There have been some pretty cool paint jobs on rifles here. anyone want to post the techniques on how they achieved their schemes?

paint with the scope on or off? tape the high spots or low spots on rails? remove bolts and pack with rags? tape over bore or put in a cotton plug? what do you tape on a scope?

tape the rifle up and spray each color while removing tape? use soft coverings like string or leaves? just free hand it?

maybe each person can post a photo of their rifle and how they went about painting it?

This thread has been ongoing for some time and has been very helpful to me. There are some outstanding paint jobs with which to copy from in there. Check it out.

The refinishing forum will contain a lot of what you want.

+1

Pretty sad that OP has been a member for 6 years and doesn't know there is a refinishing forum.  Some people are really lazy they cannot even look to see all of the forums offered on ARF.

 
I didn't know it was here either.


I've looked all over, never noticed it, and I participate in a lot of tech areas on this site.

Relax, there are many sub forums here (probably a 100 or more). I am sure there are many people who have not found them all yet.

I have been here 15 years, and there are still places I find and go "wow, I had no idea this was here"....Big site, lots of info, and most people are helpful, just a few that are mean for no reason

I have a few I will be painting the next few weeks. I will do a how to, but my paint jobs are more for function then to look really nice.

There are some really good threads with nice looking pictures. But my opinion is to just do a shitty Krylon job. Unless you use something fancy like Cerakote or other "professional" paint it wears really fast. Or i guess if your guns just sit in the safe it wont wear. If you just want it to look nice and dont shoot it much they go all out on a complex paint job. I am not knocking that if that is your thing. Nice looking guns are cool.

I have only painted two guns but this was my experience. On one of them I took a lot of time perfectly painting each part during assembly. Clean, degrease, dry, prep, multiple coats and so on. I did just use regular spray paint. I didnt really care too much how well it holds up. It is a hunting rifle so it gets carried a lot. But it went from perfect to well-worn pretty quickly. If i wanted it perfect i would be pretty unhappy. Lucky i dont care.

Here is a picture when i first put it together. Red dot was just until i got it scoped.


one year later:


Now:

(Yes i know scope levers are sticking out. Scope is just mocked up for fit)

Personally, i like the worn paint look so i dont mind that it wears. Just spray some Kylon back on when it wears too much and you are GTG.