Wanting to get a stock painted any ideas on where to go with it to get it done

[HowardC]

Here's one I did few years ago. Eastern Colorado vegetation colors estimated in Rustoleum cans. Works pretty well, as I lost it a couple times and took 20 min walking around to find it.
Carefully tape off the areas you don't want paint, like scope adjustments, bolt, muzzle, etc. And, like Robert said above, ensure the stock and metal are clean before spraying. I wiped everything down with acetone. Probably could use alcohol as well, Acetone didn't seem to hurt the synthetic stock; course, I didn't leave it on for long, just long enough to clean any grease/oil, and it evaporates pretty quick. It has worn some, but not excessively and that just adds to the natural appearance. One suggestion: Don't paint the bipod lower legs. Hope the attachment works.
-West out

 

[Robert]

My FAL and AR, ignore the 375 H&H, are both rattle can painted. The finish on the FAL is over 10 years old and the only major wear is where the brass bounces off the receiver upon ejection. The AR has no major issues with the paint. Both rifles see use in competition and are used harder than the average gun that goes from bag to bench.

 

[Sav .250]

If you haven`t, check YouTube. Should find an audio/visual on the subject.

 

[shuvelrider]

Rattle can and a stencil kit for $50, going for the Rhodesian look

 

[TSchwab25]

My local gunshop, Sugarbush Armory, knows a guy that can do it if in the wny area, he did this for me a few years back. I bought a rifle and my dad paid to get it painted for my birthday present.

 

[Bud0505]

A quick google search turned up www.gunskins.com. I don’t anything about them but wrapping the gunstock presents another option.

 

[Mot45acp]

Rattle can special. Base coat, pattern with sea sponge. <$20

 

[NuclearMeltdown]

If doing it yourself, use light green/tan, dark green, and reddish brown with blob-shaped patterns made from blue painter's tape.

Here's a low-resolution picture of the exact same project as yours that I did last year -- a synthetic Savage stock. My only mistake was that my light green was a little too bright.

 

[Tirod]

$250 wouldn’t pay for any “work of art” either.

But $250 does pay for an attractive and exceptionally durable firearm finish which doesn’t need redone after even moderate use. Not everybody is super excited about having all of their firearms wearing the wannabe “battle worn” finish made so popular after the Christ Kyle movie...

Considering the Army has specific instructions for field painting of the M16 and M4, it's not so wannabe. It's what soldiers do overseas. The OP is right, a black stock isn't all that, and in an environment where there aren't a lot of dark colors, black sticks out like a subtle "Shoot Me" sign. So, Krylon it is. And clear matte over the top helps it's longevity. Since camo isn't a fashion show but a life skill, as the paint wears the black anodizing underneath becomes exposed on the high points, which is exactly what you want in the field. High points are dark, low spots light. Getting scuffed down and battle worn is actually better than fresh paint and more effective.

Aside from paint, the SF in Vietnam used fabric glued to the stock. M16s in Tiger Stripe, forest, and others were done that way, and there's very little to go wrong. That's where the zip on covers for traditional hunting rifles got the idea - it protected them, kept the cold metal parts from hand contact, and helped blend in the hunter in his environment.

Camo for fashion has a big appeal in internet gun forums, camo that works in the field is something entirely different. Hence, the Army just rattle canning it. Nobody is going to spend $250 of our taxpayer dollars finishing millions of service rifles. And dipping the gun in solvent to clean it is no big deal - if you don't like it, change it. Cerakote is actually too durable to remove, and some processes require the firearm to be bead blasted, which removes the original finish entirely. Once down that road there's no going back.

The vendors tell you all that but then again they don't.

 

[Varminterror]

Considering the Army has specific instructions for field painting of the M16 and M4, it's not so wannabe. It's what soldiers do overseas.

The irony is dripping off of this one...

 

[Pat Riot]

I have rattle can painted two guns.
The nicest thing about doing that?
It can be removed fairly easily with Acetone so the gun won’t look so bad when dropping it off at the Cerakoter.

 

[12Bravo20]

Considering the Army has specific instructions for field painting of the M16 and M4, it's not so wannabe. It's what soldiers do overseas.

And you also have to remember that the Army tries its best to "GI proof" everything and make it as simple and easy to do without getting messed up by the average Joe. And they also look for the cheapest solutions which aren't always the best.

 

[horsemen61]

Man I need to get around to this!

 

[trackskippy]

Ive been painting guns since the 60's. Its really super easy, and with the right paints, can usually be totally removed if you later choose.

For the past couple of decades, Ive been doing Multicam jobs, as its one of the more simple patterns and it works well.



Its sounds like there are a couple of schools of thought going on here. Some who view this as utilitarian, and those who are looking at things more like they are something like a nice blue and wood gun that they dont want to get scuffed up, but they still want it to look cool.

Hey, you can have it either way if you want. Personally, Im looking for the function part of it and Im not overly concerned about the paint wearing and getting beat up. Its easily fixed up if I really feel the need. And actually, the paint jobs seem to get better once they start wearing in, and look even more natural.

Paint does a great job of protecting the finish underneath for guns that actually get used and exposed to the elements. Ive removed the paint jobs from a couple of guns that had been painted over 25 years, and, other than a couple of spots where the paint had worn off over the years, the finish underneath was still basically pristine.

Mostly Ive used Testors military Flats for most things, as they have pretty much any colors you might need. Ive done a couple of guns in Brownells Aluma Hyde II as well, and that is a more permanent paint that works well as a base for other jobs. Its not coming off short of a bead blast though, and that's a downside of those sorts of paints. They get ugly when they get beat up from use and are not as easily fixed up, if you're the picky type and likes perfection.

As I said, painting them yourself is really pretty easy, but if youre overly picky and want perfection, then you may want to let someone else do something else.

 

[d2wing]

I am getting inspired.

 

[plainsdrifter]

Couple cans of Brownells and some leaves.
Just have fun and create.
Switched out stocks on a new and very old 10/22

 

[Nature Boy]

If you want a nice professional cerakote paint job you might consider this guy

https://www.customguncoatings.com/

He did a great job my F Class stock

 

[Bwana John]

There is an argument that spray painting out in the back yard was good enough for Australians and Rhodesians . . .

It appears the Rhodesians used a dirty sock, not a spray can.

The later Zimbabwe paint job that covered up the Rhodesian "baby poo" was applied with a spray can.... and with much more appropriate colors!

 

[LoonWulf]

You want it done right? pay for Cerakoting, you want it done right NOW? and probably a few times later.....Krylon, with a top coat of clear truckbed liner for some added grip.

Id do it myself personally, but I go for simpler patterns.