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Stenciling/marking mags
Mk23
Member Posts: 127 ✭✭
I recently purchased a good amount of FN FAL mags, and intend to stencil or otherwise put an identifying number on each of them to keep track of which ones work better, which ones wear down faster, etc.
I'm intending to extend this to the rest of my magazines, including USP mags, 1911 mags, and AR mags. I'd like some recommendations on what kind of paint to use, or any other good method of making these markings on the mags.
I'm intending to extend this to the rest of my magazines, including USP mags, 1911 mags, and AR mags. I'd like some recommendations on what kind of paint to use, or any other good method of making these markings on the mags.
Comments
It depends on how permanent you want the marking to be:
TEMPORARY - The Sharpie or Magic Marker idea is a good one, but just the weapon's general oilyness or the powder residue will quickly remove it.
SEMI-PERMANENT - I personally would use this method, because you may find at that a magazine was either mis-marked or no longer fits in the category it was placed in. testors model-airplane/model-car paint in the little bottles from the hobby store, applied with a small pointed artist's brush, will allow you to "write" small numbers, letters or words. Get a little bottle of thinner, too, and refill it occasionally from your one-gallon container of mineral spirts [;)]. A more simple paint marking system is to put a small paint dot or mark on each magazine. Use a color code to differentiate the groups you lump your magazines into. Paint can be removed by rubbing vigorously with a small cloth saturated with mineral spirits. The adhesive number idea is good, too, and you could also write on some adhesive white mailing labels, cut them to the the correct size, stick them on and then apply a slightly larger patch of clear shipping tape over the paper label. Do not use regular Scotch tape. If you have one of those little label maker gadgets that makes labels on real thin plastic film (not the Dymo embossing labels), they would probably work well also. The color-code idea is the simplist and easiest in my opinion, however.
PERMANENT - From my experience, I would not use an electric engraving pencil at all. These things are a bit difficult to control and can therefore produce very sloppy results. Instead, go to your local Ace or similar hardware store or the homecenter's tool department and get a General pocket scratch awl. You can get variations of these these that have a pocket clip and either allows you to cover the sharp point or click it in and out like a ball point pen. They usually have an aluminum, knurled body that grips easily and allows real pencil-like control. They are smaller, easier to use and cheaper than an electric pencil, which I think is a modern disaster of some proportion, anyway. You can "write" smaller and with a thinner line (more inconspicuously), make a more-readily recognized mark and they will pretty much eliminate the crazy, erratic marks that an electric pencil often delivers even on its "low" setting. Also, some of these engraving awls have a carbide or diamond tip, but you don't need to go that far. General's line of regular pocket marking awls will to the job very well for you.
EDIT
--See Next Post--
Bill DeSchivs, I have had one of these electric pencil thingies since I was a kid and I have never been good with it. I guess I'm all thumbs or something. Sorry, if the advice was faulty.
EDIT
MK23
No, the mineral spirits should not have any affect on the polymer magazines. To satisfy yourself of this, use a Q-tip and vigorously scrub a spot on one of your polymer magazines with mineral spirits, wipe it clean, then wash the spot with soapy water and dry to see the result. Check the Q-tip to see if the mineral spirits is significantly degrading the plastic: you may see some discoloration. You might have a shiny spot, but other than that, I don't think it's a problem. Mineral spirits is simply an oil-type solvent, so if the magazines will survive getting oily, the mineral spirits shouldn't hurt.
The electric engraving pencil is a wonderful tool if you take the time to learn to use it. You can write as small and legibly as you want-all it takes is a little practice. I can write small enough with them that you would need a magnifying glass to read it.
As one well versed in hand engraving, I can say the little carbide scribes are much harder to use than an electric pencil, and the markings are neater and deeper.
Would the thinner have any adverse effect on polymer magazines? I'm going to be getting a number of Magpul P-Mags for the AR-15 soon.