DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Take which bolt out? Everything is assembled, I can't take anything apart at this point unfortunately lol. When I first started I used this video
DL-44 build on newer Denix: Logo Addressed (no filler added)
- Thread starter DiggsBarklightr
- Start date
If you can get a grip on the firing pin (which sucks a bit, at least on the old ones) with some pliers or something, it’s just held by friction. Pull it out and you can take the whole upper apart. Lots of opportunity for little fixes and cleanup!
I have a pretty heavy buildup thread around here. If you dig a bit you’ll find a couple of really crazy rebuilds. Careful, it’s worse than PCP or whatever kids are addicted to these days! Take this amazing thread for example, now I have to go in and fill the pins with bolts... hahaha!
Really good work here!
I have a pretty heavy buildup thread around here. If you dig a bit you’ll find a couple of really crazy rebuilds. Careful, it’s worse than PCP or whatever kids are addicted to these days! Take this amazing thread for example, now I have to go in and fill the pins with bolts... hahaha!
Really good work here!
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Wow, such very kind words! Thank you very much!!
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Went ahead cleaned up my aluminum parts with denatured alcohol, washed them off and then busted out the Aluminum Black. Started off by dunking the bullnose in a ziplock and that gave the color you see on the left side of the bullnose. Then I hit it with the steel wool to see what I had as a base (right side)
From there I broke out the makeup sponge and started to layer on the Aluminum Black.
Finally happy with the layering, I lightly buffed it with the shop rag and then set it aside for a few minutes so I could work on the flash hider.
I know most of you are freaking out right about now wondering what am I doing to stop the oxidation!!!! Don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere I wasn’t dunking it anymore and it was controlled anyways by sponging it and wiping it off. Sponging it seriously controls the oxidation almost immediately as it evaporates as soon as you drag it over the metal and it turns the color.
From there I broke out the makeup sponge and started to layer on the Aluminum Black.
Finally happy with the layering, I lightly buffed it with the shop rag and then set it aside for a few minutes so I could work on the flash hider.
I know most of you are freaking out right about now wondering what am I doing to stop the oxidation!!!! Don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere I wasn’t dunking it anymore and it was controlled anyways by sponging it and wiping it off. Sponging it seriously controls the oxidation almost immediately as it evaporates as soon as you drag it over the metal and it turns the color.
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DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Happy with the bullnose it was time to tackle the flash hider. Same method again applied here. Dunk it, steel wool it to get a base and then sponge layer it until I like what I like.
Dunked, now time to wool it and see what lies beneath, muahahahahaha!!
Only had to sponge one layer after until I liked it.
Then grabbed my gun oil to fully neutralize the oxidation process. I’ll let it sit overnight and then wipe off the excess oil.
Also tried to sponge in some darker spots into the knurling areas as it shows on the original flash hider. Borrowed the pic from Scott’s stencil run thread. The photo on the right for mine shows most of the darker areas but not all, but trust me, it’s there lol.
Dunked, now time to wool it and see what lies beneath, muahahahahaha!!
Only had to sponge one layer after until I liked it.
Then grabbed my gun oil to fully neutralize the oxidation process. I’ll let it sit overnight and then wipe off the excess oil.
Also tried to sponge in some darker spots into the knurling areas as it shows on the original flash hider. Borrowed the pic from Scott’s stencil run thread. The photo on the right for mine shows most of the darker areas but not all, but trust me, it’s there lol.
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DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Couldn’t be happier with the way this turned out. Now onto the scope.
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
I noticed that in the closeup photo of the original that the scope had a blotchy tone to it so I wanted to give mine a “base-coat” to mimic that blotchiness that would ever so slightly come through at angles.
To achieve that I took a disposable shop rag and just soaked it in the Aluminum Black and then rapped it around the scope, sort of rolled it up like a pig in a blanket hors d'oeuvres lol. Doing this would give me uneven areas all around the scope but I didn’t really care we’re or how pronounced as most of it would get covered as I would add layers of Aluminum Black anyway. All I was looking for were subtle areas I had noticed that come through on the original.
Only left it on there for about 15 or so seconds to give me this below. Just enough.
Now I could start layering on the Aluminum Black by just sponging on the layers. No dunking this time, I still want that aluminum shine and that base-coat blotchiness to come through.
Again, just like with the sponging I did with the bullnose, there was no need to constantly wash after each application since it evaporates almost instantly when applied. It truly is a controlled application yet still allows the oxidation to occur.
Getting closer but checking in natural sunlight not just sitting at my desk. Sometimes your eyes and lighting can plays tricks on you.
More layers and you can still see the blothiness and the shine, I’m ok with it so far.
Finally at a point where I think I’m happy with the color of the scope, time to hit it with oil.
A heavy coat of oil, let it sit to penetrate and we’ll see how much shine is left over. If it needs a little clearcoat, I might hit with a rub on lacquer. I don’t want anything too heavy.
To achieve that I took a disposable shop rag and just soaked it in the Aluminum Black and then rapped it around the scope, sort of rolled it up like a pig in a blanket hors d'oeuvres lol. Doing this would give me uneven areas all around the scope but I didn’t really care we’re or how pronounced as most of it would get covered as I would add layers of Aluminum Black anyway. All I was looking for were subtle areas I had noticed that come through on the original.
Only left it on there for about 15 or so seconds to give me this below. Just enough.
Now I could start layering on the Aluminum Black by just sponging on the layers. No dunking this time, I still want that aluminum shine and that base-coat blotchiness to come through.
Again, just like with the sponging I did with the bullnose, there was no need to constantly wash after each application since it evaporates almost instantly when applied. It truly is a controlled application yet still allows the oxidation to occur.
Getting closer but checking in natural sunlight not just sitting at my desk. Sometimes your eyes and lighting can plays tricks on you.
More layers and you can still see the blothiness and the shine, I’m ok with it so far.
Finally at a point where I think I’m happy with the color of the scope, time to hit it with oil.
A heavy coat of oil, let it sit to penetrate and we’ll see how much shine is left over. If it needs a little clearcoat, I might hit with a rub on lacquer. I don’t want anything too heavy.
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Hmmm, now I'm thinking I want to shorten up that tension screw a thread or two and give this just a little more rake upward than it already has. We'll see 
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Forgot to mention I also knocked off those molded on washers bumps-outs on the sides holding the sight. Took all of two minutes to get rid of them and looks cleaner and I doubt I’ll countersink the holes. This is one thing that doesn’t bug me, but the bump-outs did.
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Going to leave that one alone too. If I had to do it all I'd be here until the end of days looking this thing over. I just want a 5 footer and call it a day but still have some nice details that stand out among the crowd. I'm already fighting the urge to mess with the screw holding the uppers on and whether to file it down, counter sink it or just leave well enough alone. It's been reallllllly hard not to go full on anally detailed here, my brain hurts lol.
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
...I do have 40 minutes until my next meeting as I sit here, though...hmmm. Crap!! See what you started?!
You gotta shave off the site bump as much as you can. It would be a shame to leave it with all that other great work! And the countersink will take you 5 mins. Hahaha! Ok, sorry, your build! I’m telling you though, once you’ve begun, as you have...well, forever will it dominate your destiny...
Hahaha! Ok, sorry, your build! I’m telling you though, once you’ve begun, as you have...well, forever will it dominate your destiny...
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Lol, does anyone have a good picture of what it should look like on the sight, maybe a before and after? I ended up working on my grips during my phone conference so I never touched the site.You gotta shave off the site bump as much as you can. It would be a shame to leave it with all that other great work! And the countersink will take you 5 mins.
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DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
Now I need to see what the difference is and fix it or go to sleep...it’s a toss up lol.
DiggsBarklightr
Sr Member
After taking a look at this, I really don’t think I can pull this off. The hole is just too high for me to file it flat and if I do it at an angle or a slight bump it will just look odd. I run the risk of exposing the hole if I try.
The only possible thing I can think of is since this zinc is “softer” metal, I can in theory lower the top part with my jewelers hammer a little at a time to where I’d like, then redrilling the hole for the pin slightly lower.
I even tested every single ratio of solder I had to see if any would take to the zinc and it wouldn’t so I can’t even fake it if I tried to file it the regular way and exposed the hole. It would work if I fluxed the hell out of it but heating it up and doing that just would be super messy and for such a tiny little piece isn’t worth it.
Anyone have any spare sights laying around they’d like to let me try to modify or one with a lower drilled hole?
The only possible thing I can think of is since this zinc is “softer” metal, I can in theory lower the top part with my jewelers hammer a little at a time to where I’d like, then redrilling the hole for the pin slightly lower.
I even tested every single ratio of solder I had to see if any would take to the zinc and it wouldn’t so I can’t even fake it if I tried to file it the regular way and exposed the hole. It would work if I fluxed the hell out of it but heating it up and doing that just would be super messy and for such a tiny little piece isn’t worth it.
Anyone have any spare sights laying around they’d like to let me try to modify or one with a lower drilled hole?
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Machinimax
Active Member
Nice mods! It's labor intensive but so worth the effort to make the Denix more accurate. Looks great!
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