Painting an AR

[MAX100]

Me either, that is why I take them off of the gun first and do them with another finish. The Aluma Hyde II is good for plastic and low cost and easy to apply. I would be more interested in protecting the metal parts with a very durable finish than the plastic. Plastic is more durable in most cases and is easy and low cost to replace compared to metal ones. Duracoat is the way to go if you want a durable nice looking design pattern on your gun, like the gun in the pic, which looks very nice. It is also good if you don't have a way or can't bake your gun. Duracoat can be hard to apply if you don't have the right equipment and more costly compared to Gun-Kote. If you want just a Black gun and have a way to bake it Gun-Kote is more durable and the way to go or the Ceramic paint finish I suggested earlier.


GC

 

[rc109a]

I need something that I can camo. The Yotes where I hunt can spot you with a black rifle from over a mile away. I ahve tried tape and such, but with no luck. Thank you MAX, ZAC, and all the others who have provided me with all this great information. Now I just have to digest and figure out the colors for my pattern. It should be something in a brown brush type of camo. I was thinking a brown base with a lighter brown and OD breakup pattern. Then a really light finish with some black for shadows. Should be interesting. I ahve a old BB gun that I will try it out on first though... I think...LOL

 

[MAX100]

Post some pictures after you finish. I would like to see it.


GC

 

[rc109a]

I will. It is still a bit hard to go out and just paint a perfectly good looking gun. I mean after all AR's look good black!

 

[rc109a]

I read that the alumahyde2 is good stuff and requires no special tools or mixing to apply. They recommend that the parts be heated. Then they say it can be used on plastics and optics. Are they suggesting heating these as well?

 

[MAX100]

Some of the spray on finishes recommend that you heat the part to around 100 degrees before you start. That can be done in an oven or with a hair dryer. Scopes and plastic included.


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[rc109a]

I guess that 100 is not going to hurt anything. It gets hotter in the field. So is this alumahyde2 good as a complete finish? It seems easier then duracoat and by the sounds of it just as durable. Any takes?

 

[MAX100]

I have no experience with it but here is a picture of an AK painted with it.



AK painted with alumahyde 2 Link:
http://www.ultimak.com/pic16.htm


GC

 

[DnPRK]

I gun-kote all my ARs.

Wait for wife to leave for the day (or catch hell for the smell).
Disassemble.
Clean well with brake cleaner and MEK.
Handle parts with white gloves to prevent finger oil contamination.
Pre heat to 100F.
Spray thin coats.
Place directly in 305F oven (solvent has flashed because of pre-heating).
After an hour, remove from oven and let cool.
Reassemble.

 

[rc109a]

DNPRK: How do you paint the plastic parts and the optics? I don't think I am going to place my scope in the oven.

 

[DnPRK]

How do you paint the plastic parts and the optics? I don't think I am going to place my scope in the oven.

I use Aluma-hyde epoxy that comes close to matching the Gun-kote. That is why I disassemble before painting. Clean plastic and optics with isopropyl alcohol before painting.

 

[rc109a]

The rpoblem with doing that is that I plan on putting acamo patter on the gun. I am goign to try soemthing like Zak did. If that does not work I will go back to the stick and twig method of painting...