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Posted: 4/28/2024 10:24:54 PM EDT
I have a couple questions before I try my first rattle can job. Specifically:
Can you paint a stainless barrel? Is it recommended to remove all internal parts from the receiver? All? Some? None? Seems like some do, some don’t. |
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Posted: 4/28/2024 10:29:28 PM EDT
[Last Edit: TGE]
[#1]
You can paint the stainless barrel.
Removing small parts is mostly a looks preference thing IMO. Sometimes I strip it all down (usually solid color paint jobs), sometimes I don't (camo jobs). The only thing I always pull out is the trigger. eta the better you clean, the longer the paint will last. Again just preference, but occasionally I do a 'nice' rattle job so I degrease with brake cleaner, wipe down with alcohol, etc. Other times I run a shop rag over everything and start rattlin' 
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Posted: 4/28/2024 11:46:27 PM EDT
[#2]
Montana cans makes fantastic spray bombs.
Good colors and can get multiple spray tips. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:20:41 AM EDT
[#3]
No idea about the stainless, but I left the whole thing together and just taped off the controls.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:30:35 AM EDT
[#4]
I would get on YouTube and do some research there if I was going to ruin one of my rifles.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 11:30:39 AM EDT
[#5]
Never in a million years would I even consider doing such a thing!
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Posted: 4/29/2024 11:41:47 AM EDT
[#6]
I tape the glass, iron sights, and buttons. Spray the rest. All assembled.
Colt/Mega Arms build.  |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 11:46:01 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By RottenPumpkin: I tape the glass, iron sights, and buttons. Spray the rest. All assembled. Colt/Mega Arms build. https://i.postimg.cc/vTp9Wx8y/20240425-162521.jpg Nice paint job. Thing must send brass into orbit with carbine gas on a 16” with a can, though. |
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SD, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 11:50:13 AM EDT
[#8]
Tape off anything rubber that may melt die to the solvents in the carrier. Tape off any optics or light lenses. Tape off any adjustment scales, (power ring, turret, etc.) on the optic.
Go nuts. If you don't like it, go nutser and start again. |
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SC, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:05:14 PM EDT
[#9]
Official guidance issued from Army channels available here:
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/how-to-paint-your-m4-like-the-u-s-army/ |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:29:15 PM EDT
[#10]
I degreased with brake cleaner and did a super thin/light coat of primer and then the Krylon. I didn't disassemble anything. No stainless.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:41:36 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WUPHF]
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By MJ11B4P: Official guidance issued from Army channels available here: https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/how-to-paint-your-m4-like-the-u-s-army/ lol No one follows that. Tape off the bare minimum of stuff you don’t want paint on. Glass, iron sight aperture/post, critical markings on optics, suppressor mounts, etc. Plug the bore in some form or fashion. You can plug the magazine well if you want or just be a little careful to not spray anything directly up into it. After that, start spraying. It really isn’t rocket science. Hell, I only bothered to degrease once with regular rattle can. Shit wears off so quickly it’s not even really worth it, IMO. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:20:08 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By bluedog82: Nice paint job. Thing must send brass into orbit with carbine gas on a 16” with a can, though. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By bluedog82: Originally Posted By RottenPumpkin: I tape the glass, iron sights, and buttons. Spray the rest. All assembled. Colt/Mega Arms build. https://i.postimg.cc/vTp9Wx8y/20240425-162521.jpg Nice paint job. Thing must send brass into orbit with carbine gas on a 16” with a can, though. Thanks. H3 buffer helps, but yeah.
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Posted: 5/1/2024 9:24:23 PM EDT
[#13]
For the rifle itself I just do painters tape around the trigger. Few times I've removed the selector switch as I wanted to keep it black to contrast from the paint. If you do that I found it's good to put a strip of painters tape through the hole to keep paint from the inside as paint will create friction against the selector rotating after you put it back in.
Like others posted, it's all personal preference what you want to mask off and how much cleaning/prep you want to do. |
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Posted: 5/1/2024 9:37:07 PM EDT
[#14]
Clean it good to remove the oil residue. Alcohol can do it if you get the 90 plus or HEET in the red bottle. Tape off your trigger and close the dust cover. Close your optic covers and have fun. Don't over do it, in fact a light coat most often looks and wears better than thick heavy coats. As it wears it will get a sort of patina. Embrace that wear, it makes it look more legit.
This is one I did and intended to be subtle vs an insane paint. I just wanted a bit to break up the black of the rifle. I have shot deer with it so it works for that purpose.  Attached File |
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Posted: 5/1/2024 9:44:19 PM EDT
[#15]
Just close your dust cover, tape over your optic and spray the thing.
Cover your trigger too if you want |
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Posted: 5/2/2024 11:10:36 AM EDT
[#16]
Originally Posted By WUPHF: lol No one follows that. Tape off the bare minimum of stuff you don’t want paint on. Glass, iron sight aperture/post, critical markings on optics, suppressor mounts, etc. Plug the bore in some form or fashion. You can plug the magazine well if you want or just be a little careful to not spray anything directly up into it. After that, start spraying. It really isn’t rocket science. Hell, I only bothered to degrease once with regular rattle can. Shit wears off so quickly it’s not even really worth it, IMO. Originally Posted By NvrBrdWes: Just close your dust cover, tape over your optic and spray the thing. Cover your trigger too if you want These are the correct answers. Don’t make the process unnecessarily hard. |
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Posted: 5/4/2024 9:32:06 PM EDT
[#17]
I subscribe to the theory of treating it like a first date. Tape/cover anything you absolutely don't want yucky/painted.
Have a beverage of some sort or whatever method of "relaxing" you are partial to and get after it. When you think it needs "just a little more of x...", don't. Leave it alone and let it sit/cure for 24-48hrs and see how you feel about the previous statement then. |
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