Question about painting an AR forearm, stock, or whatever???

Magic marker will rub off quickly with any use from what I’ve seen. If you do good prep,spray paint will do pretty well. I’d put several coats on,and give plenty of time between coats to cure.

I have seen threads elsewhere claiming Rit dye can color some plastic AR furniture.

Black spray paint works, and is durable if given a matte clear coat. Adds some sheen but doesn't make it shiny IMHO.

Id pop it off and just flat black it.

Some YT vids on dying Magpul stuff.
Here's one

I wouldnt go the sharpie route. There are a couple spray paints out there that hold up really well. Like said above, a couple nice even coats of black and matte clear coat and you're good to go. If I wanted to make use of a stock and didnt want the clash of color I'd have no problem rattle canning it. I also dont really care about chipping and a lil old color coming through or whatever. I think around $10 and a lil bit of time and youd be in business.

I painted my AR a while ago, after a few years I decided to return it to its original black finish. Acetone gets the job done.

If it’s plastic you can use black dye from Walmart it works very very well on magpul magazine it should not be a problem. If its metal, just spray paint it.

Check this out.

If done right, a rattlecan paint job can be quite durable. The secret is degrease surface well, and thin coats are better than one thick one.

This stock was black plastic and has been in use several years with no visible wear.


Using Krylon Specialty Flat Camo spray paint and their Color Max Flat Crystal Clear coat makes a very durable finish. https://www.lowes.com/search?searchTerm=kryloncamo+spray+paint

I have one wooden stock that I built up a monte carlo cheekpiece w/epoxy and then Kryloned it flat black which has been hunted hard for at least 10 years and held up very well. I suspect the clear cote is the secret.

This plastic stock has very little use, but was also black. Starting with lighter color as a base

and apply the darker color(s) with a sponge for camo effect.

I usually apply two or three thin coats of clear coat for a non-glossy finish:
ETA: Just noticed I picked up the wrong clear can for picture...Can shown is glossy



Regards,
hps

The marker would be far from permanent. It would be harder to get off your hands than it would the hand guard. I’ve painted a few guns with the marketed camo spray paint from Krylon and Rustoleum with great results. Like others have said it’s all in the prep and use a clear topcoat. Make sure to do several misting coats for good results, don’t be impatient.

If painting;

Watch your temperature..... most parts of the country are cold this time of year. Lots of safe ways around this,think it out. And meticulous prep never hurts. If you think it's clean,clean it again. Read and follow the instructions on recoat window. Post some pics. Good luck with your project.

Not all paints and paint can applicators are the same. Expect to pay in the $7.00-$9.00 range for good quality Matte or Satin finish, flat may not match as well. Rustoleum Epoxy would be my first choice. Read and follow the instructions!

Do not use Acetone to clean the plastic or previously painted surface! You'll thank me later!!

Smiles,

Matte Black Krylon rattle-can is probably the easiest answer.

Best results will probably be in removing fore end, pistol grip, and the butt stock, so that they can be all painted to match.
Having mis-matched magazines is not unheard of. The old GI aluminum mags would go a brassy silver sort of color very much contrasting the black anodized firearm.

I used blue Rit dye on a Thordson coyote tan plastic AR stock. I was trying to match Blue Titanium Cerakote. The key is to use hot water. Around 175 -180 degrees. Put the pieces in for about 2 minutes then check for color. Not dark enough, put them back.

I ended up dropping the idea and Cerakoting the stock silver.

I have not tried to make brown into black with dye.

Paint it!

Wipe down with lacquer thinner

Two light coats of XIM bonding primer
Four to five light coats of black. The cheap rustoleum 2x stuff is fantastic. I have it on my offroad truck axles, guns, and many other things.

Duplicolor engine enamel is great too, but dont use the gloss.

This camo was done with generic rattle can camo paints. And i used actual grass and such as the templates.

With any type of coating such as spray paint, Cerakote, Duracote or even bluing proper prep work is the most important step. Spray paint is definitely the easiest
but doesn't last as long as other coatings. A good clear coat helps though. I prefer a dull/matte automotive clear coat that withstands oils and fuel.

BigBlue 94 said:

Paint it!

Wipe down with lacquer thinner

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HOLD UP.
Test your solvents first.

Some lacquer thinners leave a residue (many don't! Test!) and lacquer thinner can be seriously harsh stuff. DO NOT use it with bare hands (it'll dry your skin out, at least), use it outdoors or in a ventilated shop, and it can melt many plastics into a puddle of goo.
If you use lacquer thinner, test a dab on an unseen, non-contact part inside a plastic piece first. If it works there, great, then clean a scrap of whatever with it and paint as a test.

I had to use it to get paint off a guitar for restoration, and after a few minutes it would start eating through my gloves. So I'm careful with that stuff. It definitely has its place in my Hierarchy of Solvents, but it's not at the start.

With any paint project, I scrub with plain dish soap and a toothbrush first, because I've gotten tired of having to redo anything and it helps get crud out of the crevices. Then my go-to degreaser is plain old rubbing alcohol. 90% if you've got it, but the normal 70%'s fine. Even some denatured alcohol can occasionally leave stuff behind that will react with some paints. Most don't, but still test. They add stuff to it (the 'denatured' part) but the right rubbing alcohol is just alcohol and water. And even alcohol can soften or brittle some plastics. Usually cheap stuff, so don't worry on quality gun furniture. But verify.

Primer. Like other people have said, light coats. If you can see through the first coat--great. Let it dry, apply another. Repeat until done.
And, again, test any solvent you use until you're familiar with that solvent on that application. Plastics are finicky things.

Edit: other people have good paint recommendations. I'm a fan of Rustoleum for basic and camo paints. Steer clear of their bigger 'Professional' marked cans for most projects. I like them but only on metal. It always seems to stay tacky, but dry it a couple days, toss that piece in a cold oven and raise it to 200 degrees for an hour, and you might as well have powdercoated it.

Deus Machina said:

HOLD UP.
Test your solvents first.

Some lacquer thinners leave a residue (many don't! Test!) and lacquer thinner can be seriously harsh stuff. DO NOT use it with bare hands (it'll dry your skin out, at least), use it outdoors or in a ventilated shop, and it can melt many plastics into a puddle of goo.
If you use lacquer thinner, test a dab on an unseen, non-contact part inside a plastic piece first. If it works there, great, then clean a scrap of whatever with it and paint as a test.

I had to use it to get paint off a guitar for restoration, and after a few minutes it would start eating through my gloves. So I'm careful with that stuff. It definitely has its place in my Hierarchy of Solvents, but it's not at the top.

With any paint project, I scrub with plain dish soap and a toothbrush first, because I've gotten tired of having to redo anything and it helps get crud out of the crevices. Then my go-to degreaser is plain old rubbing alcohol. 90% if you've got it, but the normal 70%'s fine. Even some denatured alcohol can occasionally leave stuff behind that will react with some paints. Most don't, but still test. They add stuff to it (the 'denatured' part) but the right rubbing alcohol is just alcohol and water. And even alcohol can soften or brittle some plastics. Usually cheap stuff, so don't worry on quality gun furniture. But verify.

Primer. Like other people have said, light coats. If you can see through the first coat--great. Let it dry, apply another. Repeat until done.
And, again, test any solvent you use until you're familiar with that solvent on that application. Plastics are finicky things.

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Aye.

Actual true lacquer thinner wont leave any residue. Cheap "lacquer thinner" can have mineral spirits in it, which is where the residue comes from. And yes, LT comes in varying strengths.

What will happen if you use a non-compatible solvent on plastic, is that it does start melting the surface. It isnt going to turn it into goop immediately. If the solvent saturated cloth starts sticking, thats when you stop.

Denatured or rubbing alcohol is a great suggestion.

I prefer xylene for all my degreasing. Ive never had an issue with it on anything.

Any solvent will dry your hands. Wear gloves and glasses.

BigBlue 94 said:

Aye.

Actual true lacquer thinner wont leave any residue. Cheap "lacquer thinner" can have mineral spirits in it, which is where the residue comes from. And yes, LT comes in varying strengths.

What will happen if you use a non-compatible solvent on plastic, is that it does start melting the surface. It isnt going to turn it into goop immediately. If the solvent saturated cloth starts sticking, thats when you stop.

Denatured or rubbing alcohol is a great suggestion.

I prefer xylene for all my degreasing. Ive never had an issue with it on anything.

Any solvent will dry your hands. Wear gloves and glasses.

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That's exactly it; most thinners you get don't have a list of ingredients, so if you don't know exactly or don't find a good MSDS sheet, you're on your own until you figure it out. I've used brands that leave an oily film and ones that don't; I just can't remember which is which when I need more.
Alcohol is relatively safe as far as solvents go, so it's my first step.
And yes, it will dry you out too. But the fumes won't make you particularly sick, and it will dry out the surface of your skin but won't leach in and start pickling you like many others.
Plus it's cheap.
I can't say one way or the other on xylene. I haven't tried it, and my Hierarchy has worked on pretty much everything so far. Will try and find a bottle before my next project.

+1 on gloves and glasses. Fume-rated respirator, too, if you have one. May help, never hurts.
At least do it outside or in the garage or shop. At the very least to keep the missus from complaining about the smell.

Deus Machina said:

That's exactly it; most thinners you get don't have a list of ingredients, so if you don't know exactly or don't find a good MSDS sheet, you're on your own until you figure it out. I've used brands that leave an oily film and ones that don't; I just can't remember which is which when I need more.
Alcohol is relatively safe as far as solvents go, so it's my first step.
And yes, it will dry you out too. But the fumes won't make you particularly sick, and it will dry out the surface of your skin but won't leach in and start pickling you like many others.
Plus it's cheap.
I can't say one way or the other on xylene. I haven't tried it, and my Hierarchy has worked on pretty much everything so far. Will try and find a bottle before my next project.

+1 on gloves and glasses. Fume-rated respirator, too, if you have one. May help, never hurts.
At least do it outside or in the garage or shop. At the very least to keep the missus from complaining about the smell.

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I sell paint and solvents for a living. The MSDS and TDS sheets should be available wherever solvents are sold. If not, they are breaking the law.

I never use solvents in an enclosed area. One person used paint stripper woth methylene chloride in a bathroom with the damn door shut. He died from toxic exposure and subsequently got methylene chloride outlawed. One single IDIOT ruined good paint stripper for everyone. The same thing happened with lead paint.

Xylene/xylol is what most epoxies are thinned and cleaned with. Its a medium strength, medium evaporation rate.

BigBlue 94 said:

I sell paint and solvents for a living. The MSDS and TDS sheets should be available wherever solvents are sold. If not, they are breaking the law.

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I'm just a DIYer and worked with arts and crafts in general half my life, not chemicals specifically, so you're even better to defer to!
I can only reference through experience, not knowing my chemistry. So even if I got someone that could pull the sheet (yeah, I don't trust your average Home Depot employee to do that) I wouldn't know what more than half the stuff is.
I just have "probably won't hurt if you're careful, try it."

I never use solvents in an enclosed area. One person used paint stripper woth methylene chloride in a bathroom with the damn door shut. He died from toxic exposure and subsequently got methylene chloride outlawed. One single IDIOT ruined good paint stripper for everyone. The same thing happened with lead paint.

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Yup. Heard my dad complain about not finding his go-to chemicals. Most of the stuff out there can be bad, but it's usually a matter of practices and protection (and not, you know, suffocating or eating it), not necessarily the supplies.

Xylene/xylol is what most epoxies are thinned and cleaned with. Its a medium strength, medium evaporation rate.

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That's good to know! A good alternative to 'wait and scrape' some projects have left me to.

Acetone is a good substitute for cheap lacquer thinner. It evaporates quickly and leaves no film. Like with any solvent, test a very small inconspicuous area to be sure the solvent doesn't eat the plastic or synthetic that you are working on.

I've found that cleaning parts with a mild solution of Dawn in water as hot as you can stand it followed by a hot water rinse is the easiest safest and effective way to prep for painting. After cleaning, I'll wipe down with isopropyl alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol breaks the surface tension of water and absorbs it. The water evaporates quicker.

Most spray paint is acrylic based which can be removed by soaking in Pine-Sol. Be careful when using Pine-Sol to remove spray paint from metal parts. Recently, I soaked a set of scope rings in Pine-Sol to remove spray paint and it removed the factory finish as well. I haven't had any problem using Pine-Sol to remove paint from plastic AR furniture.

Pat Riot said:

Acetone is a good substitute for cheap lacquer thinner. It evaporates quickly and leaves no film. Like with any solvent, test a very small inconspicuous area to be sure the solvent doesn't eat the plastic or synthetic that you are working on.

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The "kleanstrip" lacquer thinner sold in auto parts stores actually contains acetone. I would not use that specific one for any prep work.

Paint works very good. This paint is pretty rugged and does not come off easy.