Painting a shotgun

Scott O.

Scott O.

Well-known member
I am planning to paint a beater Mossberg 835. I understand the acetone cleanup necessary to eliminate the dirt, grease etc. I plan on using FME (hey Lou) simply because of its durability...if its that good on boats, it should be just as good on a gun, right?

I am looking for ideas on a shadowgrass-type camo pattern...what do you think is the best way to do that?

It doesn't have to be dead on...but I want it to look neat and professional.
 
To make it look professional, after the paint dries, take a Sharpie and print "Realtree" all over it.
 
You can buy shado grass stencils. Probably too spendy for a gun paint though. Maybe you could use clear plastic too make some by tracing a camo patern.
 
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, YOU want to paint it and make it look NEAT & PROFESSIONAL. Wouldn't that be an oxymoron? ...........inquiring minds want to know. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaa, time for a Sapphire. LOL
Let me know what color/colors you want?
Lou
 
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, YOU want to paint it and make it look NEAT & PROFESSIONAL. Wouldn't that be an oxymoron? ...........inquiring minds want to know.
Lou
Click to expand...

I have to admit that thought crossed my mind. Too round and too many curves for me to attempt. What about a solid open water gray or marsh brown? That could look really nice.
 
Don't sweat the small stuff. The same issues that make it seem difficult are the same things that make it hard to notice those less than perfect areas when finished. Have fun! You can always repaint it.

Gene
 
Let me restate the "neat and professional" thing


I don't want it too look like some of my first decoys


That should be clear enough. I might just paint it flat black and call it good...or maybe I could paint it like a long skinny hen mallard...
 
Hey Scott,

Take a look at this link, it might give you some ideas.

http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/viewtopic.php?p=436898

Jim
 
(just read the smart alecky posts inferring something about my painting skills that I missed the first time around)

Hey Lou...those Parker paints are going to look good on this gun


;-0
 
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Hmmmmm, I won't even mention about getting old and slow.......bwaaaaa.
My, Parker Paints, I should have seen that coming. Touche. ;0
Lou


(just read the smart alecky posts inferring something about my painting skills that I missed the first time around)

Hey Lou...those Parker paints are going to look good on this gun


;-0
Click to expand...
 
Thats exactly what I was looking for but hadn't been able to find...I'll post pics once I get started
 
Dave Parks had a few pics of a couple he did a few years ago. Just a base and then some wiffs of different colors. Looked pretty good to me.Just don't forget to stuff and mask.
 
I painted the barrel on my Nova, great gun but the barrel rusted very easily in our brackish water.

I used flat black BBQ grill paint, worked fine.
 
Scott, Flat black with a silhouette of a duck boat on the stock and a decoy on the other side.

When you hunting partner ask who did the gun tell him you sent it in and it only cost you a couple hundred. hee hee
 
I know this is not a camo pattern but it does show how haveing a well prepared surface helps. I painted this one in 2000. I prepped with acetone and worked with acrylic then over sprayed with flat mat sealer (3 coats).

My son hunted with it for three years and then handed it down to his lil sis.

I think it has lasted this long mostly do to pre-paint prep of the surface. There are a bunch of different sealers that should do the job for you.

Good Luck, Ballard

Photo 75.jpg
 
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(Cool idea for your kids' own gun)

So Bill...did you use acrylics like Golden Matte like we would use on decoys?

I wondered if I could start with an undercoat of maybe 3-4 coats of FME in gray then use Goldens for the layers of "grass" camo. When I consider where my decoys have been (painted exactly the same way) and how they have stood up, it would seem to make sense. The only real difference would be painting over metal as opposed to foam or cork.
 
Scott,

You could build a proper prime coat for jsure with FME, keeping oil from affecting the initial coats is where care should be taken (oil from your hands).

The teal was painted with a combo of tube and Golden acryllic. I've hand painted camo before but if your going to utilize templates for patterns you may want to lean towards an acryllic enamel flat spray paint. With a little practice you can maintian decent control. I also like the effects I get when I work light color to dark. The final dark layer tends to acheive the contrast you want to break up the outline. If you start with the dark it tends to generate a more defined and recognizable area rather than breaking shapes up.

Just my 2 cents, Brian
 
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