To paint a military style sporting rifle.

[stubbicatt]

Guys. I am considering painting my rifle a sort of flat earth color. Not sure whether I'll get the barrel as it protrudes out the handguard or not, but receiver and hand guards, stock, grip I think I shall.

So. Two questions: 1. will this diminish the residual value of the firearm.

2. Which is the better choice in paint to accomplish this. There are three surfaces, one of steel, one of aluminum, the last of plastic and it would have to adhere to all of these.

Thanks for your advice. I am particularly interested in hearing from those who have done it.

Regards,
Stubb

 

[Robert]

When I painted my FAL I used the camo spray can pack from Sportsman's Warehouse. I cleaned the rifle and made sure to get all of the oil and gunk out of every nook and cranny where I would be painting. Prep is everything on a good paint job. Then I took my time and put down 2 or 3, I forget which, bases coats. Letting it fully dry before moving on to the next coat. Once I was happy with the base I started adding in camo.

I live on the Front Range so I went with brown, tan, and a little bit of green. I used a pine bough from the tree in my yard as a pattern mask and I was rather pleased with the results.

The final product was not nearly as subdued as it appears in the pic. I will have to see if I can find a better one. Or take a new one. I sold it since then and it came back to me wearing a Western Slope woodland paint job.

 

[AK103K]

If you use Testors, you can remove it later. Its a little work, but it will come off completely. Ive been using it for years and have stripped a couple of guns without issue.

Ive also tried Krylon with good results, although I probably wouldnt use their "Fusion" line on plastics I wanted to strip later.

This was my last paint job, my M&P15 in Multicam. Its a mix of Testors and Krylon.....

 

[Apple a Day]

I'd think a GOOD paint job woul increase the value. If you're worried about it you could just do the stock and any accessories.

 

[cstuard]

I did the stock,grip and handguard on my AR since I just couldn't bring myself to mess up the finish on the aluminum. I found a texture paint at HD that I liked the shade of tan. Used the Fusion primer on the plastic parts first since it wasn't a plastic paint. Used regular primer on the aluminum of the adjustable stock. that and tan mugpul mages makes a good compromise look compared to doing the entire gun.

 

[AK103K]

I did the same thing with my AR's for awhile. I used to get M16 furniture sets from Northridge for around $15 and use them for paint projects. Did a bunch, in both camo and solid colors.

Heres a link to the stock sets, but they arent $15 anymore, theyre up to $75. . They must be running out.

http://www.northridgeinc.com/store/index.cfm/c189

This was one I did in German Flecktarn.......



I prefer the "M16/M6A1" length stocks to the newer A2 versions, which was also one of the reasons for buying the stocks. This is an M16 stock on my Armalite M15A4(C) and painted with Aluma Hyde II in OD. The rest of the furniture is from Armalite, and the AH II isnt a "perfect" match, but its pretty close....



This is my Armalite M15A4(T) as it came out of the box. First I did the scope in Aluma Hyde II...



Then the barrel.....



Then German "sort of" Troppentarn....



And then Multicam.....



Like I said earlier, once you get started, its hard to stop.

 

[DagoRed]

I believe it will diminish the value.

I also believe it will not make you tacticool.

 

[AK103K]

If the paint is removable, its really a non issue as far as value goes, and the paint may actually help increase its value down the road, by protecting whats underneath.

The bluing and wood on guns I used heavily to hunt with over a number of years, were in near perfect shape when the paint was later removed. Very few dings and scratches made it through the paint, and there was no rust or finish wear on either the wood or metal that was covered.

As far as "tacticool" goes, I supose theres always that, and if thats why you do it, who cares. Its your gun and your fun.

Ive been painting things for practical reasons, and actually using them in that condition, for longer than many people here are probably old. In actual use, the difference in the field between an unpainted gun and one that is, is very much like the difference between subdued and unsubdued face and hands when it comes to concealment.

Ive hunted doves while laying right out in the open in fields, wearing cammies, with both painted and unpainted guns, and the birds didnt veer off, and always came in a lot closer when I was using a painted gun.