Comments on: Rifle Painting: Blending In

By: bhp0

bhp0 — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 22:39:19 +0000

Remember this: Any time you alter a factory firearm you decrease its value tremendously. What is the ‘cats meow” to you will be a “frankenmonster” to the majority of future prospective buyers. You may very well end up getting half of what the gun would have been worth if you had left it in its original factory configuration.

By: Armor-hyde

Armor-hyde — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:52:46 +0000

NOooooooooo! Painting with rattle cans (Krylon, et al) or Automotive Paints is quite often a recipe for disaster!

Pony up the extra $$$ for real applied finishes such a KG Gunkote, Cerakote, or Duracoat! Your prep & application times will be similar & everything ultimately relies on the prep!!!

The spray cans will NOT hold up & will not be repellant to abrasion & solvents used on firearms! As a professional firearms finisher, the only time we advocate basic spray paints is for temporary use by “operators” for mission specific camo. Even in that instance, we recommend a base coat of a true applied finish, followed by VERY LIGHT spray paint patterns…this enables the spray paint finish to be flushed off back to a base coat by simply spraying the firearm down with carb/brake cleaner!

Ultimately the mil thickness of spray paint can gum up internal workings, especially if it gets loosened by solvent!

If you’re gonna spent the time to do it…do it right the first time…You won’t be sorry!

By: mh2329

mh2329 — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 02:59:53 +0000

Although I haven’t painted a rifle yet, I did conduct some tests a while back with camo patterns and coating durability. The results suggested that slow-dry (4-10 hours drying time in hot sun) enamel and epoxy paints exhibited the best long term performance. Paints from Aervoe Industries, which has a wide variety of hunting camo and military pattern paints, come to mind. If flat finish paints are not available in the desired colors/patterns, you can overcoat with a compatible matte finish clear coat.

By: Armor-hyde

Armor-hyde — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 19:19:32 +0000

Arrgh…NOOOOOO!

As an experienced Applied Firearms Finisher you need to be VERY cautious when using any “rattle can” or automotive finish on a firearm. Simply put, they are NOT intended for these surfaces & will not endure!!! If anything, they will gum up & make a firearm unusable if allowed to get into internal workings!

“Krylon” & similar over the counter finishes can make a decent temporary finish but if you want an effective finish pony up the extra $$$ for the correct product or send it to a professional finisher. KG Gunkote, Cerakote, Duracoat, & the like are what you need to use. When properly applied they will NOT chip, abrade, or run with solvents.

We do however, occasionally provide base-coated applied finishes to operators so that they can use the “rattle cans” for a mission specific camo, which can be rinsed off back to its original applied finish via a good dousing with Carb/Brake Cleaner!

The few extra $$$ for the correct product will save you TONS of time! TIP..A Successful finish is in the PREP!!!

By: mikebctech

mikebctech — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:10:56 +0000

Does wonders for rust prevention on blued/parkerized finnicky finishes!