Best way to remove epoxy residue from receiver

[jdad]

I just picked up a 39A that had a scope base mounted on it. The previous owner decided to epoxy the base to the receiver. What is the best way to remove the remaining epoxy and residue, from the receiver?

Thanks

[nemhed]

In my experience the better the quality of epoxy he used and the "better" he did prepping the surfaces, the harder this is going to be to clean up. Most solvents probably won't touch the epoxy and heat usually makes a bigger mess, it just depends on what was used. I 've had success chilling epoxy with dry ice to make it brittle then flaking it off with a scraper or razor blade. Unfortunately the more you have to work at it the more like the bluing will be damaged. Maybe others have better suggestions.

[Wind]

Hey there jdad – Sure makes you wonder what people are thinking (or not) sometimes. Ultra violet kills epoxy. You could leave the rifle out in the sun for 50 years and that should do it!! If you’re in alittle more of a hurry, heat will work. I’d use a real heat gun like Milwaukee builds. These get hot enough you can solder with one. They also have a base where it can be free standing, leaving you with both hands free. I’d take all the wood off the rifle before starting. Get to heating and poking the epoxy with a tongue depresser type stick. You’ll feel it start to soften. Try to scrape off as much as you can. Scrape from clean to epoxy so as not to widen the problem (you knew that!). Try to keep a localized area warm. There should come a point were you have most of it off. While it’s still warm and soft, and away from the heat, try wiping the residual scum off with a rag liberally saturated in Lacquer thinner. Never tried this on a firearm, but it works in the boat world. Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[Chuck 100 yd]

Acetone. (finger nail polish remover).

[oldguy]

denatured alchol.

[flatnose]

Use heat. Most epoxies break down at 165 to 180 degrees.

[Pisgah]

I use heat, combined with scraping. The scraper is about a 6" length of copper tubing, flattened on one end to creat a "chisel". It won't mar the finish.

[J Miller]

Be very careful with the Acetone, fingernail polish remover and denatured alcohol around a heat lamp. That stuff has a low flash point and you could end up with a big fire ball.

Joe

[jdad]

Thanks for the help. I'll do my best not to end up on the 6 o'clock news.

[Sixgun]

When not willing to D&T a tang for a second screw, I just use the main stock bolt and epoxy the rest of the tang sight base to the receiver. There have been a half dozen times when I either sold the rifle or wanted the sight that was on it.

I just removed the wood, heated up the tang a bit with a propane torch, popped off the sight, heated up a bit more and then used steel wool and carb. cleaner. Comes right off---easily-------------------------------------Sixgun

[Machado]

I just picked up a 39A that had a scope base mounted on it. The previous owner decided to epoxy the base to the receiver. What is the best way to remove the remaining epoxy and residue, from the receiver?

Thanks

I've used ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol on Araldite and they both destroy the bond between the epoxy glue and the metal. Isopropyl alcohol works faster. They both stain the blue finish on the gun.
Antonio

[firefuzz]

Depending on what the epoxy is would make a difference in what chemical would release it, and it's been my experience that a lot of epoxies are more resistant to chemicals than gun finishes are.

The best luck I've had is to just put the receiver/part in the freezer for at least 8 hours and then it'll usually pop off very easily. A heat gun works too, but I'm more nervous using heat than I am the cold of a freezer. I've also heard that rubbing dry ice on the epoxy will pop it off, but I've never tried it.

Rob

[jdad]

90% of the epoxy is off, but there is a "whitish" residue (discolored blue?), on the receiver. If the blue has been permanently discolored I may just polish the receiver top, mask, and Oxphoblue it. I'll give it a try with heat, chemical, and may try some Flitz on the "white".