Painting a semi automatic military configuration sporting rifle

[stubbicatt]

Guys. Been thinking I may wish to have a black rifle painted a sort of earth color, and trying to find someone who has experience in this to do a good job. I could get a buzzbomb from Wally World or something, but I was anticipating something perhaps a little more durable.

Suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[helotaxi]

Amelon coatings will color it whatever color you like. If you're more the DIY type, Duracoat and several other spray-on, bake-on finishes are available from Brownell's and are tough as all get out if correctly applied.

 

[HorseSoldier]

I've always had good luck with the Krylon rattle-can approach -- not especially durable, but touch ups are cheap and easy, and you can easily tweak your paint scheme to match the season or a new environment.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Amelon coatings will color it whatever color you like. If you're more the DIY type, Duracoat and several other spray-on, bake-on finishes are available from Brownell's and are tough as all get out if correctly applied.

+1

I use Aluma-hyde rattle cans from Brownells. It's fairly easy to use and is air dry. The hard part is waiting for it to air dry. It takes about ten days plus. You get Duracoat results for much less cash outlay or baking.

 

[langloisandy]

Krylon...works awesome. A most excellent writeup is here: http://op4guy.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-paint-your-carbine-by-pat-rogers.html

I did the same thing with Krylon instead of Aervoe.

Andy

 

[Rush_Fan]

My Krylon attempt





I started with tan base coat, then used home-made stencils cut out of construction paper for the camo look in green and brown.

 

[browningguy]

I used the Krylon Fusion on my SU16C a couple of years ago and it is holding up just fine, of course it is made for plastic painting.

 

[mljdeckard]

Duracoating isn't that tough. You can get a HVLP gun kit from Harbor freight for less than $50, and an air compressor is a handy thing to have around anyway. Just sayin'.

 

[JDGray]

a semi automatic military configuration sporting rifle

Now thats a politically correct sentence for assault rifle!!

 

[stubbicatt]

Now thats a politically correct sentence for assault rifle!!

Pshaw!

Hardly politically correct, just an accurate use of words.

Thanks guys for the input.

I wonder how to keep the serial number from being obscured by paint. I think perhaps a strip of masking tape.

 

[HorseSoldier]

+1. I use masking tape for serial numbers and anything else I don't want the paint getting on, and then spray it on.

 

[stubbicatt]

Do you suppose that this will reduce the value of the rifle for resale?

Thanks.

 

[mljdeckard]

It does to me. It certainly doesn't enhance the value. But I don't sell guns, so I don't usually think about it.

 

[TurtlePhish]

Do you suppose that this will reduce the value of the rifle for resale?

A Krylon job, almost surely.

Something like a professional Duracoat or Cerakote job would likely increase the value.

 

[Shear_stress]

It does to me. It certainly doesn't enhance the value.

Agreed. Not a fan of paint jobs either. To me, Duracoat and the like are even less desirable because they are harder to remove than Krylon.

If you ever decide to sell a painted rifle you are automatically narrowing the pool of interested buyers to those who happen to share your taste in customization or are at least indifferent to it. It is your property, but just keep this in mind.

 

[Stealth01]

Hydrographics as an alternative...?

 

[helotaxi]

I wonder how to keep the serial number from being obscured by paint. I think perhaps a strip of masking tape.

Unless you're just drowning the thing in overly thick paint, it isn't an issue.

 

[mljdeckard]

The thing about anything CUSTOM on any item, is that it was custom for YOU. No one else is going to like it more than YOU are.

I have a Para 1911 commemorative with markings for my unit and deployment. It is meaningful to ME. To anyone else, it's just a wide-frame 1911 from a manufacturer who apparently hasn't figured out how to install an ambidextrous safety yet. I wouldn't expect to put it up for sale and have anyone pay me more because it's a special model.

 

[-v-]

Maybe its just me, but I rather like how Krylon coatings begin to wear off in places after a while. A flat eart/green/whatever finish on a black rifle soon begins to grow its own cammo pattern.

 

[Cosmoline]

One of these days I'm going to have to get these guys to coat a rifle of mine in ALPENFLAGE:

http://762precision.wordpress.com/

They've got all kinds of crazy options.

 

[stubbicatt]

Hydrographics as an alternative...?

Ken what is hydrographics? Does it readily remove?

 

[AK103K]

Im going to suggest you dont use something "permanent", at least for your first couple of paint jobs. If you use something like Testors Military Flats, you can remove it completely (with some work), if you later change your mind. Things like Alluma hyde II will require a bead blast to get it off. I wouldnt use the Krylon "Fusion" on plastics either. Standard Krylon Camo colors seem to come off like Testors though. Not sure about Duracoat, as Ive never used it, but I get the inmpression its more like the Aluma Hyde than not.

Not saying the more permanent paints arent good, they are, just that if youre not sure about what you want to do, its better to have options. Ive used Aluma Hyde II on a bunch of stuff, including guns, and with great results (you really do have to follow the instructions to the letter though if you want good results). It does make for a good base coat. If you use something like Testors on top of it, you can later remove the Testors, but the Aluma Hyde II will remain, and can be repainted over.

Ive been painting things since the 60's. Mostly I use Testors, as they were really all that was about that had what you needed, up until the last decade or so. Its good stuff, durable, and has pretty much any color you might need to match a pattern. Ive painted a number of guns with it, and totally removed it later, even years down the road. No matter what you use, its going to get beat up with use. Personally, I think they get better looking with age, and dings and scrapes really are not a detractor. They actually just help "soften" the overall look and finish.

This was my last paint job, my S&W M&P15 in Multicam....



to give you an idea as to how the colors match....



My 1100 here (on the bottom) in this pic and the Mossberg 500 with it, were both painted close to 30 years ago now. I decided I wanted to something different with the 1100 a couple of years back, and stripped it off (the 500 still wears its ASAT paint job). If you look close, you can see how little really wore off with pretty constant use over the years. Just the main contact points show the most wear.




The 1100 looks like this now....

 

[stubbicatt]

Cool job on those AK103K. Seems you have an eye for this sort of thing. It gives me some inspiration.

 

[AK103K]

Thanks.

It is a lot of fun, and quite the addiction once you get started. trust me, once you start, watch out!

 

[Caliper_Mi]

If you use something like Testors Military Flats, you can remove it completely (with some work), if you later change your mind.

This sounds good. What is involved in removing them? Are they basically flat veresions of Testors usual enamels?

To the OP, any paint job is going to reduce the value. The more involved the paint job the more it will hurt the value. Something like a solid earth color shouldn't be too bad (maybe just because I like that color) but a digital urban/winter camo job is not going to appeal to as many people.