Painting a rifle?

catman529

catman529

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2010
Messages
29,472
Reaction score
2,552
Location
Franklin TN
I have left over rustoleum from doing my boat and thought of maybe doing the shotgun. It's all black with synthetic stock. Other than dismantle the gun, what do I need to do to prepare the surface? Solvent to remove the oils? Does paint stick well to synthetic stock?
 
There will be some prep work..... Use some type of degreaser to clean off any fingerprints/oil/lube residue that may keep the paint from sticking.... You can rough up the stock with some light sanding if you like, but I just degreased mine and painted as usual.

You should get some rubber gloves to wear during the process to keep oils from your hands from getting back on the metal parts after you degrease them.

You can use primer is you feel the need.... I have heard wiping the metal down with distilled vinegar will also help the paint stick better.... kind of etches the metal, but I've only done that on a boat.

Mask off any mating parts or parts that slide into another (like the barrel into the action or the rails on the action slide)..... and the mag tube.... otherwise over time the paint may scuff off and create an issue with things working properly on the inside.

I finish mine off with a few coats of the matte clear coat to help the paint last longer.... It is paint and if handled rough, will chip off regardless.... But touchup is as easy as spraying a spot on a paperplate and then dabbing the paint to the chipped area with a q-tip or small paintbrush.
 
I layed down the basecoat and then used the sponge method on this followed by a few coats of matte clearcoat after everything was re-assembled:

IMG_20120709_201936.jpg


IMG_20120708_214640.jpg


IMG_20120710_211723.jpg


IMG_20120712_204827.jpg


IMG_20120722_111214.jpg




This is not my shotgun, but it was also painted using the sponge method:

Sponge.jpg
 
bjohnson said:
Pretty much what griz said,the only thing I do different it take a scotch brite pad to all metal surfaces.
Click to expand...

If you do this, be sure to remove all the "dust" prior to painting...
 
Im not sure if denatured alcohol will react with a synthetic stock and damage it but i use it to degrease all my rifle barrels when I refinish them it makes a world of difference when bluing but insure about your situation....om interested because i have a synthetic pardner pump id like to either have dipped or paint myself
 
its really not all that hard and the paint holds well. I did it to one of my old rifles using the sponge method and liked it pretty well. I also later removed it all and redid it in a more grey pattern just to change it up

 
TN Whitetail Freak said:
Im not sure if denatured alcohol will react with a synthetic stock and damage it but i use it to degrease all my rifle barrels when I refinish them it makes a world of difference when bluing but insure about your situation....om interested because i have a synthetic pardner pump id like to either have dipped or paint myself
Click to expand...

No problem with alcohol on synthetic stock. Did my Stoger OU a couple of years ago, paint still hanging in there. It will scrach a bit bustin' through the briers. But so be it, it's camo! I'm going to try the sponge method, I like it.
 
This picture doesnt do justice to the paint job.. my daughter wanted her trap gun painted, so I took it to a guy in town that paints hotrods.. not sure the exact color but its a hard automotive paint with the sparkles in it.. he spent quite a bit of time preparing the wood and primering it.. its lasted about 3-4 years now with out any flaking or peeling.. btw.. her gun had the prettiest wood on it I have ever seen... LOL

 

Latest posts

Back
Top