Painting a gun?

T

The Great Mahoo

New member
I keep coming across pics and postings of people who have painted their guns (typically AR's or scoped bolt-guns) and its got me wondering. Is it worth doing? or does it just scream taticool? Now, I don't plan on playing "operator" and skulking around the landscape, but some of them look nice. Then again, a lot don't.

I must admit, I like the idea of breaking up the all-black of some of the rifles, and especially one customizing their gun to their liking, but I'm not sure I would do it.

I'm presently working to get my recently aquired AR to my liking, and am thinking the black is a little too bland. I was thinking about getting some colored accessories (as I replace them) or just painting the handguards/stock/etc. to break it up some, making it two-tone so to speak.

Then again, painting the gun would be cheaper and seems simple enough. But I don't really need camo to hide it, just something to make it a bit more appealing.


Anyway, what are your thoughts on painting a gun?
 
I have seen the trend building in popularity...and frankly I find most of them horrid. I am a bit of a traditionalist I think, and prescribe to the henry for addage "You can get one in any color you want, so long as its black". But thats just me.
 
Ugly stick

I don't play tactical but I prefer a completely camo painted hunting rifle.

As you hunt the rifle moves around a bit and the flashier it is the more likely it is to spook an animal. I mask off the trigger guard, scope lenses, bolt and crown. then spray paint multi-layered camo colors with fern leaves and such as intermediate masks.

Since my primary reason is hunting big game in camo I didn't do my black rifle.

I don't paint a rifle ugly until it has made its way past a probation period and has tenure.

One upside is the rust prevention effect of a coat of paint.

The last thing I'll ever care about is what somebody else thinks about the way my rifle looks.
 
Ive been panting my guns since the 60's, and it has more to do with utility than tacticoolness.

Painting actually does more than just break the outline of the gun too, it protects the guns finish as well. I recently stripped my old 1100 thats been painted for over 25 years now, and there wasnt a speck of rust, and very little wear on any of finish that was covered with paint. The only spots that showed any wear, were the points where the paint had worn off from handling/use.

If you use the right paints, you can usually remove all of it if you want to sell it, or repaint it later. Now, some paints are more permanent, and will basically require a bead blast to get them off, so you do have to think about that and make sure you know what youre using if its a worry.

This was my last paint job, just done a couple of weeks ago now. Its my M&P15 in Multicam...

ry%3D400

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Did this AK a number of years back now....

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The old 1100 (prior to stripping) and a Mossberg 500 in ASAT....

ry%3D400


same 1100, now stripped....

ry%3D400
 
Do it yourself rattle can paint camouflage on a $100 NEF shotgun, or a $200 Handi Rifle, okay, go ahead. Maybe even a $400 Saiga rifle, be my guest. But a $1500 AR15 or a $1400 Benelli Vinci shotgun, no, I could never justify it.

But it belongs to some other guy, and if he wants do a $10 paint job on a $1500 firearm, go right ahead. :confused:
 
I'm also a traditionalist and prefer rifles with wood stocks, although, I could see myself owning a synthetic rifle purely for bad weather hunting. I would never paint a firearm because I don't think it would ever give me an advantage while hunting, especially if i'm already decked out from head to toe in camo. I kinda feel like this is a blasphemous thing to do....kinda like getting a nice cherry red 60's Corvette convertible and deciding you want to paint it puke green.
 
But it belongs to some other guy, and if he wants do a $10 paint job on a $1500 firearm, go right ahead.
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Ive painted my $20000 MP5 before. :)

I would never paint a firearm because I don't think it would ever give me an advantage while hunting, especially if i'm already decked out from head to toe in camo.
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Ive found it makes a big difference when hunting birds, like doves, when out in an open field. They seem to come a lot closer when the gun is cammied up like you are than when it isnt. Movement is a lot less noticeable too.
 
I painted my hunting shotgun just for the camo effect it gives.

I painted my sniper style rifle because the gun was black, the stock was green, the scope was a different green, and the rings were silver. It looked a little odd before the paint.
 
No matter what you use to camo your gun, make a stencil and use it. That way, even if it's a cheesy pattern, it will be consistent from one end to the other (consistently cheesy??).

AK103K- nice job.
 
@ak103k

Well like I said, Most of the time I find paint jobs appalling...However, that being said...

If you own an MP-5, that gives you the right to do darn well whatever you like...and there isnt anything shy of paining a portrait of Rosie o'donell that would make an MP5 ugly...those are just about the most beautiful creations on earth, IMHO
 
Scorch, thanks.

As far as the stencil part, it all depends. A lot of times, as long as the colors and break up are right, the pattern isnt even really necessary.

Cheesy is in the eye of the beholder, if its even beheld at all. :)

Well like I said, Most of the time I find paint jobs appalling...However, that being said...
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I know what you mean, and Im sure those of us who have painted any, have had their share of scary a time or two, although I havent had anything as scary as the thought of Rosie being the pattern. :D

If you take your time and use a little thought, you can match up many, if not most, of the military type patterns pretty easily. Trying to match some of the commercial, hunting types, like Mossy Oak, etc, probably wouldnt be worth the bother, but the right colors in the right places would work OK.

There are some guns I wont paint, because I like the wood and metal on them, and it wouldnt be right. One thing nice these days though, are the ace bandage type camo tapes that make it easy enough to tone them down, and protect them at the same time. If youre skiddish of painting, they are a very viable option.
 
I don't plan on ever painting any of my guns. I would be so nervous that I would screw it up. With my finances right now even messing up a $100 Mosin would be a huge deal so I can't even imagine messing up a more expensive one. I do see the value in it for OTHER people though.
 
The full paintjob just looks too busy to me. I'm thinking for along the lines of just doing the stock, guards, grip, maybe some accessories, but keeping the receivers and barrel black. Any thoughts as to whether painting or just buying something like Mag-Pull's colored pieces (instead of black) would be a better option? I kind of like the Darth Earth, but seems better suited to dryer areas than PA. I really like 'winter' or 'urban' camo paint jobs, even if they are impractical for most settings.

I guess I'm just exploring possibilities at this point, not yet ready to commit to anything just yet and am wondering what everyone's take is.
 
Painted guns are difficult to sell. If you don't plan on ever selling it then do what you want. I could see giving a Hi-Point Carbine a paint job, but I personally don't care for paint schemes on expensive guns/rifles.
 
have any of u used the doit your self camo dips they have out now you can get them in any camo u want and there around 100 bucks or so
 
If youre just doing it to do it, or for something different, you can get cheap M16 furniture from someplace like Northridge and go to town. A full set of furniture costs around $20. The gun below is wearing a set, I just painted it up in Flectarn.

ry%3D400



If you just go with a color different than black, that works too. This is an Armalite I have that I did one of the M16A1 stocks in Aluma Hyde OD. It came with a slider, the rest of the furniture is Armalites.

ry%3D400


If youre doing it to break the outline and/or maximum effect, then its better to just do the whole gun.



Painted guns are difficult to sell.
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Maybe. Probably. Then again, you never know. If you use pants that are removable, its not really an issue. Takes a little work, but you can usually get it all off, and the gun will probably look better than one that was used the whole time, as the paint protects the finish underneath.

have any of u used the doit your self camo dips
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I havent use them personally, but I have seen a couple of guns that were done with it, and they came out nice. It would be a better choice if you were trying to match the commercial patterns, as thats what they seem to do.
 
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