Painting a stock

[sentry1]

At Quantico, the sniper instructors would just take some matte finish spray paint, lay some leaves on the stock and paint on the fully assembled rifle.

Say I wanted to make an AICS 1.5 stock look like it goes real fast, maybe paint some flames on it. (Not really, just a nice matte camo pattern)

What type of paint is best for use on a synthetic stock? What's the best method to do this, as a regular guy, sans access to a paint booth and professional equipment? (If you're going to say 'send it to someone', that's the obvious answer, already have that as an option) Is it best to remove the barrel/action for painting? What are the important points to mask with tape?

 

[Izot]

Re: Painting a stock

If you are using spray paint, Krylon and Rustoleum both make camo paint and Krylon makes and matte clear coat. Krylon seems to go on a little nicer, but I have used both and both work. Its cheap, easy and you can change it for locations. Just clean with rubbing alcohol, plug the barrel and chamber and protect the glass / dial marking.
If you do a google search someone has a write up with pics of preping and painting. You might want to start there. There are a bunch of pics of painted guns on here to get some ideas.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Painting a stock

I used to, I don't anymore.

When I did, I used Krylon Spray Camo paints. I don't know if they make Krylon Fusion in Camo flats, but that's what I'd use for temporary camo. Owing to bash/rash, I would consider most camo to be temporary.

Unless its a really rugged finish, like Gun Kote, it's eventually gonna deteriorate and look like warmed over crap.

I'd tape anything inside the ends of the scopes, any scope adjustment inscriptions, trigger assemblies and magazine nteriors, bolt bodies and lugs, receiver interior, plug muzzles, assembly pin holes (AR's) with foam ear plugs, and mask any surfaces that mate with other parts. If a part gets removed periodically, I'd mask the mating surfaces and spray the parts separately. Anything that gets handled a lot, like bolt knobs, needs an extra coat(s); but be patient and give the prior coats plenty of come to cure, as well as dry, before respraying. For multiple coats, thinner coats are better than thicker. Heavy coats obliterate texture/detail and take too long to cure.

Nothing is a frustrating as finding dust, hair, etc. on the paint surface. Take what measures you can to do these things in a clean environment, and also be sure to thoroughly cover up anything that's not supposed to be getting paint; overspray is a beeyotch, and it's got long legs, too.

Prep whatever gets paint before spraying. I use paint thinner, followed by rubbing alky to degrease in advance. If it can't take thinner, you should think twice before spraying it.

Greg

 

[el gordo2]

Re: Painting a stock

Get some isopropyl alcohol. acetone, brake cleaner etc and clean everything you plan to paint. Surface prep is very important if you are wanting the paint to stick. On plastic such as the AI skins you can roughen the surface with a scotchbrite pad to help with adhesion.

Krylon makes some camo colors that have a flat finish such as khaki,OD green, black, brown etc.

Mask or take off the trigger group, mask the scope glass, the bolt lugs, the reciever opening/chamber/ways and the muzzle and squirt the desired paint.

For extended wear a few coats of a flat clear coat will help protect the krylon.

Probably not what you are planning but $25 worth of krylon and stencils gets you.....

 

[Rick 324]

Re: Painting a stock

I have also used Krylon and Alumahyde from Brownells. The Krylon does not hold up well to cleaners, like Hoppe's, and the Alumahyde has never had an issue... It is supposed to be a paint like ceramacote, but does not need to be baked on...

I did not use stencils, but the good old tree branches and leaves and it worked well...

Good Luck!!!

 

[roggom]

Re: Painting a stock

Krylon fusion camo can be found at most Ace hardware. If you poke around the net, look for rifles done in a sponge camo pattern. I like it as the colors are so diffuse, you can not tell if there are wear spots from handling or cleaning.

The biggest thing with Krylon is that it drys very quickly. You must resist touching the stock for a few days, as the oils in you hands/ cheek will make it tacky. After a few days to a week (in humid areas) you should be good to go.

 

[sentry1]

Re: Painting a stock

Thanks for the great info! Once the rifle gets in I'm going to take a good hard look at it and plan this out carefully.

I may skip over painting the scope and just paint some burlap with cutouts for the knobs and wrap that around it.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Painting a stock

That's actually a much better idea.

 

[sentry1]

Re: Painting a stock

Aghh! Finding burlap here is not easy. I'd rather not have to buy 30 square feet of the stuff.

 

[sentry1]

Re: Painting a stock

El Gordo, I think I have that exact same bipod! It came with the AICS 1.5 Rem 700 setup I purchased. Do you know what brand bipod that is?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: el gordo2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

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[_Shay_]

Re: Painting a stock

It's a Harris Bipod.

 

[earthquake]

Re: Painting a stock

I've only ever used Krylon and with good results. When I first started doing this, I painted the rifle assembled. Not anymore. It's easy enough to take apart and do it right. For me though, I've come to the decision that I'm not painting optics anymore. Unless I'm going to be stalking under observation again, I don't see the point. For removing paint, I use Citristip Gel from Home Depot. It works great on metal parts but I just tried removing really old Krylon from a HS stock and it started to soften the plastic! It wouldn't remove all the paint either so I repainted the stock only.

The rifle in back is the one mentioned above. I used Krylon and painters tape to cut out the shapes. I was going for old-skool woodland camo pattern. The rifle in front just has a Kryloned McMillan. I used high-temp grill paint on the stainless barrel. Seems to work well!

 

[uscbigdawg]

Re: Painting a stock

US-AMU Pro Tip on Painting from Shooting USA

Wish it was video, but this is an okay write up. We just used Krylon and pieces of cut up cardboard, netting, leaves, etc.

Rich