Spray-painting my AR?

[tirod]

However you paint the slide, it will wear off again. Getting some kind of ion/melonite finish would help much more, as the problem is rust.

On the polymer lower, very little will stick to it. Maybe Krylon Fusion, it claims it will do it.

The overall effect on something as small as a pistol means that the effective result in the field isn't so much. It's more personal taste.

I avoided much of the problem by buying the furniture already molded in the color I wanted. It will never lose the color or need refinishing, just add patina and get camo'd more as I use it. Many foreign gunmakers did that for special units in the past, and the Army is moving to Dark Earth on all the new .300 Win Mag sniper rifles. AR makers like Spikes now offer anodizing other than black, like the Brown Recluse model.

I like black, I'm repainting my Jeep in it, on firearms, not so much. Nothing yells "Gun!" as much as black. My friends don't need to be intimidated, and my enemies all walk on four legs or more and don't need to know.

[scottycoyote]

ok thanks for the info thats a lot of help

yeah i realise on the pistol its not going to hide the gun, its really more of a way to deal with the finish wearing off and also to give it a custom/cool look.

[Saltydog235]

I don't see the allure of painting a gun with spray paint. If you want the gun camo'd why not do it right and at least have the pretinant parts dipped with a long lasting finish that won't flake off in the action and inner workings? Why anyon would take a $1000.00 or so gun and subject it to krylon or a HD special treatment is beyond me.

As to making it harder to see for hunting, I've hunted ground blinds, tree stands and stalked with wood stocked rifles all my life and never had an issue with the gun giving me away. If it did, I'd be more inclined to believe it was from solvent residue or just my movement over anything.

Its your gun, you do what you want to with it but personally I wouldn't devalue or risk the workings on it with a cheap can of spray paint.

[AK103K]

Thsi was the last gun I painted, not to long ago. Its a S&W M&P15 T something or other.



As far as context......




I used to hunt birds a lot, especially doves in the fall. The difference when in the open, between a gun thats cammied and not, especially when you are, is pretty obvious right away. When I use a gun thats been painted, I almost always get a lot more shooting, and shooting thats a lot closer.

Ive been painting things since the 60's, and its a passed down thing, not something I dreamed up. Its really nothing new, but maybe its a regional thing, I dont know.


As far as the paint being detrimental to the gun, I have never found that to be the case. If anything, its always been a plus. Ive removed paint from shotguns that were painted 25+ years ago, and used pretty much every season, and there wasnt a speck of rust or wear where the paint remained on the gun, which was 95% of it. Those spots where the paint wore off due to handling and use, were the only points that showed wear or minor rust. The paint protects the gun way more than it damages it, assuming you use the right paint.

Youre really not devaluing anything, especially if the paint can be completely removed. Painting with something that needs a bead blast to get off is totally different. I painted my HK MP5 in ASAT back in the 90's, and left it that way for a number of years. I used to hang the gun on the coat hook over an ASAT coat, right in the open, and not one person who walked by, or stood next to it, ever saw the gun, unless I pointed it out. Hide in plain sight on steroids.
After those couple of years, I got tired of it, and stripped the paint off, with no damage to the gun.

[Daggitt]

Oh , I definitely agree any good gun is better off painted. Gonna go out back and blast all my guns in a few minutes. As soon as I get done spraying my new $70,000 Suburban with some Krylon I got for 99 cents a can . Excuse me can I ask a Question? What the hell is wrong with you folks? You paint any of your children today too ? What about your wife ? Did you spray paint her in Fall Camo yet ? Holy flippin Cow ? It will preserve your kids and when we strip that paint off with goof-off them kids will look like new ?

[AK103K]

Hey, if you dont like it, dont do it. No one is forcing you to.

Now spending $70,000 for a Chevy is just plain silly. Even if they were to cost that much, they still need painting so you cant ever find it again.

(thats from lots of down time experience over 25+ years with Suburbans as work trucks)

[tobnpr]

For hunters, or real operators whose lives may depend on it, camo painting clearly makes sense.

Black, is a color that doesn't appear in nature- anywhere...

Other than those applications, for just "personalizing" a weapon, why not?

I've done a half-dozen rifles in Krylon, and a few more (and a handgun) in Duracoat. The Krylon, while not as durable, actually holds up pretty well- use a heavy matte clear coat over for protection- and if you decide to change colors, or pattern on a whim, it's easily done.

[kens852]

Colt Ar15a2 - several thin coats of krylon, with several coats of clear matte. Thousand rounds through, no problems so far.

[chadstrickland]

Once I get me a flashlight on my rifle im going to put a finish on there.

I have a question.

Has anyone ever tried using brownells baking laqure to camouflage there rifle with...it isn't just a paint its a finish

[rickyrick]

What about old oily wood stocks, any recomendations?

[AK103K]

Black, is a color that doesn't appear in nature- anywhere...

Ive heard this before a number of time. I suppose the skunks, raccoons, crows, and a few other things never got the message.

Generally, you dont see to much black in the camo patterns, but some do have a good bit, and even they work well. Its that "all black", or unbroken silhouettes thats usually the give away, especially when used when cammied up and movement is involved. Just like unpainted/uncovered faces and hands.

What about old oily wood stocks, any recomendations?

Ive done a number of old wood stocks. As with any of them, just degrease everything real well, and you should be fine.