Spray painting a rifle or shotgun

11B CIB

11B CIB

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I don't have the step by step pictures anymore because I deleted my photobucket account (the sale of the other site and PB became unusable due to ads/pop ups).

However, I do have pictures of finished rifles that I have done and can explain the steps pretty well

I use Rustoleum Camo paints, found at Walmart. They go on really thin and are matte finish for non reflective results. You don't want to use a thick paint (textured or hammered for example) because they go on really thick and can cause a lot of problems

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-ca...ouflage-spray/

Prep Work:

I wear surgical gloves and wipe the entire gun down with rubbing alcohol (the higher content the better). It helps get oils off of the surface and evaporates. The gloves prevent transferring oils back onto the cleaned surfaces. Painters tape and a razor blade is good for marking off spots you don't want painted (target turrets, trigger, etc). If you have a free float rail and don't want the barrel painted, slide some empty paper towel tubes over it. I also remove the bolt from a bolt action and paint the handle separately (with the bolt taped up) and I pack the chamber full of cotton balls to prevent overspray inside the rifle. I plug barrels with QTips (a bundle of them if it's a large caliber).

Types of patterns:
I mainly do either pine straw camo or free hand color (camo or solid) but sponge camo and stencils are also common.

Pinestraw is easy to do here in the south. Just grab a grocery bag full and get to work. Lay your base coats down (several fine coats work better than one heavy coat and light colors work best). You can do the pinestraw one of two ways: either use a big handful of pinestraw and work it around the rifle spray very light spritzes of paint (the closer you hold it the more crisp the lines will appear) or lay the rifle down and throw pine straw all over it (this is more random). Practice on an ammo can or something to get the technique right and here's the result:

Khaki and OD green on the .22 and Sand, OD Green and Earth Brown on the 308:

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/SoK3dhk.jpg"}[/IMG2]

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/TaYH0xO.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Detail prep work
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/g26APZH.jpg"}[/IMG2]


Free hand work on my 18" AR
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/j5k8ale.jpg"}[/IMG2]

RedneckFur hope this helps
 
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I have also done a larger pattern on a brother in law's duck hunting shotgun. It's got thicker tan/khaki "reeds" on it with more brown to blend into reeds and plant life found around lakes/ponds etc. Trying to get him to send a picture to me
 
Looks great, there's nothing like taking a rattle can to a 1k+ rifle for the first time... I have found in the past few years that the newer rustoleum camo cans have a yellow & black label near the bottom that says "also bonds to plastic".
 
Durability wasn't a concern, and a worn paint job has a lot of character. That durability also comes with a higher price tag than a couple cans of spray paint.

I did a how to because another member asked. If someone wants to do a Cerakote or Duracoat thread, by all means
 
Short Fuse;n26154 said:
I just can't bring my self to do it when there are much more durable coatings avalible.
Click to expand...

Overrated concept. There is no bulletproof coating. I've used them all. They all wear fairly easily if you actually use your rifle. If it's a safe queen/kid glove gun, spray paint is as good as anything.

The beauty is, it's cheap, anyone can do it, you can touch it up without having to recoat the whole weapon, and you can change colors easily or even strip the whole thing bare fairly easily too...
 
Yep, given the high cost, need for abrading the surface for it to stick and overall low durability of such finishes as durachip, ceramascratch, cerapeel, even I will take good old paint any day.
 
PS: nice job OP...I knew there had to be some better uses for pine straw than covering my driveway 10 minutes after I blow it clear and rotting the clear coat on the hood of my truck.
 
11B CIB;n26170 said:
Durability wasn't a concern, and a worn paint job has a lot of character. That durability also comes with a higher price tag than a couple cans of spray paint.

I did a how to because another member asked. If someone wants to do a Cerakote or Duracoat thread, by all means
Click to expand...

Please do not get me wrong, it looks great and if that is your thing then by all means have at it. The process you described will work for other finishes as well to acheave that look. Yes you are correct there is a lot more that goes into the other stuff in terms of prep and cure. I was not trying to bash your thread. I just usually stick to a finish instead of changing them up every now and agian. Not liking how it turns out the first time is just an excuse to build another. I do like the tips and will try them soon.
 
Just before Christmas, I bit the bullet and did a rattle can camo job on my scoped AR. On the whole, I'm pleased with how it turned out, especially for a first time. I'll probably do a few more in the future.
 
RedneckFur said:
Just before Christmas, I bit the bullet and did a rattle can camo job on my scoped AR. On the whole, I'm pleased with how it turned out, especially for a first time. I'll probably do a few more in the future.
Click to expand...
Is that a bunny silhouette on the stock? Cause it looks like a bunny hiding in the grass...
 
Short Fuse said:
11B CIB;n26170 said:
Durability wasn't a concern, and a worn paint job has a lot of character. That durability also comes with a higher price tag than a couple cans of spray paint.

I did a how to because another member asked. If someone wants to do a Cerakote or Duracoat thread, by all means
Click to expand...

Please do not get me wrong, it looks great and if that is your thing then by all means have at it. The process you described will work for other finishes as well to acheave that look. Yes you are correct there is a lot more that goes into the other stuff in terms of prep and cure. I was not trying to bash your thread. I just usually stick to a finish instead of changing them up every now and agian. Not liking how it turns out the first time is just an excuse to build another. I do like the tips and will try them soon.
Click to expand...
Problem with those heat cure coatings is none of them can be used on plastic, scopes, etc. The air dry versions are all just overpriced spray pain anyhow. So, in reality you can't achieve that look in a fully heat-cured coating anyway.
 
Short Fuse said:
11B CIB;n26170 said:
Durability wasn't a concern, and a worn paint job has a lot of character. That durability also comes with a higher price tag than a couple cans of spray paint.

I did a how to because another member asked. If someone wants to do a Cerakote or Duracoat thread, by all means
Click to expand...

Please do not get me wrong, it looks great and if that is your thing then by all means have at it. The process you described will work for other finishes as well to acheave that look. Yes you are correct there is a lot more that goes into the other stuff in terms of prep and cure. I was not trying to bash your thread. I just usually stick to a finish instead of changing them up every now and agian. Not liking how it turns out the first time is just an excuse to build another. I do like the tips and will try them soon.
Click to expand...
I am not a fan of the heat cure coatings either. Duracoat is what has turned out to be the best for my needs. I only like the original duracoat not the new stuff from a rattle can. The original can be tailored to your personal preferences by adjusting the amounts of hardner and reducer to achieve the desired finish. Thats why they make so many different flavors of coatings, something for everyone.
 
RedneckFur said:
Just before Christmas, I bit the bullet and did a rattle can camo job on my scoped AR. On the whole, I'm pleased with how it turned out, especially for a first time. I'll probably do a few more in the future.
Click to expand...
Looks great!
 
RedneckFur said:
Just before Christmas, I bit the bullet and did a rattle can camo job on my scoped AR. On the whole, I'm pleased with how it turned out, especially for a first time. I'll probably do a few more in the future.
Click to expand...
A little runny babbit!
 
Yep! Its a bunny! I had the stencil lying around, and I figured, "why not?" I think its kinda funny!
 
Here's a shotgun I did for a relative. Tried to do thicker "stripes" to blend in marshland environments better

ObUISg3.jpg
 
Another good rattle can paint is the Aervoe. I've used the Rustoleum on one my ARs and it has held up great. The Aervoe was used on my 308 bolt gun because I wanted actual military colors on it for some reason, and the Rustoleum colors were too far off.

Both have held up really well. It's all about the prep work.
 
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