# Best gun paint



## spilltheblood

what is the best paint for guns if you remove the blueing and are just going to paint it?


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## 7MAGMIKE

I'm thinking about the same thing but I do not thing you should remove the blueing.  Degrease it and paint it.  I know some people think this is a bubba process but a rifle is a tool.  You can spend a couple of hundred on Duracoat (an excellent process) but what do you do when it needs touch-up, re-coat it.  WalMart sells Krylon gun camo paint $4.50 a can.  I've heard our sniper forces simply krylon them.


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## spilltheblood

the reason I asked was because I recieved a gun that someone tried to remove the blueing and messed up the blueing


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## 7MAGMIKE

I would just degrease it and paint it.


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## bighonkinjeep

Don't do it. just re blue it with a Hoppes gun blue kit.easy to use and you won't you wont be sorry.I've spent hours on several occasions de bubbaizing painted rifles. Synthetic stocks OK, metal never.
BHJ


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## BookHound

Gun are tools.  Nothing more.  Degrease it and paint it.












Paint the high-end optics too.  They are also tools.











Here are a few of my "bubba" tools:





Mark


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## BookHound

Forgot to add...


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## germag

BookHound said:


> Gun are tools.  Nothing more.  Degrease it and paint it.
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> Paint the high-end optics too.  They are also tools.
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> Here are a few of my "bubba" tools:
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> Mark



SWEET!!!


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## fi8shmasty

Book hound I like your style. Have you tried the textured krylon paint yet? It is the stuff!!!!


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## germag

There you go, spilltheblood...it's a tool. Degrease it and paint it to please _you_....it's your gun.


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## BookHound

Nope.  I've only used what I posted in the last pic.

Also, you can remove the Krylon with some more break cleaner and scrubbing.  However, you can also coat it with Krylon flat (no gloss) clear coat to make even more durable.  I beat on my guns pretty hard though and the normal Krylon stays great.  The key is to degrease well with break cleaner before painting!!!

Mark


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## Coon Dog

*wow*

nice job i like them guns looks like your ready i will just be running around with my 22


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## VHinch

7MAGMIKE said:


> You can spend a couple of hundred on Duracoat (an excellent process) but what do you do when it needs touch-up, re-coat it.



You can if you send it off and have it done.  Or you can do it yourself for about $20/weapon.  

Here are several I've done-

A 1911 build





Smith 36-





A quick job on a Smith Model 10-


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## Hammack

I used some teflon paint from Brownells a few years ago.  It was a bake on finish, and I was very pleased with it.


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## jglenn

if you want your krylon finish to last  longer then try the Clear duracoat  on top . It's a semi gloss and can be toned down even more with 0000 steel wool


we've done that with some success and in total it's cheaper that way than buying 4-5 different dura-coat finishes

dura coat is very easy to apply yourself with a cheap HF air brush..


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## dawg2

BookHound said:


> Gun are tools.  Nothing more.  Degrease it and paint it.
> 
> Mark



I just........ can't........ do...... it........... (to mine )


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## BookHound

dawg2 said:


> I just........ can't........ do...... it........... (to mine )



Bring it up here.  I'll paint it for you.  


Tell ya what, paint one of yours and I'll paint one of mine neon green, orange and pink.


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## DYI hunting

+1 for krylon.  Carb cleaner stripps it off in no time so you can change up the pattern/colors.  Search for "painting gun" and you will see several threads of what others have done.

I have painted several bolt guns and an AR-15.  It is hard the first time, especailly on high dollar firearms.  I am still trying to build the courage to paint the FN PBR and optics.  It took me a week to get the nerve to paint the AR.


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## buck down

This is weird!!! I just got finished painting my grips on my ugly black Glock 20 w/ Krylon!!! I will post a pic in a second!


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## bighonkinjeep

1) paint is not a very durable finish.
2) paint smells like paint.
3) most paint doesn't like heat.
4) most moving parts on firearms don't like paint.
5) paint will in all likelihood devalue your firearm.
6) bluing is easy and rewarding (may also devalue your firearm but not like paint)

I wish I had before and after pics of a couple I bought really cheap that were painted. Don't get me wrong paint can be used properly on synthetic stocks etc. But there are much better finishes available for metal. 
It's yours do what you will but fixing a boogered up blue job is very easy.
My.02 BHJ


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## DYI hunting

2) paint smells like paint.  
All my deer rifles including my AR-15 were painted with krylon.  Never had the first deer spooked.  The smell goes away pretty quick after painting.
3) most paint doesn't like heat.  
I have ran hundreds of rounds out of an AR to the point the barrel was way to hot to touch and the only adverse effect on the paint was it turning to a different shade.  
4) most moving parts on firearms don't like paint.  
Simple, put a little blue painters tape over the bolt and any other parts that move also stop up the end of the barrel so you don't get paint down the tube.
5) paint will in all likelihood devalue your firearm.  
Krylon is easily removed without a trace left with brake cleaner, carb cleaner, or goof off
6) bluing is easy and rewarding (may also devalue your firearm but not like paint)  
Painting is rewarding too.  It gives you the ability to be creative.  If you mess up, you can easily strip it down and start again.  Plus a coat of paint keeps your rifle from rusting and helps protect the finish from getting scratched.


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## contender*

I've been using KG Gunkote for a couple years. Makes for a good looking finish but it's kinda complicated as you have to blast the metal and then bake the finish. Tough as nails though...

https://www.kgcoatings.com/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=26


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## fivesolas

DYI hunting said:


> 2) paint smells like paint.
> All my deer rifles including my AR-15 were painted with krylon.  Never had the first deer spooked.  The smell goes away pretty quick after painting.
> 3) most paint doesn't like heat.
> I have ran hundreds of rounds out of an AR to the point the barrel was way to hot to touch and the only adverse effect on the paint was it turning to a different shade.
> 4) most moving parts on firearms don't like paint.
> Simple, put a little blue painters tape over the bolt and any other parts that move also stop up the end of the barrel so you don't get paint down the tube.
> 5) paint will in all likelihood devalue your firearm.
> Krylon is easily removed without a trace left with brake cleaner, carb cleaner, or goof off
> 6) bluing is easy and rewarding (may also devalue your firearm but not like paint)
> Painting is rewarding too.  It gives you the ability to be creative.  If you mess up, you can easily strip it down and start again.  Plus a coat of paint keeps your rifle from rusting and helps protect the finish from getting scratched.



I want to do my Rem 715 bolt like the one on the bottom pic there. I pm'd for some advice.


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## BookHound

bighonkinjeep said:


> 1) paint is not a very durable finish.
> *Define durable.  I beat the heck out of my painted weapons.  Will the Krylon I use show some wear?  YES!  Then again so does the Ed Brown 1911 I carry every day.  It is a tool.  A little wear won't hurt anything and the paint is easily touched up for the people more worried about appearance.  The paint (yes, even Krylon) does help protect the base firearm.*
> 2) paint smells like paint.
> *  Um, I'm guessing you've never painted a firearm with Krylon, Duracoat, etc.??*
> 3) most paint doesn't like heat.
> *That is actually why I don't paint the suppressors on my machine guns.  I'd be re-painting them twice a month.   But the guns themselves do just great!  Barrels can also burn off paint under hard use.  Even so, the paint has not burned off my bolt-action that I actually put a LOT of rounds through or the three painted machine guns I frequently use.  I've gotten those guns so hot you couldn't touch the forend and the paint is still there.  So, yeah heat might hurt some paint but it does take a lot.  If so - touch it up!   *
> 4) most moving parts on firearms don't like paint.
> *???  Like what?  I don't paint the bolts of my ARs.  I did paint the exposed part of the closed bolt on my Rem 700 and it causes NO problems.  What other moving parts are a worry?*
> 5) paint will in all likelihood devalue your firearm.
> *That is pure opinion.  It depends on the quality of the paint job to me.*
> 6) bluing is easy and rewarding (may also devalue your firearm but not like paint)
> *Again, your opinion.  It depends on the quality of the bluing job.  I've seen a LOT of botched home jobs.  I'd take a quality paint job over some low quality bluing.*
> 
> I wish I had before and after pics of a couple I bought really cheap that were painted. Don't get me wrong paint can be used properly on synthetic stocks etc. But there are much better finishes available for metal.
> It's yours do what you will but fixing a boogered up blue job is very easy.
> My.02 BHJ



Most of this boils down to opinion.  Some guys don't like painted guns.  Nothing wrong with that opinion.


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## will hunt 4 food

VHinch said:


> You can if you send it off and have it done.  Or you can do it yourself for about $20/weapon.


How about a "how to" thread so those of us that are interested kind of know whats involved.


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## knifemaker

I won't buy a painted gun, I always wonder what someone tried to cover up.


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## bighonkinjeep

How to:

Go to BPS, Buy a camo gun sock from hunters specialties, Cut holes in the right places with scissors. Dissapear in the woods.
 Also buy Hoppes gun blue kit, refinish rifle properly cause BHJ said so 





Camo painted synthetic stocks are OK


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## VHinch

will hunt 4 food said:


> How about a "how to" thread so those of us that are interested kind of know whats involved.



Ask and you shall receive-

Disassemble - On a semi-auto I usually detail strip, on a revolver I just remove the cylinder and crane, but remember to replace the sideplate screw.

On a revolver, plug both ends of the barrel and both ends of all cylinders - the cheap yellow disposable earplugs work great for this.

Tape off any parts you don't want sprayed - On a semi-auto I don't do the internals, slide rails, etc. On a revolver I usually don't do the hammer and trigger.

Thoroughly degrease and let dry.

Sand blast with 80 grit aluminum oxide. You can substitute scuffing the surface with a scotch brite pad, but it doesn't do as good of a job.

Duracoat. Follow all the directions and take your time. I find that applying a very light coat, allowing the solvents to flash off, then another light coat gives the best results.

Allow to cure 24 hours at minimum before reassembling. I usually wait 2 or 3 days. Wait another 2 weeks before any serious use.

Clean thoroughly to get all the crap out from the sand blasting. It gets everywhere.


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## Adirondacker

Use the same process with my boat I've used on my guns for years. 
     1. Clean weapon well
     2. Lightly steel wool areas to be painted
     3. wipe everything down several times with clear 
          rubbing alcohol
     4. let dry thoroughly
     5. Paint with flat Krylon or similar spray paint using 
         stencils, usually the more layers the better it looks

but then Walters killed two monster deer this year with shinny stainless scope and barrel on his pea shooter

What do I know?


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## BuckHunter 34

awesome!!


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## Adirondacker

Been thinking about ditching the spray cans and stencils though and getting a decent hobby spray system. But figure it might be a bit pricey to start and have not research the type of paint I should use and the cost effectiveness. Any suggestions?


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## Adirondacker

Will have to try the flat clear coat as I have noticed that flat spray paint, while its color wears great the surface gets buffed with heavy use and can get shinny.


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