Have just got a sten gun second hand and am looking to give it a bit of a renovation.
Have already given the stock a bit of a sanding and will re-stain it with ronseal or something as per the other recent thread.
However, the metal bits are all painted with a uniform very matt black. Having done "extensive research" for 5 minutes on google, I'm thinking it might look better with a more shiny, gun-metal finish as per the picture below.
Have given the inside face of the butt plate a light dusting with Vauxhall Diamond Metallic Black and I reckon it looks ok.
Can anyone please let me know if this is a really bad idea before I do the whole thing?
My de acc sten is all blued, I have seen others done in a like semi matt, satin finish, best use black etch paint as a base coat then somthing dull over it, normal spray including Krylon will prob scratch off,
Ste.D
the paint used on it barrie was krylon. previous owner before me did it. he did lay it on very thick though
matt black is the new black!
Perhaps strip it with nitromors and then blue it using cold gun blueing?
Better than paint in my book!
would check with warren before doing that. depends what metal it is as some metals dont work with those bluing kits.
i prime with an acid etch primer then normal primer, then at least 2-3 coats of top coat,
all ally build except the bronze casting,
re acid etch primer, its not nice to work with and DO NOT breath it in, it,l f**k you up big time, nasty stuff 
team shoot and scoot, TL
ah... this is one of warren's... soz I thought you said it was a real one 
Oops should have made it clear - yes it's a 2nd hand shoot n scoot one.
I might give it a go with the metallic look, I can always re-spray it matt if it turns out looking rubbish.
I know the paint will scratch off but looking a bit weathered isn't a problem.
Thanks for the input all.
PS - haven't found a bronze casting on it yet unless it's the cocking handle - Warren can you let me know because if I'm missing a bit I'll buy a replacement off you please?
The bit the stock attaches to is bronze
The problem is when the paint scratches off you see alluminium underneath... which imho looks very wrong.
I actually use a touch-up pen on my sten in between games to cover up where the (large) scratches appear.
Well I tried it with Vauxhall Diamond Black Metallic and it turned out all silvery flecked like some kind of 1960's SF zap gun out of Barbarella*.
Plan B was some ordinary gloss black spray on enamel paint which I think has much improved it over the matt finish.
The stock got some sand paper/elbow grease and a couple of coats of Ronseal Quick Drying Woodstain, Golden Cedar colour, satin finish.
Have also replaced the pistol grip with an old AK one sanded down to fit, simply because the wood effect matches the stock. It also cut out the movement in the old grip due to the AK one having plastic nibs at the top which fit tightly into the receiver.
Also tried a painted effect spring on the bolt cover but might replace that with some bits of wire stuck on instead.
Before -
After -
* Please note no slur on the film Barbarella or fans of the same is intended or implied.
Barbarella rocks...
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
looking good barrie
Barbarella rocks...
The only thing that keeps me going is the thought that some randy space girl will one day come down to earth and make mad passionate love with me.
Looking very nice there barrie... I may just try an AK grip on mine as well... I do have one available
Love the spring effect paintwork, lol!
You need to get that cable passed through the stock in a nice hidden manner though!
I'm actually thinking of putting the battery back in the magazine, there should be room for a stick battery plus bbs too. Only trouble is, with all the batteries I have, even mini ones, the cells are too wide to go in the mag.
Back on topic though - Barbarella really was class in a glass. I'm sure I read somewhere there was going to be a re-make. Which will no doubt be some politically correct travesty.
You're supposed to use stick batteries...
I have a couple I've not used for a while...
I assumed stick batteries were made up of the same cells as minis, just in a different alignment, hence surely they still won't fit?
If they do fit the sten mags and you want to sell them let me know how much and I'll have them off you at Churchill's.
thats a stick
Duno about the one you have but a stick batt will fit in a real sten mag, some sten mags have guides in them, these may need to be removed + if you want to slide it in from the gun end of the mag you will have to cut the lips of the mag presunimg its a real steel mag your talking about, if you dont want to cut the mag you can slide it in from the bottom & then slide the floor plate back on,
Ste.D
