Rifle painting, advice welcome!

[TanktheFrank]

I'll be picking up a bergara hmr tomorrow and I'm already planning on painting the stock. I like the profile, the feel, and the feautures so I wont just replace it for one in a more desirable color.
My questions is, has anyone done a paintjob to one? How did you find the paint acts on the material? I'm thinking of doing a copy of the gap 3 color with krylon. It'll hopefully be a match/hunting rifle so the paint will get worn and such, no issue there.

 

[Namekagon]

Not sure what material that stock is made of. I am planning to do something very similiar to a B&C. Thinking of doing GAP camo with sponges, should mimic Manners camo styles.

I'm leaning towards doing it with duracoat, but wondering if anyone out there has ever done the sponge-blotch style paint jobs with duracoat? I've never used the stuff before.

 

[lash]

Not knowing the stock material for the Bergera, I would just use the same technique used on a bunch of others. First, and most important step is to use a good degreaser to prep the stock before hand. If the factory stock finish is shiny, use some 300-600 grit wet paper to abrade it a bit first. Then degrease it really well with whatever you have on hand that will do the job. Brake cleaner, denatured alcohol and even isopropyl alcohol are readily available and work, as does deglosser. The paint should adhere just fine. Let each coat dry a good bit before the next is applied to avoid bubbling and bleeding. When done. let it dry for 24 hours and then apply a protective matte coat of clear. It will keep that Krylon paint job good looking for much longer. It will still wear, but much, much slower.

Oh, and to answer Namekagon, the sponge-blotch style paint method works fine with cerakote.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Do some research into UV resistant, dull or flat/low luster clear coat. It will reduce fading and protect the finish better.

 

[combatgrunt84]

DuraCoat is not taking new orders as of today until an announcement is made on 10 April. But I have DuraCoated 4 rifles no issue just take your time with prep work

 

[Namekagon]

DuraCoat is not taking new orders as of today until an announcement is made on 10 April. But I have DuraCoated 4 rifles no issue just take your time with prep work

Any prep work tips?

Think it could be applied with a sponge? With your rifles, did you use regular duracoat or the aerosol version? I don't have a sprayer for my compressor. They aren't too expensive, so I could get one. But because I plan to just lay down a base color and then sponge blot colors on top of that, I think aerosol would work fine too. Any insights from your experience?

The durability of regular spray paint worries me.

 

[ReaperMedic]

Don't worry about the durability of regular spray paint. Put on a couple good base coats, then be prepared to touch it up every couple years, unless you use your stuff in a field environment often. My rifle gets banged around the woods in FOF or other "tactical" uses at least two days a month generally, and I haven't painted it in probably two years.

 

[Rerun7]

Same experience here. Krylon doesn’t just wipe off. Unless you are doing some hard use or a LOT of use it will hold up for a long while.

In addition, for my hard use guns I kind of like the worn look. Shows character.

Here’s a rifle I did with krylon and it looked identical after hiking a lot of miles and usage during the hunting season.

 

[NewsShooter]

Like the others said, prep it and paint it, Krylon holds up really well. The rattlecan thread a little lower has a photo of my HS precision that I did with sponges and krylon.

 

[Namekagon]

Nice rifle Rerun7. Thats pretty much the exact color scheme I'm after, but with the sponge style. Guess I won't write Krylon off. My worries come mostly from experience with stuff I've painted for duck hunting. BUT....didn't do any prep work on that either. I'm gathering that makes all the difference.

 

[combatgrunt84]

Any prep work tips?

Think it could be applied with a sponge? With your rifles, did you use regular duracoat or the aerosol version? I don't have a sprayer for my compressor. They aren't too expensive, so I could get one. But because I plan to just lay down a base color and then sponge blot colors on top of that, I think aerosol would work fine too. Any insights from your experience?

The durability of regular spray paint worries me.

I used the aersol version in my airbrush I sanded all parts and. Ever had any issues make sure to let it sit for a few hours between coats.

 

[Rerun7]

For prep, as long as the stock doesn’t have a really slick surface or coating on it I just wipe with alchohol for prep. I recently did one as a sponge job with spray paint too. It turned out pretty good.

 

[Jackalope]

A good adhesion promoter also makes all the difference with the rattle can stuff. Knock the gloss off the stock with Scotch Brite, apply adhesion promoter per instructions on the can and then top coat as usual. The sponge style camouflage hides the eventual wear very well.

 

[NewsShooter]

A good adhesion promoter also makes all the difference with the rattle can stuff. Knock the gloss off the stock with Scotch Brite, apply adhesion promoter per instructions on the can and then top coat as usual. The sponge style camouflage hides the eventual wear very well.

Yep, I've used the bulldog adhesion promoter on my paintjobs.

 

[pmclaine]

I used "Silly Putty" bought cheap off of Ebay for a mask. was easy to fill around the trigger/ loading port/ safety other orrifeices you dont want paint to get into and removed clean.

Use an earplug to plug your bore.

Stuff your lens opening with cotton balls than close the lens covers before painting. The cotton balls will catch any overspray that may get inside the lens caps.

Tamiya modeling sells some various width masking tape to cover things like gas ports, scope mount screws, serial numbers, scope turret markings....check it out on Ebay.

Id suggest buying a cheap air brush and spray off a compressor if you want to get really cool with your paint.

My first attempt at vandalizing $6K in gun....

 

[pmclaine]

 

[pmclaine]

 

[pmclaine]

 

[NewsShooter]

Since it's mostly a match rifle I thought I'd do something different than basic black for the XLR.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

The most important thing to do is to handle the rifle all the time. Don't be tame with it. The idea is to get it dirty and greased smudged up with lots if chips. Thus, the subterfuge of actual use will pass muster unless they look down the barrel or open the bolt. Cheetos stains is always an indicator the supply is getting to the front. Dropping it on road kill will really be the bomb. Give it that Tarawa smell.

 

[Rerun7]

The most important thing to do is to handle the rifle all the time. Don't be tame with it. The idea is to get it dirty and greased smudged up with lots if chips. Thus, the subterfuge of actual use will pass muster unless they look down the barrel or open the bolt. Cheetos stains is always an indicator the supply is getting to the front. Dropping it on road kill will really be the bomb. Give it that Tarawa smell.

This...

Try and take them in and out of the safe a lot and handle them while you watch John Wick. Constantly rubbing the safe walls and couch really puts some realism into it.

If you find you need a more aggressive approach I’ve even tied some paracord to them and dragged gently across the carpet to get a more battle worn look.

 

[Dougie308]

I'll be picking up a bergara hmr tomorrow and I'm already planning on painting the stock. I like the profile, the feel, and the feautures so I wont just replace it for one in a more desirable color.
My questions is, has anyone done a paintjob to one? How did you find the paint acts on the material? I'm thinking of doing a copy of the gap 3 color with krylon. It'll hopefully be a match/hunting rifle so the paint will get worn and such, no issue there.

Prep, prep, prep, prep. Them practice on similar material several times. Then paint.

 

[ReaperMedic]

Don’t overthink it. Just tape what you don’t want paint on, (optic is the most important obviously) and spray.

 

[lash]

Right on. I thought about it and it hurt my head, so I just started doing it. No complaints.

 

[TanktheFrank]

I dig it. Yeah, I'm going to go for it. I just need some narrow tape to do good blending, and some marine tex to get some better surface.

 

[pmclaine]

Don’t overthink it. Just tape what you don’t want paint on, (optic is the most important obviously) and spray. View attachment 6893582

Wish you had of been around when I was painting mine......buying the swing set to hang the rifle from was a bit of overkill.

 

[lash]

I hung mine in a magnolia tree while painting it. You use what you've got. I had a tree and some wire.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I degreased mine with the thinner for the paint being used.

What I'm trying to do is to remove anything that might chemically interfere with the paint bond. No bets, but that worked fine for me.

Actually, I don't paint stocks anymore, I figure my rifles don't really need to be hiding from anything/anyone at my age.

More recently, I still do stocks, but it's hand rubbed linseed oil wooden stock finishes. They also need degreasing, and I also saturate the clean/dry wood with a 50/50 mix of the oil and odorless pant thinner, so it soaks deep and makes for a deep, deep finish bonded well into the wood's grain.

It makes for some beautiful things.

Greg

 

[lash]

I've done the deep oil finishes on a couple black powder sticks (like flintlocks) and some military clean ups. I've also sometimes topped a well cured oil finish (months) with thin, rubbed coats of matte polyurethane. Talk about depth of grain...and durability...?

 

[pmclaine]

Im refinishing a 1960s Remington 700 stock right now.

That Dupont RKW finish they applied on those things is quite the ass ache to remove.

Shame gun manufacturers didnt think to themselves "Hmm what happens when our customer actually uses this thing and it gets scratched up, peeling and starts to looking like shit?"

Its all clean now on and on its 12 or more coats of Real Milk Paint Pure Tung Oil.

If it ever gets scratched again, and it will, a little rub of oil will have it looking new again.

 

[Terry H]

Same experience here. Krylon doesn’t just wipe off. Unless you are doing some hard use or a LOT of use it will hold up for a long while.

In addition, for my hard use guns I kind of like the worn look. Shows character.

Here’s a rifle I did with krylon and it looked identical after hiking a lot of miles and usage during the hunting season.

View attachment 6891083

That's a fine looking stick. I like it!

 

[Terry H]

Since it's mostly a match rifle I thought I'd do something different than basic black for the XLR.View attachment 6892220

Nice! Love the color.

 

[viking78]

Im loco of gun painting .
Here´s few of my jobs.
Also tryed to do the hydro dipping.

 

[DEWD_STUFF]

Viking 78- what did you use to paint your KRG bravo to achieve that pattern, I am same guy hit you up on that KRG thread.

 

[viking78]

I used soft foam spong.
I sprayed the paint to a disposable plate, and then dapped the spong to the plate and then dapped it to a stock.
My stock was green, so i started the dark color first and head it to light color in the end.
I had a dream in my mind to make it look like this, but it did not worked, but i got unique KRG chassis

 

[DEWD_STUFF]

I like how your KRG turned out. I wish I had better pics of the rifle I did, i sold it a while back but this is what I got in the end. I did it on a B&C. Started black and used a sea sponge with good old krylon spray paint, lasted 2 hunting seasons and multiple days at the range never wore off.

 

[viking78]

That´s not bad at all what you did with your stock, i like it a lot.
If you would not tell me that you have painted that, i could believe that it was like that from the factory, that´s so well made

 

[DEWD_STUFF]

Heavily considering rattle can painting my MPA chassis

 

[viking78]

Show us the rifle after the job

 

[Stavey]

I have had great luck with duracoat. Top shelf customer service as well. This one is russian camo using duracoat stencile kit.

 

[Stavey]

Here's a duracoat digital camo. I think they call it something different though

 

[viking78]

Nice job guys.
And you can train the painting, before you are doing the main work, so do practise, if you do hesitate.
Practice make the champions.

 

[DEWD_STUFF]

Just painted my MPA chassis today, waiting for barrel to be done cerekote,I'll put it all together and post pic in few days

 

[DEWD_STUFF]

sea sponge from lowes works out good. Taped all hardware off, and went to town. Went black, brown and tan. Surprisingly in person the brown matches the scope really well

 

[viking78]

Deam, that came out very nice, i really dig that.
It is kind of nice to make stock painting with the sponge, you are able to control the work way easier than with the ratle can, and finish product looks good.

 

[DEWD_STUFF]

I'm very happy with it. Glad I did it, great thing about it being on a chassis I can take it off and re paint it it I ever wanted to

 

[viking78]

People should do more of this, don´t be scared of doing it, you make it more of your ways.

 

[Pinmaster]

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/rough-hs-stock-to-a-sps-tact-krylon-shooter.42842/

One of mine that I took pictures of...

 

[viking78]

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/rough-hs-stock-to-a-sps-tact-krylon-shooter.42842/

One of mine that I took pictures of...

That is very nice, not the common painting, i like it.

 

[Lionsbreath]

When I think about kryloned rifles, I think about Chris Kyle’s win mag... I personally don’t do any scuffing or wiping down with alcohol, just mask off important stuff and stand about 2’ away and lightly dust it with tan krylon or whatever and when it starts wearing off it looks awesome to me- just my .02