Arizona Response Systems: Firearm Finishes Photo Gallery

ARS Firearm Finishes Photo Gallery

(updated 01-20-08)

METACOL IV Manganese Phosphate
	METACOL IV Manganese Phosphate coating on a 1911 Government Model .45 ACP.
	METACOL IV Manganese Phosphate coating on a FAL carbine.
METACOL III Satin Black
	METACOL III handles the high heat of sound suppressors without peeling or flaking.
	METACOL III is the standard finish on ARS custom Remington 870 shotguns. METACOL III's superior self-lubricating properties contribute to a smoother action, such as found on this ARS custom Remington 870 shotgun.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a Norinco Type-56S folding-stock AK-47.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a Bulgarian AK-74 in 5.45x39mm.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a China An / Prochine import 7.62x39 AK47. These guns were used as movie props, so received a lot of handling marks and finish wear but were shot little. Refinishing brings them back to better-than-new.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a China An / Prochine import 7.62x39 AK47. Closeup showing the fine attention to detail you can expect from ARS.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a replica of an early Bulgarian milled-receiver AK47 in 7.62x39, with early slab-side magazine.
	AR-180 restored to factory original in METACOL III Satin Black, with METACOL IV Manganese Phosphate internals.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a British Enfield converted to a heavy-barrel 7.62 NATO target rifle.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an IMBEL Paratrooper FAL.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an FN FNC.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a Galil ARM in 5.56mm NATO.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a Galil ARM in 5.56mm NATO. Note the masking of the scope mount dovetail - correct down to the smallest detail.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a German HK 91. ARS restored this old rifle to its original factory condition .
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK 91. This rifle has the rare Namibian Furniture.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a JLD PTR 91k - a G3K clone and the ARS HK91k showing the relative barrel lengths. The G3k requires registration as a Short-barreled Rifle while the ARS HK91k does not, as its barrel length with the permanently attached flash hider is 16". The S-E-F trigger group on the HK91k is cosmetic only, while the PTR 91k has a post-1986 dealer sample select fire trigger pack.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an Springfield Armory imported Greek SAR 3 with the ARS HK91k conversion and Namibian furniture.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK91showing the fine attention to detail.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK 93. ARS restored this well-worn rifle to original factory specifications.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK93.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK MP5 machinegun .
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK MP5 machinegun. This closeup shows the correct mixture of phosphate and enamel coatings ARS uses to exactly duplicate the original factory finish.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK MP5 machinegun. This close-up picture of the A3 retracting stock shows the careful masking of the stock rails for the exact factory-original finish .
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK MP5 machinegun. This closeup of the 3-lug barrel shows the attention to detail you can expect from ARS.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK P7 M8.
	METACOL III Satin Black on two more HK P7 M8s.
	METACOL III Satin Black on an HK P9s.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a Mauser model 1910. While ARS recommends clients consider the potential value of unique or collectible firearms before deciding to refinish, this gun came as a badly-rusted war-trophy with little collector value.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a Sig-Sauer 9mm.
	METACOL III Satin Black on a Smith & Wesson .460 revolver.
METACOL III Gray
	METACOL III Gray on a custom Khar 9mm. ARS also stippled the frontstrap.
	METACOL III Gray on a MAC-10 submachinegun with original Sionics suppressor.
	METACOL III Gray on a Sig-Sauer P239 stainless.
METACOL III Classic Patina
	METACOL III Classic Patina on a Springfield M1 Garand. Classic Patina duplicates the green-brown tint a gray phosphate finish aquires with age, with superior protective qualities.
	METACOL III Classic Patina on a Springfield M1 Garand.
	METACOL III Classic Patina on a Harrington & Richards M1 Garand.
	METACOL III Classic Patina on a French MAS 49/56 in 7.5mm.
	METACOL III Classic Patina on a French MAS 49/56 in 7.5mm.
	METACOL III Classic Patina on an Uzi.
	METACOL III Classic Patina on an Uzi. Closeup shows fine detail
METACOL III Green
	METACOL III Green on Kimber 1911.
	METACOL III Green on Beretta 92.
	METACOL III Green on an HK93.
	METACOL III Green on an M1A SOCOM with the ARS flash hider.
	METACOL III Green on a Cobray M11 9mm.
	METACOL III Green on a Sig Sauer 229 stainless.
	METACOL III Green and Black two-tone on a SIG P-220 .45.
	METACOL III Green and Black two-tone on Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum.
METACOL III Brown
	SAR-48 Brazilian paratrooper model FAL in METACOL III Brown with black accents. Although ARS can coat bakelite handguards, these South African handguards are in their original brown color.
METACOL III Tan
	FN FAL in METACOL III Tan. Some plastic furniture can be coated depending on the melting temperature.
METACOL III Camouflage
	Woodland Camougflage on a Romanian SAR III AK with the First Son Enterprises Krinkov-style non-folding stock. Woodland Camouflage is a mix of approximately 35% green, 35% brown, 15% tan and 15% black or dark gray.
	METACOL III Woodland Camouflage on an FAL.
	METACOL III Desert Camouflage on an AR15.
	METACOL III Afrikan Desert Camouflage on a FAL Paratrooper. Afrikan Desert is equal parts tan brown and green and is effective in most of the scrub, arid deserts of the southwestern United States.
METACOL III Experimental Colors
	METACOL III Purple on a Glock slide.
	METACOL III Purple and Black two-tone on an FN High Power MkII-MkIII hybrid surplus Israeli Police pistol. There has not yet been enough demand for this color to make it a regular part of our line.
	METACOL III Red and Purple. I have always been fascinated with old hand-tools. Restoring these wood planes was a fun project .
	Rhodesian Pattern. Sometimes it is more challenging to make a new gun look old than to make an old gun look new. Many of the South African FAL parts kits came with this unusual blue-green and yellow pattern. I custom-mixed air-dried enamels to match the original colors.
	Rhodesian Pattern. I phosphated the rifle and then scrubbed the high-spots to bare metal.
	Rhodesian Pattern. I used masking tape while the paint was still tacky to chip and flake the finish.
	Rhodesian Pattern. I put on heavy work gloves and vigorously rubbed all the handling points with a mixture of desert sand and fine gravel to replicate years of wear in the African veldt. While I don't consider the results "pretty" by any standards, it is indistinguishable from the original surplus parts.
	Aged finish. Carefully applying aging techniques to these new-manufacture Italian Single Action Army clones gives the desired well-used appearance. Some replicas of older guns are available from the maufacturer with an "antique" finish, however it is with all the original finish removed. This is not consistent with the wear process. Original finish should still be visible in all the low points. Obtaining this appearance is far more painstaking than simply acid-washing bare metal.