Polishing Action Inside and out?

[Titanmoose]

This is my Rem700 that has been swapped/ fitted to 7prc. (Was a 7 rem mag)

My dad did some custom work on the bottom side of action and the finish was chewed up overall.

I’m torn between a basic brownells rattle can with their fancy spray paint.

Stripping it and polishing the whole thing to a shiny finish (lots of work)

Or an at home duracoat finish. Better than Brownells but not sure it’s that much more durable for 50 bucks more….

Not in love with the idea of sending it off for cerakote considering it’s literally just the action body I’m concerned about. Cost =benefit isn’t there for me

Also, any insight/tips and best equipment to polishing the rails and inside the action. It could use some cleanup, and would probably be beneficial to the MackBros upgraded Bolt for smoothness.

Love any insight if polishing the action body is even feasible and if so, all the advice is welcome.

 

[Axlrod]

I have 2 rifles that are Nitrided. Without question the smoothest actions I have ever had. Way way better than any of the spray paint coatings.

 

[BBob]

For cleaning up the rails and features I use Gesswein rectangular die polishing stones. To go with that Mack Bros nitrided bolt I’d clean up and blast the action body and nitride it.

To add: Ceracoat air cure is pretty durable. I’ve used it a lot.

Abrasives - Polishing Stones - Gesswein® Stones - Gesswein

www.gesswein.com

 

[Wrench]

Polishing the OD is easy. Doing so without wiping the roll marks is another subject.

I'd suggest a quick bath in dawn dish soap, media blast and hose it with cerakote h and toss it in the oven.

I'd not waste my time trying to slick up the rails. The bolts tend to have belly and the action cut does most of the time as well. Nitriding both will help, but so will a touch of lithium grease mixed with some moly d or z powder.

 

[fjefman]

I’ve polished a few bolts and action outsides with a polishing wheel on the bench grinder. The inside can be polished with a dremel or better yet an air grinder with a long polishing attachment. Harbor freight has good attachments.

 

[Titanmoose]

I’ve polished a few bolts and action outsides with a polishing wheel on the bench grinder. The inside can be polished with a dremel or better yet an air grinder with a long polishing attachment. Harbor freight has good attachments.

Thanks.

I’d love a mirror finished outside I just know it’s ALOT of work

 

[Kurts86]

I did the at home duracote route with a 700 receiver with OK results. It held up fairly well except for on the bolt where it wore off all the contact surfaces after 1,000 rounds or so. At least it didn’t rust but it was a half measure.

With rattle can paint you can always touch up the action with little effort.

Professional coatings really shine here whether it’s Nitride, DLC or well done cerakote. It will hold up 10x better with use.

I got to a really similar build point with a massively facelifted R700 and realized it was best to step back and build on a nitrided custom action. It’s no cheaper to fix a 700 than to buy a custom action once you go through all the steps.