Gunsmithing First try at painting...MCS Desert Sage knockoff

BoilerUP

Old Salt
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 16, 2011
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Floyd Co, IN
A few weeks back, I decided to order a MCS-T4A with the molded in Desert Sage camo for my Savage 10FP. After dropping by their KC facility and seeing these stocks (and this pattern) first hand, I had to have it.

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But I started thinking...could I duplicate the pattern for my other rifles? After reading quite a few tutorials & how-to threads here I decided to give it a go myself. I decided to practice on an unused Savage 12FV black tupperware stock that was sitting on a shelf, so if I buggered it on my first attempt, I wouldn't care.

Materials:

Krylon Camo Ultra-Flat Khaki
Krylon Camo Ultra-Flat Sand
Krylon Camo Ultra-Flat Olive
Krylon Camo Ultra-Flat Brown (wasn't going to use, but did)
Krylon Camo Ultra-Flat Light Woodland Green (not used)
Cheap bug-removal sponges from Wal-Mart
Total: less than $26 out the door

I did this yesterday evening after dark in my one-light garage so I don't have pictures. After prepping the stock by removing the sling studs, roughing up with steel wool and taping the recoil pad, I used some gift ribbon my wife had and ran through the forward stud hole. I tied a small knot on the stud side, then ran the ribbon up through the barrel channel and tied it to my garage door opener track.

I then shot a base coat of khaki, and let dry. Once dry, I removed it from the ribbon and placed it on a piece of cardboard on the floor.

Using a piece of the sponge, I sprayed some Olive onto a piece of cardboard and began dabbing it onto the stock. I then applied Sand the same way. I recommend using a natural sponge or something (anything) other than the bug remover sponges I had. They do okay but don't hold paint for sh!t...which I'm sure is the point of their abrasive design. I think with better sponges I could have more closely matched the MCS style vs. the semi-flectarn I ended up with.

At that point the stock looked good...but it seemed to be 'missing' something. I decided to add a 4th color beyond the MCS scheme, brown. I figured this would blend better into my local hardwoods, without being quite as dark as Manners' woodland pattern.

While glare from the morning sun has the pictures blown out a bit, here is the finished product:

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It'll probably get a coat of matte clear in the next couple days.

So...what do ya'll think of my Saturday evening craft project?
 
Re: First try at painting...MCS Desert Sage knockoff

Looks like it will work well in your area. I have an HS stock i have been wanting to paint but never get around to it. your gives me some ideas.
 
Re: First try at painting...MCS Desert Sage knockoff

Threw the barreled action that normally resides in a black B&C A2 Medalist into the stock:

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If I can get up the gumption to remove the "wings" on the Medalist and turn it into an A3-style stock, it would probably end up getting a similar pattern to this.
 
Re: First try at painting...MCS Desert Sage knockoff

i think im gonna have to try this on my factory 10-22 stock i got laying around, i was wondering if i was ever gonna ust it again for anything.. i was gonna throw it out, but it will make a great practice stock now!


nice work, looks good!