Wiselite Sterling refinish job FINALE.

[sterlgrl]

I wasn't happy with my last paint job. Now although it isn't perfect, it is plenty good enough, and I rather doubt it is going to scratch up anytime soon. I went through an entire can and a half of PJ1 fast-black. It is well coated now boy howdy!

Later on, I am going to shoot the butt cap, with some black truck bed liner.

Your comments, including any criticisms, would be very appreciated.

[sterlgrl]

I put a lot more paint on this time, and I finally got a good crinkly texture. The gun fells much better in my hands now.

[sterlgrl]

And now this. Just because it needs to be said.

[Traveler]

Wow! I thought it looked good before. Now it looks even better. Nice work, sterlgrl. The crinkly texture looks very even.

[sterlgrl]

Thanks, Traveler, it is better than it was. The barrel shroud is now evenly and heavily textured. I cleaned up the fire selector designator area, and the mag well side of the tube was too sparsely coated before.

I need to rethink the weaver rail a bit. The sight path channel needs to be milled a little deeper. Or I may just replace the aluminum rail with one that is just a hollow steel weaver frame.

It is not perfect, but it is a lot better than it was ootb. I also doubt it will scratch very easily now. This time I cured it at a lower temperature, overnight at 110* F. and the finish seems much more durable.

I am also getting a fiber optic sight post, next month, Lord willing.

[Open Bolts]

Great looking job!

[sterlgrl]

Thanks, Open Bolts.

[swood40215]

That looks VERY nice! It certainly does look better than the ootb finish.

[nfafan]

Looks good, nice and "flat". But sorry to ask - but what did it look like before?

Reason I ask is that I live in West PA, which over the past 30 years has seen 1 (one) (uno) single Sterling carbine at any funshow I ever attended. This was a Dagenham gun in the 80's, which I didn't buy. Until I found another in a bordering state decades later for 3x the price...

But I digress; were these Century Sterlings not crinkle-finished as mine/the original is?

[sterlgrl]

Originally Posted by nfafan

Looks good, nice and "flat". But sorry to ask - but what did it look like before?

Reason I ask is that I live in West PA, which over the past 30 years has seen 1 (one) (uno) single Sterling carbine at any funshow I ever attended. This was a Dagenham gun in the 80's, which I didn't buy. Until I found another in a bordering state decades later for 3x the price...

But I digress; were these Century Sterlings not crinkle-finished as mine/the original is?

I don't know about, Century made ones, but my Wiselite Sterling was pretty rough ootb cosmetically speaking. It was very solidly built ootb. It just need a makeover.

The stock was bent to the side and it had pretty rough weld lines. It was crinkle coated, though very unevenly, being too sparse here and way too heavy there, and it wasn't PJ1 fast black. Since it is an SA Sterling though, really you don't need a 500* F paint anyway. Whatever they used was OK. I just went with the recommended PJ1 paint is all.

I cleaned up the rough weld lines, by sanding and carefully filing here and there, like inside the tube at the end-cap to tube weld. I filled in the end-cap to tube weld line divot outside, with J&B, and I did the same where the fire control and grip assembly was joined to the tube. Steven, used bronze silicon weld stick, so it is very solid. It just needed some cosmetic help is all.

Remember I got it for a mere $400. I wasn't expecting a Dagenham or an Andrewski for that price. I figured, $400 is a great deal if shoots well, and so I had to know if it would.

So I just straightened the stock and did a total disassembly, cleaning and reassembly, and then I went shootin to see how it ran.

The damned thing ran flawlessly right ootb!

It is the only SA rifle I have ever owned, that ran perfectly, right out of the box. So naturally, I was already in love with it, and I decided to spruce her up a bit. Hence the makeover.

So what's not to love? It is also accurate as all get out. After installing the holo-sight, at 45 yards my sister, who is a real Annie Oakley, got shot groupings about the diameter of a coke can, and with practice I know I can do better and reach out farther, than I did that first time.

I think maybe my Sterling was one of their earlier ones, and they were overloaded with deadlines and maybe rushed it a bit or something. So I am not complaining about Wiselite. I am very happy with my Sterling.

Thank you Wiselite. And thank you Steven at Wiselite, for being such a great guy, by patiently answering all my stupid questions. You are a lovely man, and a really good teacher too.

Wiselite, has truly great customer service, and their Sterlings are a steal at $400, imo

[sterlgrl]

Thank you, for the compliment, swood40215.

[nfafan]

So what is PJ1 Fast Black? Wonder if a spatter-attempt via an old piece of window screen from about 10" away would have looked like?

[sterlgrl]

Originally Posted by nfafan

So what is PJ1 Fast Black? Wonder if a spatter-attempt via an old piece of window screen from about 10" away would have looked like?

PJ1 fast black paint, imparts a very tough, thick, scratch resistant finish, and it resists heat up to 500* F. Once you get the hang of applying it, BUY 2 CANS , it crinkles up to provide a firm, gripable, noslip texture.

I found that warming the paint, in a bowl of 'out of the tap' hot water, for like 2 minutes, makes it spray more smoothly. I hung mine in an oven, for 12 hours to get almost fully cured, and then I waited another 12 hours before reassembly. It takes, roughly 72 hours, to fully cure in the open air at 70-75 degrees F.

I am impressed with how tough this stuff is. I think it is much tougher than guncote and the like.

You can read more about it and buy it .HERE.

[sterlgrl]

Over the last two weeks the finish has settled down and evened out. It looks much better now than it did.

Now I need to mount a lower profile weaver rail.

[sterlgrl]

What is with some of you guys?

Why have most of you ignored me from the moment I showed up here?

What did I ever do to any of you?

Is it because I am a woman?

Are you Taliban, or something?


I tried to answer the question asked by, edelweiss, in his thread 'Finishes and Markings'.. I can see that he is on the forum, right now and he has been for quite a while, and yet still no response at all from him.


What is so hard about practicing a little basic courtesy?


Well, I certainly wont cry over it. Your behavior says nothing at all about me. It does say a great deal about you though. Oh well, nothing lost from my perspective.

[Ulwembu]

Yes, it's because you're a woman, and yes it's because you don't wear a Bhurka. I saw an Inuit movie once and as soon as a woman said something she was told "she spoke too loud". That's it.

Just kidding I followed your topic about refinishing the Wiselite Sterling. Found it mighty interesting. Just had nothing to comment about it. Very busy myself with some changes to my .223 upper for my custom AR15 (the lower is fabricated here in the Netherlands and I'm kind of a tester to see if it holds up to some abuse :P). On top of that I had 20 baby skunks to tame for new owners and also have a 5 shift job. Just a bit busy lately

Keep on posting!

[sterlgrl]

Originally Posted by Ulwembu

Yes, it's because you're a woman, and yes it's because you don't wear a Bhurka. I saw an Inuit movie once and as soon as a woman said something she was told "she spoke too loud". That's it.

I KNEW IT!

I am just kidding too.

Originally Posted by Ulwembu

Just kidding I followed your topic about refinishing the Wiselite Sterling. Found it mighty interesting. Just had nothing to comment about it. Very busy myself with some changes to my .223 upper for my custom AR15 (the lower is fabricated here in the Netherlands and I'm kind of a tester to see if it holds up to some abuse :P). On top of that I had 20 baby skunks to tame for new owners and also have a 5 shift job. Just a bit busy lately

Keep on posting!

Don't get me wrong.

I know you all have lives, many are even very busy, and no way was I at all offended because I didn't get "some huge outpouring" of attention.

No, I was talking about those I had directly addressed with questions and comments, who remained icily silent toward me, when clearly they responded to every one word comment and quip made by those they already know here.


Besides that, I am sure my WLA s/a Sterling would have to be boring to anyone with f/a guns. I surely did not expect any 'oohs and awes'.

Thanks for introducing yourself. I have been reading your posts for several months. I have not said anything to you, because I had nothing relevant or of value to add, and obviously you understand. So no problem here. Thanks again.

[nfafan]

Shhit girl, post a pic! Some of us are curious as to a gal that's into Sterlings!

[sterlgrl]

nfafan

Just picture the hottest gal you ever saw shooting a smg , and then downgrade, quite a bit sadly, that image to an over 50, way over, lady who at one time would have rivaled that original image at least somewhat.

I just don't feel comfy, posting my pic on the internet, nfafan. Maybe someday.

[edelweiss]

Originally Posted by sterlgrl

I wasn't happy with my last paint job. Now although it isn't perfect, it is plenty good enough, and I rather doubt it is going to scratch up anytime soon. I went through an entire can and a half of PJ1 fast-black. It is well coated now boy howdy!

Later on, I am going to shoot the butt cap, with some black truck bed liner.

Your comments, including any criticisms, would be very appreciated.

The Pics look great! Were the selector markings already coloured when you got the gun? What did you use to cover them when you spray plainted? What does the texture feel like?