Spray Painting an AR15

So I have watched every single YouTube video out there that discusses painting an AR15 rifle.  From rattle cans (spray paint) to Duracoat to Ceracoat to distressing the rifle...

I settled on spray paint because it is cheap, easy, and can be undone if you don't like it.  Next problem was, which gun to paint?

Seems that buddy Zach had an AR that went through a flood in his basement.  He cleaned the trigger mechanism and the barrel immediately following said flood.  The buffer tube, buffer spring, the locking nuts, and the muzzle break all took on rust.  Zach wanted a "winter" camo pattern to take out and hunt coyotes.  He gladly donated the gun as a test subject for me to get the experience.

My plan was as follows:
  • Clean the gun thoroughly, removing as much rust as possible (3 hours)
  • Degrease gun (10 mins) - I used spray brake cleaner
  • Tape off components that I do not want painted (1 hour)
  • Paint gun all white (10 mins with 30 mins between coats)
  • Paint gun with black stripes (5 mins)
  • Add camo patterns of grass and twigs in both black and white (15 mins)
  • Add camo pattern of "mesh" using brown & tan and a laundry bag (10 mins)
  • Let gun dry and return to Zach
Things I learned:
  • Keep the twigs, grass, and laundry bag as close to the gun as possible
  • If you mess up, just paint over it
  • I was pretty anal about the tape.  This could have been done quicker.  But I also put Zach's initials in the camo pattern under the adjustable butt stock.

I added the rings and the scope, which Zach didn't have on the gun.  Once sighted in, he should be ready to go.


The rusted gun before I did anything.  Laser attached below bottom rail.
You can see the rust all over the locking nuts, and the flash suppressor.
The buffer tube spring was in bad shape.


The cleaned & degreased gun, ready to paint.  Rings and scope added.  Not taped up yet.

The gun painted all white.

Black stripes added in a crossing pattern.  Gun was hung from rafters in garage to paint.
This photo was taken vertically.  I have changed to horizontal.

Grass & stick camo patterns applied to gun.

A close-up of the camo pattern.  The sticks came out well in both black and white.

The completed firearm with brown & tan mess patterns now applied.

Want to know what I taped?  The scope glass, the trigger, the on/off switch & adjustments for the laser, the scope power adjustment (so you can tell what power you are on), and I put paper towel inside the flash suppressor to keep the barrel clean.  

The idea was to break up the "black rifle" so it did not look like a black rifle.  I think we accomplished the mission.

Next is to take my Ruger 1022 and camo it in a summer / fall pattern with greens and tans so that I can take it to the squirrel woods.

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