Weapons Painting 101

[nelly]

I keep hearing this and I keep seeing black in nature. What nature are you referring to? Here lots of things are black, logs, rocks, dirt, bears...ect. Where are you that everything is so not black?

Yah - And EVERYTHING leaves a black shadow. There's a whole boat load of black in the visible spectrum, as I look at any kind of terrain (with the notable exception of arid / arctic). If there is ANYTHING on top of ANY kind of terrain, it leaves a black shadow.

Ergo, if you want to look like the things that are already there, and not look like a biped, you NEED to have some black in your camo scheme, IMHO.

But, I'm not an operator, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn last night - So what do I know?

Oh, and definitely +1 on the movement issue - It doesn't matter if you are a-camo'd or wearing pink suspenders and a smile - You are visible as soon as you move. I do remember THAT lesson from battle school, long, long ago!

 

[justinchow]

....unless your going for the Batman look..

What's wrong with the Batman look?? lol

In all honesty though, I thought about getting some tan furniture for my M4, and maybe a tan camo scheme, I've seen some neat looks with the use of nets and other stuff

 

[Satain]

Yah - And EVERYTHING leaves a black shadow. There's a whole boat load of black in the visible spectrum, as I look at any kind of terrain (with the notable exception of arid / arctic). If there is ANYTHING on top of ANY kind of terrain, it leaves a black shadow.

Ergo, if you want to look like the things that are already there, and not look like a biped, you NEED to have some black in your camo scheme, IMHO.

But, I'm not an operator, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn last night - So what do I know?

Oh, and definitely +1 on the movement issue - It doesn't matter if you are a-camo'd or wearing pink suspenders and a smile - You are visible as soon as you move. I do remember THAT lesson from battle school, long, long ago!

Black is the absent of color. White is all the colors. Hence why you can never perfectly match these 2 color and can only tint close to them. Also civi's might think that in night black is still better but most people who work in the field know this is not true. Hence the need for guile suit's even at night. But for me...
Once you go black you can never go back

 

[X-man]

Really...................Any firearms I have sold that I have painted have not had their re-sale value affected.........maybe even enhanced a little.....

The difference between one of your paint jobs and one completed by a well-meaning dilettante armed with a can of Krylon from Canadian Tire are light years apart, as your wink acknowledges.

As for other comments...I buy my firearms to use & shoot, not look pretty and I have no problems with honest wear. I also make it a point to maintaim my firearms properly.

Some are keepers, others will eventually be offered for sale or trade as my interests change, or I see something shiny that I have to have. Unless I know I'm never, ever going to sell, I usually try and preserve as much of the inherent resale value as I can, just in case I decide to sell it a year down the road.

Human nature being what it is, you offer two firearms of the same make, model and condition...the only difference is one having been covered in spray paint and with the same asking price, which is going to sell first or fastest?

99X our of 100, the only way the painted gun is going to go before the original condition rifle is if there is a substantial discount offered over retail...or if you're extremely lucky enough to strike that one buyer who prefers spray-painted, used guns over shiny new ones.

For the guys who prefer to paint their guns, more power to you. The only one you have to please if yourself and if painting your bangstick gives you pleasure, have at it. I've got a pretty nice Paasche air brush & Campbell-Hausfeld compressor sitting in my workshop that I've used to create my own custom M-14 stocks so I know where you're coming from.

That said, I feel for the kids who spend major coin on a high-end black rifle and then take a can of tan spray paint to it because that is what the "operators" in the "sandbox" do... and then realize six months down the road that they need to cover next semester's tuition and have to sell their $3000-$5000 rifle - only to discover that that $6 buck's worth of Krylon has turned their pride and joy into a $1500-$2500 rifle.

 

[ol'blacky]

Agree whole-heartedly with X-man.

My only misgiving about the content of this thread is encouraging people to think they CAN do this. Most of us quit taking art classes after grade 9. Why should we presuppose that the average range-shooter has the skills and the tools to do a good job of painting anything, much less a multi-material, multi-moving part weapon that is going to take lots of abuse?

I've seen some of these DIY paint jobs, and they just look poor.

If you're going to spend 1000's on a gun, and you really, really must (read 'want') have it painted, spend another hundred or so dollars and have it done professionally.

My AR will remain black.

 

[Leibermuster]

That said, I feel for the kids who spend major coin on a high-end black rifle and then take a can of tan spray paint to it because that is what the "operators" in the "sandbox" do... and then realize six months down the road that they need to cover next semester's tuition and have to sell their $3000-$5000 rifle - only to discover that that $6 buck's worth of Krylon has turned their pride and joy into a $1500-$2500 rifle.

Disagree, if a person buys a gun in that price range he should not have to sell it down the road...I think this mentality boarders on excess and greed, I buy to keep first and foremost. Take it to the range and shoot it, if you don't like it that much then leave it. Spray paint comes off over time and with a little work comes off in minutes, who cares............If you are using duracoat well that takes a lot more to get off

 

[GrensVegter]

If you use krylon you can always clean it off with lacquer thinner it takes time to clean it completely but it is possible. Dura-coat is another matter! so I say go ahead breakout the rattle can and have some creative fun.