Your reason to camo your rifle...or not?

[PabloPlutarco]

Fellow Members,
I have seen rifles on this site, both bolt action and semi-auto, that have some amazing camouflage patterns applied to them, and others that look fantastic without camo. I was interested to find out what was your personal motivation to camo (paint, Cerakote, etc.), or not. Was it:
Nostalgia - pattern was something that was on the rifle that you carried while serving as a Marine or Army sniper
Functionality - for hunting
Artwork - as a way to enhance the rifle's appearance, and as a form of self-expression
Tacticool - "Camo on a rifle is just the bomb!!"
No camo - like the rifle just as it is
Personally, I haven't done anything to my rifles so far because I'm too scared to try and possibly f*** them over. But that's not to say that I won't try it in the future.
What was your reasoning?

 

[gsd1983]

I had an urge to have my SBR mimic my surroundings. It’s just rattlecanned, so if I want to change it down the road it’s easy enough.

 

[mark5pt56]

I've done a couple rattle cans just for the heck of it, one was a hunting rifle, the other an AR carbine. From my point of view if one needs it for hunting or work then it's well worth the money, even if it's a rattle can job. While I admire the artwork that some do, most of the patterns are to refined in my opinion. I don't mind spending money but from my point of view, I would rather buy more ammo or put it towards another rifle, etc.
Not to open a can of worms but movement will get you busted first animal wise. And if the person isn't good at observation, then it still applies.

 

[Newbie2020]

It was so fun cheap and simple. I had a bargain on this stock so I felt bold. The other thing is if you don’t like it you can do it all over again. I will gladly do it again on my next cheap build.

 

[beetroot]

No camo here as it looks gash

 

[MK20]

Krylon provides mild rust protection.

 

[USK308]

I have had my .308 DMR and and my SBR Cerakoted to meet 'my' needs and desires. The 300BO SBR mainly it is for both home defense (hence multicam-black) and for times when I may be called for tactical tracking. The DMR was cerakoted to work with the ground cover of the areas I go.

I also had them cerakoted as an extra measure of protection (I am confident that the rifles will take a beating and may, at some point, need a re-do...but I do use my rifles).

EDIT: Forgot that I did a "sponge dip" job on my Remington 700 SPS (.308)...

 

[308pirate]

Paging @stello1001, please pick up the white courtesy phone

 

[wpeach1912]

I have two painted guns. One for function/camo and one for looks. If I have a gun I know I’m going to leave configured a certain way, I’ll paint it. If not, I won’t bother. I figure paint for necessity only really matters if you paint everything on it

 

[CMP70306]

I haven’t painted any of mine but I pretty much defaulted to having red on all of them in some fashion. Haven’t gotten up the nerve to paint the HNT yet and Im undecided if I want to get an OD green to put on the Manners to mute the silver.

 

[Mike Islander]

I love the way camo rifles look, but not necessary, so I don't bother. Plus I like to be able to find it if I drop it.

 

[stello1001]

Paging @stello1001, please pick up the white courtesy phone

And I got another camo job to do in these upcoming days.

It's for style of course!

 

[Aftermath]

Just for the fun of it.

 

[CaptNkllm]

I did mine and set it down to go to the bathroom... Havnt been able to find it since... guess i did a bang up job... Make sure you guys put an airtag in it.

 

[brianf]

Cerakote for looks , im actually getting one in snow camo yet it will never see the snow. I just want it to look cool

Rattle can for camo

If it’s a multi season rifle i used to cover it with sports/hockey tape and spray over the top

When fall turns to winter I would pull it off and do it again with white and gray

Takes all of 20 min to tape off and 5 to spray. And if you don’t like it just peel the tape off

Plus spray paint is fun

 

[Newbie2020]

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And I got another camo job to do in these upcoming days.

It's for style of course!

That skull camo is maybe the coolest idea yet for camo! Nice!!!

 

[Newbie2020]

Just for the fun of it.
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I really like the white winter pine camo idea. I clearly need to up my game!!! Very nicely done

 

[tucaz]

i take my rifles seriously and black is boring sometimes.

 

[wade2big]

I like spray painted guns but anyone that says they are for functionality probably washes their hunting clothes in special detergent, uses special deodorant when in the field and wears camo in the box blind. This stuff is all for the hunter and not the hunted.

 

[cas6969]

As your mom might have said, wasting time and money instead of doing something productive.

 

[cas6969]

Also.... greatly reducing its value and insuring I can never sell it.

 

[mark5pt56]

There's been more than a few times that I looked at a rifle for sale and said "nope" because it was painted. To me, I don't care if Moses himself painted it, I'm not bailing you out of wasted money.

 

[Hennig]

I cant say Ive ever been too concerned about resale when Ive coated one of my rifles. I'm lucky in that if someone ever didnt like a scheme on a gun I was selling, I could just coat it whatever they wanted instead. Cant say its ever happened in 10 years of buying and selling stuff.

I dig a quality cerakote camo, but also appreciate plain janes as well. I've got a combination of both in the safe.

 

[pmclaine]

I set mine down somewhere and than couldn't find it.

 

[Kamerad]

Functionality.

 

[kthomas]

All my camos are pretty non-traditional and more on the wild side...

My .300NM:

Wife's 6BRA:

 

[tucaz]

All my camos are pretty non-traditional and more on the wild side...

My .300NM:

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Wife's 6BRA:

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not my style but those are very professional paint jobs! i see you’re in tucson too, do you paint stuff professionally or as a side job?

 

[LuvDog]

I paid for one chassis because it was old and beat, and then I had MPA mill it to bring it to current standards. So it needed something, so I had it cerakoted in camo because my son likes camo and it was for a build for him

 

[kthomas]

not my style but those are very professional paint jobs! i see you’re in tucson too, do you paint stuff professionally or as a side job?

This work was all done by @Short-bus - he's a commercial supporter here and does incredible work!

 

[TanktheFrank]

The ones I'm the most fond of get paint, especially of they're a field rifle.

 

[MadDuner]

I was originally scared to paint any of my rifles because “what if I decided to sell it” mentality. Then I took stock of the fact that I only acquire, never sell. So I finally painted one. A $400 Palmetto AR. It turned out only so-so. I’ll paint more in the future.

 

[Simia Dei]

I didn’t like the combo of black rifle with S&B poo brown so it got a coat of paint.

 

[mrmarklin]

I don’t camouflage anything because I’m afraid of not being able to find it if I set it down somewhere.

I don’t have any camo clothing either. Same reason.

 

[cas6969]

There's been more than a few times that I looked at a rifle for sale and said "nope" because it was painted.

My thought leans more towards... "If he did that, what else did he do?"


Yeah, some people never sell them, some sell them consistently.

 

[bobb3950]

I hate black rifles.

 

[FUNCTIONAL]

You never know when the commies are going to come parachuting in or pop out of the mole peoples tunnels. Gotta stay ready!

 

[Charger442]

Gordon clone is camo because.

I need to paint my mk12 but just haven't gotten around to it.

 

[Mike Casselton]

If it ain't a nice piece of walnut, you might as well paint it.

 

[TanktheFrank]

If it ain't a nice piece of walnut, you might as well paint it.

I don't own any wood stocked rifles anymore, no way could I have brought myself to covering the last couple I had.

 

[TylerN]

I voted "artwork" because I had my camo Cerakote done for looks and to make my rifle unique. It's nothing wild but it serves my purposes.

Before

After

 

[stello1001]

Just finished this one right now... I call this a dirty camo!

 

[Ranchhand]

it's my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine.
I do what I want.

 

[Newbie2020]

That coyote never saw it coming. lol

 

[CaptNkllm]

Dumb question... What does everyone do with the Coyote when you kill it.. always wondered how it is disposed? City slicker wondering.. Thanks

 

[Ranchhand]

Dumb question... What does everyone do with the Coyote when you kill it.. always wondered how it is disposed? City slicker wondering.. Thanks

If the fur is nice enough I skin them.
The carcass becomes bird food.
They are a predator here in Oregon and can be hunted all year, no limits.

 

[Aftermath]

Dumb question... What does everyone do with the Coyote when you kill it.. always wondered how it is disposed? City slicker wondering.. Thanks

I use to skin and try to recoup some money. I stopped doing that many years ago when the guy buying the pelts said he would skin a fresh or properly frozen carcass for $10. Sometimes that was all I was going to get anyway so why even drive there? Then that guys stopped coming around. I usually just leave them wherever they ended up unless I am going to drag them away from a bait to rot somewhere else. If they would not harass and kill livestock, I might not even shoot them.

 

[chutinlead]

I haven’t painted any of mine but I pretty much defaulted to having red on all of them in some fashion. Haven’t gotten up the nerve to paint the HNT yet and Im undecided if I want to get an OD green to put on the Manners to mute the silver.

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I'm the same way with the HNT26. I got the green cerakote one so it just needs a little sponge work to spice it up a bit. Might be a little easier after a few scratches this hunting season.

 

[Keith Johns]

I think many rattle-can camo/paint jobs become a regret. Especially on scopes. I've done it plenty of times and always found myself wishing I hadn't. Now I just Cerakote my rifles one or two colors and use a good camo stock(like a Mcmillan with molded in camo).

 

[Newbie2020]

I think many rattle-can camo/paint jobs become a regret. Especially on scopes. I've done it plenty of times and always found myself wishing I hadn't. Now I just Cerakote my rifles one or two colors and use a good camo stock(like a Mcmillan with molded in camo).

I agree. I would never rattle can a $2,000 or $3,000 scope. I also would never rattle can a $5,000 ATX.

I put my varmint 223ai together for roughly a ham samwich (existing r700 action bought in 1997, a donor barrel, and a used Mc3 stock from the hide). And I’ve always wanted to camo a rifle so this was the perfect opportunity.

Shoots sub moa with factory ammo, and sits comfy in my hand and cheek weld.

A nice cerakote job would have cost more than the whole build….

 

[Tanger]

I like the look and nostalgia of a camo stock. I tried my first one on a Tikka T1X plastic stock. Pretty happy with it using rattle can and blue tape.