Camo on your fighting rifles

[JMS]

The process in the first LF link takes about 20 min of prep, 20-30min of spraying, and a little drying time to be shoot-ready (though leaving it alone for some curing is only helpful). It's also designed to provide a camouflage paint job, not the "my gun looks cool" preferred by the form > function crowd, though it certainly possible for both to exist at the same time, on the same gun.

The looooong part of the thread is folks sharing their results, variations, and tweaks.

Most folks that do this sort of thing professionally will tell you that the prep is the most important part. They're right, but I feel that spending a little extra $$ to buy Averoe paint is worthwhile. That said, Krylon and Rustoleum work just fine.

Mine's....ugly. But it has a nice personality.

[breakingtime91]

Is it weird I think that rifle looks awesome?

[JMS]

It's a "lived-in" look....

That paint's 5+yrs old, and I'm glad that a lot of the patterning is plain 'ol worn off; it was too linear. Now the thing's simply just "not black," plus scrapes, bumps, a 5m drop, lube and carbon....and I've let it be. If I ever get to the point that I'm worried about shooting it from a hide, I'll blotch it in the appropriate spots to break up the outline. I've looked at ti through NVGs, next to a stock USMC M4; the latter sticks out like a turd in a punch bowl, by comparison, so just getting rid of black goes a loooong way.

Elsewise...you can see the raised portions that have a bit of a sheen....? Combo of 1) paint applied too thick, and 2) polishing from usage. You'll read "several light coats." Take it seriously, I bungled it more than a bit.

I'm replacing the rail in the near future, so I'll hit that and the other TIB stuff shown (ancillary equipment's changed since original paint) to kinda-sorta match, and spritz it with matte clear-coat....and then I'll leave it be while I shoot it until I have to replace the barrel again.

[BoppaBear]

The process in the first LF link takes about 20 min of prep, 20-30min of spraying, and a little drying time to be shoot-ready (though leaving it alone for some curing is only helpful). It's also designed to provide a camouflage paint job, not the "my gun looks cool" preferred by the form > function crowd, though it certainly possible for both to exist at the same time, on the same gun.

The looooong part of the thread is folks sharing their results, variations, and tweaks.

Most folks that do this sort of thing professionally will tell you that the prep is the most important part. They're right, but I feel that spending a little extra $$ to buy Averoe paint is worthwhile. That said, Krylon and Rustoleum work just fine.

Mine's....ugly. But it has a nice personality.

Very nice. If I were to go the paint (or get painted) route, it would be something like this.

The gunsmith I use locally has some nice "dirty camo" variations that are not uniform in pattern and melt the edges nicely. It's amazing how just breaking up the outline/edges can give it the "camo" look without having to go full digital/multi/name your camo variant route.

This is definitely a paint job I'd like over the more patterned jobs. It looks "real", if that makes sense.

[Tamara]

Is it weird I think that rifle looks awesome?

I volunteered my carbine as a guinea pig for a new Duracote spray setup at the joint where I used to work. As it turned out, there were some initial problems, one of which was that the work area was way too hot in the dead of summer, and so the stuff flaked off here and there.

He offered to redo it, but I said "Nah, it looks cool hanging on the wall in the shop. It looks like it's been in the $#!+."

ETA: Wow, that pic is so old that my VFG is "as far rearward as you can get it without interfering with mag changes." That's like the carbine equivalent of parachute pants or leg warmers.

[Jay Cunningham]

I don't recommend camouflaging the back of your front sight post.

[jetfire]

I volunteered my carbine as a guinea pig for a new Duracote spray setup at the joint where I used to work. As it turned out, there were some initial problems, one of which was that the work area was way too hot in the dead of summer, and so the stuff flaked off here and there.

He offered to redo it, but I said "Nah, it looks cool hanging on the wall in the shop. It looks like it's been in the $#!+."

ETA: Wow, that pic is so old that my VFG is "as far rearward as you can get it without interfering with mag changes." That's like the carbine equivalent of parachute pants or leg warmers.

I was watching Black Hawk Down the other day thinking "man, those rifles are pretty basic."

[breakingtime91]

I don't recommend camouflaging the back of your front sight post.

I plan on covering up the front sight and the whole rear sight.

[Tamara]

Suppose the enemy is sneaking up behind you? Your front sight could give away your position. :|

[Al T.]

I got a pretty good look at Pat's rifle last time he was here. Aervoe is definitely much tougher that Krylon.