Help Painting an AR

[MarcSpaz]

Hey folks. I am going to paint my first AR this week. I have no idea what I am doing. I am guessing I'll want to use high temp paint, but I was wondering if there was a kit or brand that I should look for. Are there kits available at local stores?

Also, for those who have done this before, should I do a complete disassemble or spray it all put together? I was going to do a complete degrease, but I don't know if it will look better spray while assembled or not.

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[Snakester]

I've got a SKS I want to paint....I think I am going to take it apart and paint each piece. I am going to use 2 colors...OD Green and Tan . A buddy of mine painted an AR all one color and painted it assembled. I think it looked great. He did use a paint kit that he purchased on line. Good luck with which ever way you choose . I would like to see some pic's when complete !

[0ne5hot]

Prep work, Prep work, Prep work, and Prep work....is the key to a good paint job.

you can take it a part if you want. If not just close the dustcover. plug the barrel to keep paint out and spray away...

http://youtu.be/sSA1pgmJ5-k

[grumpyMSG]

The only area you need to worry about being high heat paint is the barrel and front sight/gas block. As for colors you can pick up Krylon or Rustoleum camouflage paints at Walmart, Lowe's or Home Depot, especially this time of year. They run about $5-6 can usually. If you don't want permanent paint, now is the time of year the sell camo kits with 3-5 small cans of removable paint, you can usually find it in most hunting/ outdoors stores and seasonally at others in the outdoors department. You are going to run through the wood with it assembled, so why bother disassembling it before painting? Just tape off critical parts such as the muzzle, sights and the inside of the magazine well and then stuff a rag or newspaper in it, then close the dust cover. If the handguard/rail is easily removable, take it off and tape over the gas tube, if not it , it wont get completely covered and the little bit of overspray will burn off quickly during the first prolonged shooting session. Then let fly Picasso.

[MarcSpaz]

Cool. Appreciate it. I didn't realize there were readily available kits at so many places.

I'll post up some pics when its done for sure.

[M1A4ME]

I first used a Krylon kit that had 4 flat colors in it and a plastic sheet with cut outs of leaves, twigs, etc.

It has OD green, a dark brown, a sand color and black.

I spray the outside (of an AR) off with brake cleaner a couple times. Then wipe it with a lint free cloth and rubbing alcohol a couple times. Let it dry and paint.

I've used the stencil sheet in the krylon kit.

I've used painter's tape (torn into ragged strips).

I've used a combination of nylon rope and wires of different diameters.

The previous 3 sentences describe what I used, with the paints, to get random break up patterns in the colors.

Pick your base coat/color. One or two light coats. Apply the material you'll use to get the pattern you want. Apply the next color. One or two light coats. The more colors, the more you need to think about what you use for the pattern and how to get it on/off the rifle. You can try it on some cardboard first to try different techniques/materials to see what you like the best.

painter's tape


rope/wire


krylon kit stencil

[10mmSnob]

I saw a pretty good one (and cheap, too) recently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDFHVTkZ1jE

I'm leaning towards doing one for my AR, but I need to figure out how to do it on the porch of my apartment without scaring the crap out of the neighbors across the street.

[MarcSpaz]

Hang a tarp like a temp wall to block the view.

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