Armory USA.

Recievers, mag well openings and mag catches will be different. Some cheaper Romanian WASR AKs have difficult  times inserting and extracting mags due to being converted (widened mag openings) from a single stack configuration.

At first stage of AK disassembly; carbon is seen on the recoil spring guide where it goes into the bolt carrier.

Looking inside the reciever, not much particles or fouling, this is around 400 rounds. I doubt it looked any different  at the 300 round mark. AK design has less firing residue that finds their way into the reciever, like the M14 design.

Some rust is seen in the gas block, in the background the normally bright gas piston is black, covered with carbon.

L to R: Front views of the recoil spring guide and captured spring, gas piston, gas piston tube, and bolt assembly.

Inside the slant brake is the expected carbon build-up. Time to fire more rounds! Next report around 600 rounds.

750 rounds

December 10, 2005

The same AK continues to be fired whenever there is enough time to shoot at least 100 to 200 rounds at a session;

this report shows pictures of the AK after being handled and fired at the last HRA fun shoot (11-27) without being wiped down on the exterior (and of course, it will continue to be neglected with no cleaning of the bore or interior.)

Yes, rust has started on the parkerizing - on the areas more touched like the safety lever, surrounding top cover,

bolt handle, mag catch lever, and naturally more fouling accumulates in the magazine well and chamber of rifle.

The trigger has some rust starting and the top of mag has obvious wear marks. For firearms like AKs and variants

that do not have bolt hold-open devices, use something in ejection port (empty 12 gauge hull shown here) to show  that the chamber is clear during cease fire on firing line. Do not rely on any temporary 'hang' of the bolt to the rear.

Developments since the last 400 round report: the rear sight leaf is stuck at the battle setting (which is fine to me)

and the upper handguard is still loose (wobbles a little left and right) but who cares?  It is all AK and it works!

 Many types of 7.62x39 ammunition continues to be fed into the rifle. By the way, all five types shown here seemed  to hit the steel plate at 440 yards - with regularity - while utilizing the same sight picture and a slight 'holdover'.

And, the soft point ammo (center box) does sound different when striking the steel. The hollow point fed just fine.

(L) Shown here for clarity is an "entire front sight" sight picture, (R) is what I use for the approx 440 yd distance.

This again is with the rear sight leaf set at the battle setting (without moving it to the 400 mark) as it is stuck there.

In the (L) picture, you can just make out the steel plate (a greyish dot) right above the front sight post.

Accepted is the fact that the left-right windage is set and mechanically zeroed at a slightly off-center as seen here.

In the (R) picture, background and target area is depicted correctly as out of focus as we focus on the front sight.

the firing continues . . .

1100 rounds

March 26, 2006

We all 'know' AKs as well as other military firearms are supposed to take being in the rain or be submerged -

How about actually doing it?!?

The best day yet - a fun shoot where it had been raining for weeks with resultant ponding of water . . .

To start off, rounds continue to be fired and the AK left in the rain for March 26's HRA fun shoot. Load up mags:

insert mag (but for safety considerations, not chamber the first round), and get ready for the plunge:

and into the pond of water it goes! The cheers and groans from other shooters present were awesome.

This is the beginning of the 'real deal' - and it sure does look at home doesn't it?

Let it sit for a minute, then out of the water (and continuing to observe some safety precautions):

let the water out of the barrel (the gas tube design has more drainage clearance for sure), chamber the first round:

and of course, it fires perfectly fine. In weeks to follow, we will see how the interior holds out. For sensible care

of this firearm, I dried off as much water inside and out to make sure rust over the next series of months does not cause any parts malfunctions or failures - after all, this will be utilized for more sessions of shooting as well as be  featured at the July Shooting Sports Fair. Exterior metal has been oiled else developing rust transfers to clothing.

Quite understood most people would appreciate not having rust brown on their apparel when having fun shooting.

 1900 rounds

July 8, 2007

600+ rounds fired during '06 and '07 Shooting Sports Fair contributed to the 1900+ rounds to this date ....

  This continuous report tests functioning of an abused and occasionally fired AK without cleaning 2 years ....

Here is where it got even better: the foreign crud in the action firing test. Disclaimer: do not recreate this test and

be prepared for stoppages. Yes, with enough grass, dirt and rocks in the action ANY gun will have stoppages.

Wonderful part of this however, is that the vast space inside the action of an AK allowed it to throw and munch (crush) most of the crud. When it had failures to feed and close bolt fully, a strong rack of the bolt handle and

simultaneous tilt to the right cleared the stoppage, chambering the next round and the firing could continue.

2200+ rounds

December 23, 2007

Here is the final segment of the AK long-term torture test; more than two years since starting in June 2005

and tracked with a diary in pictures since September 2005. The final hurrah was a bowling pin shoot with

some ferocious firing against some not so ferocious pins (yet must be taken out nontheless!) - fun for sure.

A week after the fun, another session of firing, and now the complete disassembly of the trusty Vector AK:

Lots of caked-on carbon and crud on the bolt carrier and bolt assembly.

Almost a full two and half years of intermittent firing, round count now just over 2200 rounds.

While this long-term test did not have a high round count (like 5 digits; 10,000 rounds or so), the testing was to

prolong the firing/ cleaning of an AK over an extended period of time where carbon and crud could accumulate.

No one should abuse their AK or any firearm in these circumstances, especially when cleaning time and supplies

are available in some form or another; and because "we should not do conduct this gross abuse of a firearm....."

Disassembly tips for an AK - the gas tube and lower handguard

A true professional does it right on disassembly procedures: Remove the source, check chamber, and check again.

Press recoil spring guide rod button on rear of reciever to release top cover, remove the recoil guide assembly.

Remove bolt carrier assembly - retract fully to rear and lift out of the reciever guide tracks at rearmost position.

Gas tube upper handguard's release lever can be rotated with a crescent wrench or original slotted AK tool.

Approximate position of release lever to allow upper handguard to be lifted up and out.

Remove AK cleaning rod if it exists on your rifle. Some AKs don't have them, some are tough to insert/remove.

Lower handguard's front retainer has 'L' pin that must be rotated forward. Masking tape helps prevent tool marks.

Plastic mallet taps retaining cap forward, notice the groove where the 'L' pin would be turned and locked down.

Lower handguard tips down and out. Here's a nice surprise: a wood forend with metal tensioners for retainer cap.

Now the gas tube (upper handguard assembly), gas port, lower handguard assembly and barrel's exterior

 can be cleaned and oiled as desired as well.  Also, any handguard replacement project can be performed.