Spoiler:
You can camouflage your firearm for less than $20! Do you want to know how? Keep reading!
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Camouflage Spray Paint Use On Weapons:
Both Krylon and Rust-oleum brand spray paint companies makes a series of flat spray paints intended for do-it-yourself camouflage painting.
Spray paint does not provide a very durable finish. It will easily chip or rub off of raised or frequently touched areas, as seen around the rifle’s pistol grip and magazine release button in the photo to the right. The paint will help camouflage the weapon, but it will not effectively protect the finish from rust and corrosion. Spray paint is not appropriate to cover bare gun metal, or firearms with a blued finish, as discussed next.
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Do Not Spray Paint Firearms With Blued Finishes:
Important: Do not spray paint blued guns. Guns with a blued finish will easily rust if they are handled and then put away without cleaning and properly protecting. The salt left behind from your hands will cause rust, as will exposure to damp or salty air. While blued guns are pretty, they are very susceptible to rust if not properly maintained, as seen as seen on the barrel and front sight of the Ruger 10/22 rifle in the photos to the right. If you are going to paint a firearm then you are first going to have to degrease it or else the paint won’t stick. Degreasing the finish will leave it vulnerable to rust. Painting over the degreased finish will protect the metal until the paint is scratched or worn through and the metal becomes exposed to oxygen. The exposed metal will then start to rust. The rust may continue to grow unseen under the paint. By the time that you notice that the paint is starting to bubble over the rust, the metal underneath may already be severely pitted. It is okay to paint over Parkerized or old Duracoat finishes as they are bonded to the metal, however you do not want to spray paint a blued gun.
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Spray Paint Techniques and Tricks:
Practice your technique before you attempt to paint the actual firearm. Camouflage an old BB gun or yard tool, or simply practice your technique on a large piece of cardboard.
Use brakes parts cleaner or some type of degreaser to thoroughly remove all of the oil from the finish of your firearm or the paint will not stick. Be careful that whatever product that you use does not come in contact with any rubber seals on optics or illumination devices as it may compromise the waterproof integrity of the seal.
Use masking tape (painter’s tape) to block paint from entering the internals of the firearm as it may impede movement of the action, as this may adversely affect the firearm’s reliability. Keep paint off of any undesired areas (scope turret indicators, optic lenses, etc.).
With spray paint, less is more. Use lots of light applications so that paint does build up and run.
Use tan as your base color. Use pine straw, leaves, netting, etc. to create patterns.
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Check Out The Following Videos For Techniques and Tricks: