Stripping PMI Perfect Ceramic

[cdc120602]

Anyone ever stripped the finish off of a PMI Perfect Ceramic barrel? I want mine to match my Mag but don't know if stripping just the outside would have any adverse effects. Thanks in advance.

[angrysasquatch]

Are you talking about stripping the anodizing? Don't do it unless you plan on re annodizing it. It will look good after a polish, but soon, it'll get all pitted and ugly. If you keep polishing the corrosion, the barrel will soon be a pile of aluminum oxide on the floor.

[olinar]

if your gonna spraypaint it afterwards you can have it sandblasted then painted or just use a primer for metal. it should seal it from oxidization.

[cdc120602]

I was just going to keep it polished. I'm an Army guy and I like polishing things... Would keeping a light coat of oil on it keep it from oxidizing?

[angrysasquatch]

It would keep it from oxidizing, however, I'm not sure the film would stay on. A better idea would be to polish it then get it clear anodized. It gives all the protection of anodizing but it looks the exact same as the aluminum underneath.

[cdc120602]

Thanks angrysasquatch. The film would stay on if I use a viscous enough oil (that's what gun oil is made for). I'm not sure I want to get it annoed since it's a barrel. Is there a way they could anno it without messing up the inside? If so, that's a great idea.

[angrysasquatch]

Yep, they sure can. They plug it all up with some compound they have, I believe. Either way, ask them, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to help you out.

[cdc120602]

You rock!

[chairman_mao]

If i'm not mistaken you are not going to be able to strip the finish or "polish" a Ceramic barrel. Maybe I'm a moron but I was always under the impression that this barrel was not made of metal (rather a ceramic compound) thus not annodized, thus there will be no polishing.

[angrysasquatch]

I'm pretty sure that's just a ceramic coating on the inside of the barrel.

[peeeto]

i believe that the barrel is aluminum or aluminum alloy.

aluminum oxidizes almost instantaneously in air, and the Al oxide (unlike iron oxide) is relatively impermeable to air, thus it inhibits further oxidation. it is also very hard (especially compared to aluminum metal).

i also understand that Al oxide is essentially colorless, so if you strip it & polish it, it will immediately oxidize, forming a protective layer of Al2O3, and probably maintain the polished look your after.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_oxide

stripping the outside of the barrel by mechanical means (i.e. sandpaper and/or steel wool) would help save the coating inside (stripping the anno chemically might affect the ceramic coating inside).

[bunny5]

Necro-post....

Just wondering if anyone has done this in a while. I'm having trouble finding a PMI Perfect Bore barrel, but i've run into a lot of the ceramic models. Just wondering if it would be possible to anodize this barrel?

[justme-]

well, fwiw I can assure you raw aluminum will corrode and look terrible polished or not. My engine cases in my Sportster will prove it. Al02 is whitish, not clear.

[hill160881]

Cast aluminum and billet aluminum are not the same and oxidize differently.

I have a un-anodizes polished PMR and it has been sitting on the wall in the shop for a year and aside from the dust it is just as shinny as the day I finished it.