Blackening aluminum receivers?

[Potshot21]

Howdy folks!

I have started a new project that is now touching on some new ground for me and am looking for some advice. I picked up a Browning BAR from a fellow CGNer that would look spectacular with a little refinish work done to it. It shoots and cycles like a dream, so I figured it would be worth the time investment.

I have reblued barrels and receivers in the past with no trouble and was very impressed with them when they were done, so I didn't think it would take much to do. I was skeptical of the materials when I received it and could easily distinguish a big difference in the finish on the barrel compared to the receiver. I light dab of bluing solution on the barrel and on the receiver uncovered what I had feared, the receiver is aluminum.

The way I look at it, this leaves me with 2 options:

1. Get myself some Birchwood Casey aluminum blackener. Looks easy enough, but not sure about durability of finish and the like, plus no personal experience with it. Also not sure if I will be able to get the two finished to match in colour.

2. Order up some Armacoat (never used this before either) and try my hand at painting the receiver and barrel together.

I would be tempted to leave the receiver as is, but the left side has some marks in it that I want to clean up and polish to get this thing back into pristine shape. If the refinish goes well, I'm contemplating getting some nice new wood for it to really make it unique.

Another note, I know I could send it away to be redone, but I'm more of a DIY guy and take pride in my work, if it ever turns out!

Thanks for any insight!

 

[double gun]

I've used that aluminum black, and in my opinion it's garbage.
I would gunkote or cerakote it.

 

[dogzilla]

Send the gun to Casey and have it cerakoted, it will look like a new gun and both barrel and receiver will match

 

[Potshot21]

I've used that aluminum black, and in my opinion it's garbage.
I would gunkote or cerakote it.

Its that bad is it? I saw a video on youtube that made it look like it wasn't that great, but I wasn't sure if it was just the guy being lazy and prepping the surface properly.

Thanks for your input, I think I'm leaning more towards the Arma-coat now..

 

[smoothbore75]

Send the gun to Casey and have it cerakoted, it will look like a new gun and both barrel and receiver will match

I've only used the Birchwood Casey stuff many years ago when the CF approved it for touch-up work on scratches & other shiny spots on the then-'new' C7 & C8s. I'd have to grudgingly say it worked great; in getting rid of small shiny spots on receivers that weren't ready to backload for full re-anodising. (The army didn't care how crappy those spots looked).
Never used it on anything I personally owned.
Used Guncote enough times to say I like it. I'd suggest pre-treating parts with their K-Phos first. I've matched an aluminum AR upper pretty much undistinguishably with a stainless carbine HB, to a nice overall parkerised-looking appearance by fine bead-blasting both with the same grit, K-Phos'ing both, then spraying both with Guncote's matte parkerising look finish.
Follow all instructions especially de-greasing and warming parts, & all should be fine. Remember; my only Guncote experience has been with matte finishes, if you're going for any gloss look maybe someone else can chime in?
Having said all that, I like Casey's work, & have been considering sending him some stuff to try Cera-finishes. I have no experience with those.

 

[dfrombc]

I went through this exact scenario a year or two ago. Go with the armacoat, the aluminum black is garbage. Armacoat has always turned out well and the owner of the company is great about answering questions in regards to prep / application.