Paint for steel targets

[stello1001]

What is everyone using? I had a bottle of some kickass industrial paint in color orange that my neighbor gave me. I just finished using it all up. I also have white, and high visibility yellow. However, those two are not industrial and do not seem to paint my target very well. I have to do a lot of layers and as a result, my paint takes a long time to dry.

It seems the answer to my problem is to use industrial paint but I never seem to find that stuff anywhere. I like to use white or hi-vis yellow, and do a water line in Orange. That industrial paint covered up the target and previous impacts really well without having to go over them a million times.

Anyone care to share the paints you all use and where to find them? I could care less for the colors, so long as they are bright and fluorescent, or "hi-vis" as they call them.


Another question on steel targets...
I want to buy a 75% IPSC for long range use, I was thinking 1000Y or more if I ever master that distance. I want to go with AR500 @ 1/4 inch in thickness. Should I just play it safe and go 3/8s or is the 1/4 good enough for that distance? I only shoot 6.5CM and don't have buddies that shoot harder hitting rounds, or don't have buddies at all lol...

Thanks...

 

[atomic41]

I just use rustoleum white paint/primer in a spray can. Then red to do a truing line through the middle of them. Works well and have never had no issues.

My 800m target is 10mm and all my closer targets are 12mm. 10mm is as thin as I would go.

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Like he said, white primer is best.

 

[bkincaid]

Regarding the paint, I use Rustoleum acrylic enamel, seems to cover well and dry fairly quickly.

 

[stello1001]

So that's my Hi-Vis yellow and as you can see, it sucks. Great theory though, a bright yellow, should be great for shooting at. Not so great in actual practice. The Orange though, different story. It's too bad I ran out of it.

And then that's my white & orange... I'll look at Amazon and look for that primer paint as well as the acrylic enamel. It's probably better I look online than any store local to me.

Thanks for the suggestions.

If anybody has anything else to add, I'd appreciate it...

 

[Steel head]

My 7 saum kinda dented my 1/4 AR500 plate at 1000 yards.

260 did nothing to it at that distance.

For my mile targets I use regular 1/4 steel.

I actually rarely paint my steel but my friends complain and they paint them.

 

[shaun1826]

There is a definite difference in rattle can pain quality. The Rustoleum Paint+primer combo is pretty good stuff. I haven’t tried them all, but compared to Krylon paint+Primer, which is like water in cold weather, it’s a big improvement.

 

[stello1001]

My 7 saum kinda dented my 1/4 AR500 plate at 1000 yards.

260 did nothing to it at that distance.

For my mile targets I use regular 1/4 steel.

I actually rarely paint my steel but my friends complain and they paint them.

Seems like my 6.5 launching 140s @ 2725 ish will be okay to use with 1/4 @ 1000 then...

 

[shoot4fun]

Steel Target Paint
See Rangestore.net
This is hands down the best target paint out there. It may cost a little more but you will use much less so a can lasts longer.
They also have a FB page; just search steel target paint.

 

[Steel head]

Seems like my 6.5 launching 140s @ 2725 ish will be okay to use with 1/4 @ 1000 then...

I’ve hit that target a lot at that range with my 260 with no issues.

 

[nobeone]

I buy the Walmart 99 cent cans. It doesn't stay on long anyway.

 

[MadDuner]

I use Rustoleum Blue.....
It’s very easy to see against a desert background.
Any resemblance to UN Helmet Blue is just a coincidence.

 

[wade2big]

Plain jane Rustoleum. Krylon sucks.

 

[deersniper]

My 7 saum kinda dented my 1/4 AR500 plate at 1000 yards.

260 did nothing to it at that distance.

For my mile targets I use regular 1/4 steel.

I actually rarely paint my steel but my friends complain and they paint them.

Mild steel holds up at 1760? Did you try any at 1000?

 

[Steel head]

Mild steel holds up at 1760? Did you try any at 1000?

Yea at a mile it does fine even with my buddy’s 338.

1/4” plate.

At 1000.
My 260 mildly dents it over time.
My 7 saum is just short of punching through and dents it sharply.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

I use Rustoleum because it covers well. The 99-cent stuff was like pouring dishwater on the plates - it was about that color and dripped off.

Biggest problem I've had with Rustoleum - any brand, really - is paint drying in the spray nozzle and rendering useless the can and whatever paint is left. I've tried turning the can upside down and purging the nozzle that way, but, with the last two cans I bought (white and red), that didn't work - it just kept spraying even upside down.

So latest thing to try is pulling the spray nozzle off and dropping it into a small, sealed jar of paint thinner for a couple of hours.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

The .99 can of flat black

 

[stello1001]

The .99 can of flat black

How the F do you SEE your impacts lol

 

[Steel head]

How the F do you SEE your impacts lol

it’s not hard to see the hit on dark targets at all.

 

[deersniper]

The .99 can of flat black

You shooting at night?



And plus 1 to all spray paint getting clogged tips. Junk. 1 use and done.

I use white rustoleum and also the neon ground marking paints designed to be used upside down.

 

[Alpine 338]

Rust-Oleum 2X coverage paint/primer is the best bang for the buck. Ace hardware has it on sale about every three months (cheaper than Walmart), and that's when I stock up. Plus my local Ace Hardware offers a 20% military/veteran discount.

Easy to see groups at 700-yards.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

I don't give a fuck. I use the cheapest flat black paint.

 

[BillOH]

I've been using Rust-Oleum 2X Ultra Cover flat white primer. It covers well and doesn't run like Krylon. To clear the nozzle I turn the can upside down and spray for a 5 count. It looks like paint is still coming out, but the nozzle stays clear. I've done it this way for the last few cans. I've been getting it at Amazon. I mostly shoot rimfire.

 

[Poorboyr]

Like others have said, the cheapest stuff I can find.

 

[stello1001]

Like others have said, the cheapest stuff I can find.

That's what I was doing. I mean I'm just gonna shoot it up. But I've realized it doesn't cover my previous impacts well enough and hasn't worked well enough for me...

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Home Depot has boxes of the cheap stuff.

 

[Poorboyr]

That's what I was doing. I mean I'm just gonna shoot it up. But I've realized it doesn't cover my previous impacts well enough and hasn't worked well enough for me...

I’m surprised at that with you being in Texas. We have a hard time with that up here because it’s always balls ass cold.

Out of all the cheap paint, the Walmart stuff seems the best. The dollar store stuff is awful.

 

[stello1001]

I’m surprised at that with you being in Texas. We have a hard time with that up here because it’s always balls ass cold.

Out of all the cheap paint, the Walmart stuff seems the best. The dollar store stuff is awful.

Surprisingly enough, that hi-vis yellow is from Wal-Mart...

And it's also the one the one that has sucked the most for me lol...

 

[Deleted member 10043]

We keep this stored outside year round. You know we have it rock bottom when we brag that we use nothing but the best spray paint on a sillhoute steel target.

Quick Color 10 oz. Flat Black General Purpose Interior/Exterior Spray Paint J2853812 - The Home Depot

The Rust-Oleum Quick Color 10 oz. Aerosol Paint works well for a variety of home projects. The fast-drying formula dries in as little as 20 minutes to maximize your time. The all-purpose paint has an oil-based formula that is suitable for indoor or outdoor use. The paint is also VOC compliant.

www.homedepot.com

 

[hafejd30]

I use the cheapest white paint menards has. You’re just gona make like a porn star and blow that shit off anyways....

I tip the can upside down and spray until the paint clears out. Generally I run out of aerosol (or whatever it’s called) before it dries shut. I leave them in my truck year round. Works well, dries just fine. I’ll spray than put an orange target sticker on it. Worst case it drys in the wet paint. Rustoleum I believe is what it is. The cheapest I can find

 

[gigamortis]

I’ve been using Rustoleum upside down marking paint in white and hi-vis orange. Great coverage. After reading this thread, I’m going to try their flat white 2x primer as suggested.

 

[FA Duk]

Yellow Rustoleum works well over a coat of roll-on yellow base.

 

[308Gunner]

I have been using neon pink on the far targets and you can spot hits easier than on white.

 

[deersniper]

These are nice for painting targets. Seems gimmicky but they work good

 

[b2lee]

I don't paint the targets in the open from 100-1000...unless they are in or near a bush...then they get painted pink...because what man can't see pink in a bush?

If I weren't lazy...and painted my targets...I'd use orange surveyor paint....it works great...has a high velocity nozzle...and is cheap.

 

[MadDuner]

These are nice for painting targets. Seems gimmicky but they work good

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Looks like a nice solution for giving a “center” to aim for.

 

[stello1001]

I don't paint the targets in the open from 100-1000...unless they are in or near a bush...then they get painted pink...because what man can't see pink in a bush?

If I weren't lazy...and painted my targets...I'd use orange surveyor paint....it works great...has a high velocity nozzle...and is cheap.

I'm not entirely sure which paint specifically my cousin gave me, but I'd have to assume it's that orange surveyor paint you talk about. I know for sure the can says "industrial" somewhere on it...

Works real damn good but I'm out of it already. Those cans also make for great targets once their emptied out...

 

[stello1001]

Looks like a nice solution for giving a “center” to aim for.

Yup, those look fucking useful haha. Before, I would just paint my target a solid color. Then, I added a waterline and noticed it helped a lot and shrunk my groups. Now, I'm doing a vertical and horizontal line just like a cross. It works real good so you can lineup your reticle to that and be more consistent with your POA. I noticed it worked really good for me.

Those magnetic stencils should work in the same way...

 

[Jackomason]

I'm not sure what you mean by industrial.. but I'm sure USAbluebook would have it. I've used marking paint (water based paint) and it works alright. I normally use Ace brand paint because its what I've got in town.

 

[Steel head]

 

[stello1001]

I'm not sure what you mean by industrial.. but I'm sure USAbluebook would have it. I've used marking paint (water based paint) and it works alright. I normally use Ace brand paint because its what I've got in town.

That's just what the can says on it so I'm assuming it's something designed for use in refineries, pipelines, etc for safety purposes or marking certain things.

 

[missed]

I use marking paint, it's cheap, fast dry and high solids.

 

[Steel head]

These are nice for painting targets. Seems gimmicky but they work good

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I see that and think about how yummy an omelette would be right now.

 

[JoeZ]

Rust-Oleum 2X coverage white is the fastest. Turn upside down and spray to clear the nozzle and straw for storage.
White marking paint works fairly fast, hold can vertical, nozzle up to clear, and they store longer term.

 

[TACC]

I don't paint the targets in the open from 100-1000...unless they are in or near a bush...then they get painted pink...because what man can't see pink in a bush?

If I weren't lazy...and painted my targets...I'd use orange surveyor paint....it works great...has a high velocity nozzle...and is cheap.

I am a surveyor and agree, the orange and green "upside down" paint works the best on all surfaces.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

White Striping paint, the kind you spray upside down. Comes out thick and wide.

If you really want to see impacts spray your target with black and then white plastidip. It's like a reverse shoot-n-see.

 

[tnichols]

Rust-Oleum marking paint. Covers well in all conditions (including wet and cold).

 

[DIBBS]

Striping paint inverted comes out heavy and thick and covers the target well. For me the yellow striping paint works best and you can see your impacts at distance. The rustoleum 2x with primer covers very well too. White isn't too good in the NW in a bright day/snow background. Works fine in the summer.

 

[FA Duk]

These are nice for painting targets. Seems gimmicky but they work good

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How do these hold up over time? Does the paint build up on the magnets making them less prone to stick to the plates? Seems messy to get them off if ones in a hurry ... my range has 50 or so plates to paint.

 

[deersniper]

How do these hold up over time? Does the paint build up on the magnets making them less prone to stick to the plates? Seems messy to get them off if ones in a hurry ... my range has 50 or so plates to paint.

Not sure. Just got them.
As far as mess get a pair of latex or leather gloves. Your gonna get paint on yourself anyway anytime you use spray paint.

 

[FA Duk]

Not sure. Just got them.
As far as mess get a pair of latex or leather gloves. Your gonna get paint on yourself anyway anytime you use spray paint.

yup ... I carry a can of Hopes wipes to get the paint off my hands when I forget the gloves ... also have baby wipes in the range bag.