I just saw a webpage that gave a step by step lesson on how to paint a gun (using Krylon). http://www.optactical.com/weaponpainting.html Can you really get a durable finish this way? Has anyone tried?
Painting a gun DIY?
- Thread starter MDG1976
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mmike87
Member
I wouldn't try it with any gun a gave a rat's arse about. Maybe if I had some POS laying around and wanted to do it for fun ... but I seriously doubt that Krylon would be as durable as true gun finish. Not to mention the probably total lack of lubricity of the finish,
Furthermore, how resistant is Krylon to the various solvents and lubricants commonly use on firearms? It would suck to have the pain running down your arm while you were shooting.
Furthermore, how resistant is Krylon to the various solvents and lubricants commonly use on firearms? It would suck to have the pain running down your arm while you were shooting.
Amish_Bill
Member
I know that plain black Krylon will melt if on an AR15's barrel and a mag or two are dumped rapid-fire. Which particular type of plain black Krylon? No idea - It's what the guy who was helping me shot it with to keep it from rusting after we beatthe crap out of it to get the sight tower off.
Amish_Bill
Member
Hey - That AR barrel was BLACK - it was No Relation to Barbie.... ;-)
gulogulo1970
Member
I would think that flat black bar-b-que paint might hold up to barrel heat. I've never tried it but it sounds sound to me.
Coltdriver
Member
I used the Krylon camo paints to do an 870 Remington Police shotgun. Did it up in the desert tan scheme. Came out great. Looks good. The paint is very durable and easy to touch up if you want to keep it looking good. I have carried this shotgun in the forrest for many hours and it still looks great. I painted the entire shotgun, barrel and all. Just used masking tape to create shapes and progressively cover the shotgun from base coat to final coat.
I used the winter black/white/greys to camo a stock on a .17HMR that I use in the winter for small game. Looks good and has been very durable. I only painted the stock on this one. Where it was checkered I sprinkled fine sand when the paint was wet. Works great. I used a piece of sea sponge to speckle the paint on over a white base coat.
I used the jungle green/black/browns on a AK 47 stock. Came out looking good and has held up just fine. The metal was re done by macs shootin irons company so the AK has the stock only painted. Used the same masking tape technique to create shapes over a base color.
If you try it I recommend that you use the primer as a base coat. The paint definitely sticks better to the primer. Don't soak the gun in solvents. My shot gun has never been a problem because it never needs cleaning and is only lightly lubed. The AK has macs finish so cleaning it has never caused a problem with the paint. The .17 is a stock only job so the solvents have never been a problem. It takes a good 24 hours for the paint to really set up and get hard. I let mine dry for a couple of days before I take them out to play.
If you don't like it you can always sand it off!
I used the winter black/white/greys to camo a stock on a .17HMR that I use in the winter for small game. Looks good and has been very durable. I only painted the stock on this one. Where it was checkered I sprinkled fine sand when the paint was wet. Works great. I used a piece of sea sponge to speckle the paint on over a white base coat.
I used the jungle green/black/browns on a AK 47 stock. Came out looking good and has held up just fine. The metal was re done by macs shootin irons company so the AK has the stock only painted. Used the same masking tape technique to create shapes over a base color.
If you try it I recommend that you use the primer as a base coat. The paint definitely sticks better to the primer. Don't soak the gun in solvents. My shot gun has never been a problem because it never needs cleaning and is only lightly lubed. The AK has macs finish so cleaning it has never caused a problem with the paint. The .17 is a stock only job so the solvents have never been a problem. It takes a good 24 hours for the paint to really set up and get hard. I let mine dry for a couple of days before I take them out to play.
If you don't like it you can always sand it off!
I met a guy who put primer on a French M1935 pistol! came out looking kind of alright though it was still a bit sticky and fresh. As the ammo costs close to a buck a round to fire when it can be found, I am not aware how durable a primer grey finish is. It is similar to parkerizing though it seems.
Some CZ's and other military firearms over the years have come with a painted or stoved finish with varying degrees of success.
Some CZ's and other military firearms over the years have come with a painted or stoved finish with varying degrees of success.
Gun Paint
If you want cheap paint for a throw around gun try automotive engine enamel
or exhaust paint from autozone or a parts store.
Should stand up to heat or solvent.
Just used cast coat iron on an old rusty mauser and it looks OK.
Nothing beats a blue job, or parkerizing for lasting.
If you want cheap paint for a throw around gun try automotive engine enamel
or exhaust paint from autozone or a parts store.
Should stand up to heat or solvent.
Just used cast coat iron on an old rusty mauser and it looks OK.
Nothing beats a blue job, or parkerizing for lasting.
FoMoGo
Member
If you are going to spray it... use duracoat.
Jim
Jim
hairless_ape
Member
if you are going to spray I would definitely go the BBQ or engine enamel route. Powder coating is another option to consider on metal parts.
I decided to redo my Springfield compact 1911 that had considerable holster/practice wear on receiver and slide.
I used a baked on Teflon/moly finish from Brownells.
I used 150gr aluminum oxide to blast/remove original Springfield finish and etch all parts.
Then did spray/dip with the TCE degreaser recommended by Brownells.
I was very carefull to ensure no oil of any kind was on metal before painting.
The pistol was a thing of beauty when completed.
I totally impressed myself!
But now comes the bad part.
The painted finish is not nearly as durable as the original Springfield finish was – and in some areas it now chips instead of the usual scratch/rub wear marks.
Maybe it was applied in too thick of a coat – but I do not think so.
Maybe my oven temp control was not optimum but I think it was pretty close using a thermometer to monitor temp – not the oven dial setting.
So now some of the pistol looks amazing and some areas are horrible.
If I new the wear characteristics I would not have ever expended the effort.
I could have lived with the old stock finish wear more easily than the chipped/scratched version I have now.
I have not decide what I will do next – except not to paint it!
I used a baked on Teflon/moly finish from Brownells.
I used 150gr aluminum oxide to blast/remove original Springfield finish and etch all parts.
Then did spray/dip with the TCE degreaser recommended by Brownells.
I was very carefull to ensure no oil of any kind was on metal before painting.
The pistol was a thing of beauty when completed.
I totally impressed myself!
But now comes the bad part.
The painted finish is not nearly as durable as the original Springfield finish was – and in some areas it now chips instead of the usual scratch/rub wear marks.
Maybe it was applied in too thick of a coat – but I do not think so.
Maybe my oven temp control was not optimum but I think it was pretty close using a thermometer to monitor temp – not the oven dial setting.
So now some of the pistol looks amazing and some areas are horrible.
If I new the wear characteristics I would not have ever expended the effort.
I could have lived with the old stock finish wear more easily than the chipped/scratched version I have now.
I have not decide what I will do next – except not to paint it!
Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
The link's dead, this was from 2005. What caliber for zombie thread? 
gb6491
Member
shoen1200.
Most of the bake-on finishes work best over fresh parkerizing.
KG sells a phosphate pretreatment for their Gun Kote finishes. I would think it could be used with other bake on finishes.
DIY parkerizing is not that difficult to do. Various solutions are available online and there are various "how to" articles posted on the web. Parkerizing, by itself, is a pleasing finish to my eyes. Here is my SA 1911-A1 that I parkerizied recently with solution from Lauer Custom Weaponry:
Regards,
Greg
Most of the bake-on finishes work best over fresh parkerizing.
KG sells a phosphate pretreatment for their Gun Kote finishes. I would think it could be used with other bake on finishes.
DIY parkerizing is not that difficult to do. Various solutions are available online and there are various "how to" articles posted on the web. Parkerizing, by itself, is a pleasing finish to my eyes. Here is my SA 1911-A1 that I parkerizied recently with solution from Lauer Custom Weaponry:
Regards,
Greg
BT2Flip
Member
original link stopped working
http://www.optactical.com/weaponpainting.html
I have been thinking about this for my XD
http://www.optactical.com/weaponpainting.html
I have been thinking about this for my XD
Engine enamel and BBQ paints may layer a bit too thickly on a gun.
If it was one of my guns, I'd only paint the metal with one of the specific baked-on sprays designed for firearms, many will contain additives like teflon that help lubricity.
For wood and polymer, I'd go ahead and use appropriate Krylon paints. Krylon even offers gun-specific paint colors and painting kits.
If it was one of my guns, I'd only paint the metal with one of the specific baked-on sprays designed for firearms, many will contain additives like teflon that help lubricity.
For wood and polymer, I'd go ahead and use appropriate Krylon paints. Krylon even offers gun-specific paint colors and painting kits.
trekgod3
Member
I painted my Star Bm (9mm) with some high-temp ceramic engine block paint from advance auto parts. I primed it first with ceramic engine primer made by the same manufacturer. The finish has held up great. No marks or peeling.
malblackbelt
Member
I recently refinished a pistol that was given to me. I used the Aerosol spray on baked on Gun Kote from Brownells I have only finished it in the last week so I can't attest to the durability of it yet but the finish was super easy to put on but you have to make sure that the surface prep is done right.
1. Sandblast with Aluminum oxide or a fine glass bead
2. use brake cleaner or Gun Scrubber aerosol spray to degrease the gun part.
3. Preheat the parts to around 100 degrees F and clean any grease that leaks out of the parts.
4. Start putting on the finish in thin coats and I mean super thin. Use a heatgun or hair dryer to dry coats for faster applicationIt took about 4 to 5 coats to completely cover the parts
5. Let your finished pieces dry for at least 30 mins then bake in your oven for an hour at 300 degrees F and let cool
6. put the gun back together lubing all the necessary areas let sit because the finish will get harder with age.
Simple as that and it looks great!
I'll post pics as soon as I can of the original and the finished gun
1. Sandblast with Aluminum oxide or a fine glass bead
2. use brake cleaner or Gun Scrubber aerosol spray to degrease the gun part.
3. Preheat the parts to around 100 degrees F and clean any grease that leaks out of the parts.
4. Start putting on the finish in thin coats and I mean super thin. Use a heatgun or hair dryer to dry coats for faster applicationIt took about 4 to 5 coats to completely cover the parts
5. Let your finished pieces dry for at least 30 mins then bake in your oven for an hour at 300 degrees F and let cool
6. put the gun back together lubing all the necessary areas let sit because the finish will get harder with age.
Simple as that and it looks great!
I'll post pics as soon as I can of the original and the finished gun
malblackbelt
Member
Heres the before and after pictures the barrel hood still needs polishing in the second picture from the sandblasting
Heres the before
And heres the after
Heres the before
And heres the after
kentucky_smith
Member
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I'd stick with Alumahyde or Duracoat for pistol painting.
tbtrout
Member
I have used krylon with a clearcoat of poly on a few 22 rifles, and alumahyde on a 1911. the 22's do not get abused and hold up well and the 1911 gets abused and holds up fine.
Gun Paint
I went into Orielleys and bought the only epoxy paint they had (VHT Epoxy Paint) in a satin finish. I blended the areas on my 10/22 where it was scratched down to the aluminum with 800 sandpaper. Then as the can recommended I sprayed 2 light coats 10 minutes apart and then 1 heavier coat all within an hour. The gun turned out fa-nominal. I have not had a chance to test it against solvents and such, but being an epoxy with the seven day cure time I figure it will be good after that. I figured I could add my 2 cents as I had this page open from last night when I was doing my research.
I went into Orielleys and bought the only epoxy paint they had (VHT Epoxy Paint) in a satin finish. I blended the areas on my 10/22 where it was scratched down to the aluminum with 800 sandpaper. Then as the can recommended I sprayed 2 light coats 10 minutes apart and then 1 heavier coat all within an hour. The gun turned out fa-nominal. I have not had a chance to test it against solvents and such, but being an epoxy with the seven day cure time I figure it will be good after that. I figured I could add my 2 cents as I had this page open from last night when I was doing my research.
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