Sprfld1911
member
This is an article sent to me by FBMG's new gunsmith before he joined them. I wasn't able to add the pictures from the article. Sorry I couldn't add them. He had pictures of a great sagebrush camo that he did. They are worth seeing but you'll have to talk to Correia to see them.
Last month we barely broke the surface of the tactical realm. This month I want to talk Camouflage. There are a couple of ways to go about it that I recommend. Neither includes a can of spray paint, even though I have seen it done.
Teflon coatings are great. They come in a wide range of colors that can be used as is or combined to make just the right shade. The Teflon adds a friction resistant layer that I find best used on the inside of the gun. I think it is a fantastic addition to slide rails. Use a little Teflon based lubrication, like Rem Oil, and your semi auto has the best lube combination it will ever get. However that is where it should be left, on the inside.
While I was with the Dept. of Energy we used quite a bit of it. It never lasts long on the exterior of a gun. After curing time and releasing the gun into service, the finish was gone from the hard edges of pistols after a week of training. Not exactly worth the money.
Teflon coatings must be baked on. The temperature is critical. Too little heat and the finish won’t cure; too much heat and it not only makes the finish brittle but it will darken the color. You really won’t end up with what you thought you would. Since it must be baked on, Teflon coatings can not be used on aluminum parts.
I decided to do some research into other products and conducted a test to find out what works longest. I preferred DuraCoat, a product of Lauer Custom Weaponry. There is still the a wide variety of colors with the ability to mix for just the right highlight or shadow color. The added bonus is it doesn’t have to be baked on. It can be applied it to synthetic stocks, aluminum receivers, lens caps, bi-pods, and even wooden stocks.
Now I don’t intend for you to take my word alone about the finished product. Take a look at these pictures of the last civilian rifle I used DuraCoat on and draw your own conclusions.
I realize that the pattern shown isn’t a tactical pattern. That much detail isn’t necessary for S.W.A.T. application much less the “average Joe“. (I would however do so on a varmint rifle). True tactical camo is only meant to break up the lines of the rifle. For instance, blend a piece to the pattern through the trigger, part of the bolt and across the scope. Those three parts then become one piece of shadow or contrast instead of being three distinct parts. In poor lighting or at a distance, good camo will confuse depth perception making it appear as though it isn’t a rifle. Such patterns are best done without extensive use of stencils. You may use a stencil for basic shape but the edges will be frosted with a darker shadow or a lighter contrast color. This means most of the work must still be done by hand. Just like a good magician you are creating an illusion by using a form of slight of hand.
Last month we barely broke the surface of the tactical realm. This month I want to talk Camouflage. There are a couple of ways to go about it that I recommend. Neither includes a can of spray paint, even though I have seen it done.
Teflon coatings are great. They come in a wide range of colors that can be used as is or combined to make just the right shade. The Teflon adds a friction resistant layer that I find best used on the inside of the gun. I think it is a fantastic addition to slide rails. Use a little Teflon based lubrication, like Rem Oil, and your semi auto has the best lube combination it will ever get. However that is where it should be left, on the inside.
While I was with the Dept. of Energy we used quite a bit of it. It never lasts long on the exterior of a gun. After curing time and releasing the gun into service, the finish was gone from the hard edges of pistols after a week of training. Not exactly worth the money.
Teflon coatings must be baked on. The temperature is critical. Too little heat and the finish won’t cure; too much heat and it not only makes the finish brittle but it will darken the color. You really won’t end up with what you thought you would. Since it must be baked on, Teflon coatings can not be used on aluminum parts.
I decided to do some research into other products and conducted a test to find out what works longest. I preferred DuraCoat, a product of Lauer Custom Weaponry. There is still the a wide variety of colors with the ability to mix for just the right highlight or shadow color. The added bonus is it doesn’t have to be baked on. It can be applied it to synthetic stocks, aluminum receivers, lens caps, bi-pods, and even wooden stocks.
Now I don’t intend for you to take my word alone about the finished product. Take a look at these pictures of the last civilian rifle I used DuraCoat on and draw your own conclusions.
I realize that the pattern shown isn’t a tactical pattern. That much detail isn’t necessary for S.W.A.T. application much less the “average Joe“. (I would however do so on a varmint rifle). True tactical camo is only meant to break up the lines of the rifle. For instance, blend a piece to the pattern through the trigger, part of the bolt and across the scope. Those three parts then become one piece of shadow or contrast instead of being three distinct parts. In poor lighting or at a distance, good camo will confuse depth perception making it appear as though it isn’t a rifle. Such patterns are best done without extensive use of stencils. You may use a stencil for basic shape but the edges will be frosted with a darker shadow or a lighter contrast color. This means most of the work must still be done by hand. Just like a good magician you are creating an illusion by using a form of slight of hand.
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