Let’s see your rattle can jobs!

That’s a sweet paint job!
Nam Tiger stripe is the best camo.

 

What kind of paint is everyone using for this? I've been thinking about it but don't want to spend the money on cerakote.

 

Krylon Ultra Flat or Aervo Industries. (There’a a couple other brands that are similar to Krylon as well)

Aervo has the most color selection.

 

Do you worry about high temp paint at all? I would leave the barrel black, so no paint on that.

 

I don’t worry about high temp paint.
Paint on the barrel and gas block will hold up fine, only part that probably wouldn’t is a muzzle deice if you plan on using it with a suppressor.

 

Sounds good. What kind of prep work do you do? Brake parts cleaner to remove any oil?

 

I usually just wipe it down and do it.
I don’t like using brake cleaner on my rifles.
I’ll let it dry for 5-15 minutes between colors or coats and then let it dry for at least 24hrs.

 

Sounds good, thanks! Now to decide on a color/pattern.

 

That’s the fun part!

 

I plan to use the Krylon Camo stuff, IIRC that's what Cleckner used and it seems to work well for the task.

 

The less work you put into it, the better it looks my new workhorse

 

I like the flag

 

I taped over what I didn’t want painted, like the safety and any moving parts

 

Not a rifle but a shotgun, Beneli SBE I purchased in 1999 or 2000. Until a few years ago it was a blued receiver and nice wood stock and forend. Then I rattle canned it........lol

Oh and quite a few gobblers have fallen to it.

 

Ugh!! I need to do this. My AR is just straight black and begging for some color

 

DOOOO IT!

 

Hmmm. I think i want mine desert camo

 

Tape anything you don't want painted but honestly, I just paint everything but the glass and a small strip around the optic adjustment and I close the dust cover if it has one or put a piece of tape over an exposed bolt (no, I don't bother to remove them). Blast it with whatever degreaser you like, I use non-chlorinted brake cleaner, then heat it with a heat gun enough to drive off any residual moisture and warm it up then paint away. The first gun I ever painted I was careful and either disassembled or taped off parts but after that, meh, it's just a tool. If I were Cerakoting on a gun I was concerned about the looks of then I'd be more careful but for a hunting or plinking gun that's going to get used, have at it. Unless you really, really goop it on heavy, everything on an AR will function just fine after a coating of spray paint. There is zero reason to worry about spraying the muzzle attachment unless you're attaching as suppressor and I've never had an issue with spray paint on a barrel or gas block even after a mag dump or two; if I owned a machine gun and shot it a lot on full auto then I'd want a high temp paint. I spray over the selector switch then flip it for the next coat, never an issue. Leaving the plastic parts like the grip or buttstock black just looks goofy (and seems to make it stand out more) when the rest of the gun is sprayed. Yeah, it'll wear with use and it'll probably blend in better to a point then just spray it again.

Duracoat is fairly easy to use but like Cerkote, you definitely don't want to breath it. It's more durable than spray paint but not as durable as Cerkote. I bought a $15 Harbor Freight hobby sprayer figuring the stuff might ruin it- nope, just clean it up afterwards and almost ten years later that cheap spray gun still works.

 

About to spray my rifle down. Once my optic mount and bev block arrive to do the final assembly, it's getting an OD base with some brown striping.

Ever used acetone as a degreaser? I've got some brake cleaner and acetone at home, curious how things like optic o-rings hold up to them.

 

Why not just use 90% rubbing alcohol?