How to Paint Your AR-15: [Skip the Camo Krylon!]

Sick of your AR-15 looking exactly like everyone else's?

Then it's time to paint that bad boy!

Painting your rifle isn't hard or scary, but you can mess up if you go in completely blind. We have painted our fair share of rifles, so we know how to avoid the beginner mistakes.

So join us as we cover the materials, prep steps, and techniques you need to paint your AR-15 and achieve good end results!

What You Need Before You Start

Must-Have Items

• Spray paint
• Painter's tape
• Chlorine-free brake cleaner
• Cleaning cloth or rag

Step-by-Step Instructions

While we recommend checking out the rest of the article, we've got you covered with a full video on how to paint your AR-15 if you want to skip all the reading!

Step 1: Select the Right Paint

Several brands offer great options for painting your rifle. In the video above, we used Model Master enamel paint, but their spray versions have since been discontinued.

We recommend Rust-Oleum Specialty Camouflage, Krylon Camouflage, and Brownells' Aluma-Hyde. We have used all three of these paints on various rifles with great results.

If you are looking to paint a camo pattern, you will likely want to buy several colors.

Rust-Oleum and Krylon both have similar wear patterns, meaning they will show wear after a handful of trips to the range.

Krylon Camouflage Spray Paint

$7

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$7 at Amazon

Wear and tear is expected on spray-painted guns, and it is even favored by some because it produces a battle-worn look. If you want something that will stay pristine, you may want to consider having your gun professionally cerakoted.

Step 2: Prep the Surface

If your gun is greasy, oily, or dirty, the spray paint won't adhere properly. A clean surface is critical to a good paint job.

Start off by giving the outside of your rifle a good cleaning. First, wipe it down to get any major dirt and grime off.

Then follow up with a good spray-down with brake cleaner to strip any grease or oil that might still be on the rifle.

We recommend going with chlorine-free brake cleaner to avoid damaging polymer furniture.

Wipe away any excess brake cleaner with a microfiber cloth, a rag, or an old T-shirt that won't leave fibers behind.

Step 3: Tape Sensitive Areas Off

You want to avoid getting paint into areas where tolerances are tight or where it should not be applied.

Use masking tape or painter's tape to block off the ejection port, magazine well, and muzzle.

Getting paint in any of these areas isn't the end of the world, but it can cause malfunctions until the paint wears off or is cleaned off.

Step 4: Apply the Base Layer

If you are using multiple colors for a pattern, start with the darkest color you'll be working with

This will help set the tone of the rifle and provide a great background for the other colors to do their thing. For us, that meant dark tan.

Apply the color using sweeping strokes. Be careful not to hold in any place or to apply too much paint too quickly, or you'll leave globs or drip streaks.

If you don't get the desired amount of paint applied in the first pass, let it dry slightly before making another pass. This can be done until you're satisfied and will prevent the paint from pooling or dripping.

Step 5: Add More Colors

Once you have a good base coat ready, it's time to change things up.

We like going with strips using our lightest color to give the rifle sharp contrasts.

For camouflaging, you typically want to avoid contrasts. But giving it these sharp lines now makes it easier to slowly blend in as more coats and colors are used.

Use the same quick sweeping motion you used before when painting the strips. Too little is always better than too much.

More passes with more colors will help to deaden the contrast and make your rifle blend into your surroundings more cleanly, but there is more to do than just color after color!

Step 6 (Optional): Add Stencil and Foliage Patterns

Using local foliage (leaves, stems, etc) or patterned objects, such as stencils, will produce varied patterns on the rifle that will further break up the sharp contrasts and lines.

We used part of a mesh laundry bag to give the rifle an ersatz snakeskin look. It's cheaper than a proper stencil and just as good.

Here is the finished result!

If you are interested in more advanced camo patterns, check out our article that specifically covers painting AR-15s using stencils!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not letting the coats dry - Spraying over an existing wet coat of paint can cause unintended paint dispersion and mixing. You can typically avoid this by letting the coat dry for 1-3 minutes before applying another thin coat. You should wait 25-35 minutes between full coats.
• Painting too close - If you hold the can too close to the rifle, you won't get even coats. For best results, hold the can about 8-10 inches away from the rifle.
• Not prepping the surface - Sometimes you can get away without surface prep, but it greatly depends on the condition of your gun. Even if your gun looks clean, we strongly recommend not skipping this step.

FAQs

Q: How long does a finished gun take to dry?
 A: It can be temperature-dependent, but waiting a full 24 hours gives the paint enough time to dry and harden for the best results.

Q: Should I use clear coat?
 A: Clear coat isn't necessary, but it can protect the paint job underneath if you have concerns about wear. If you use clear coat, apply 1-3 coats using a matte clear coat to avoid reflectivity.

Q: Can I remove the paint later?
 A: Yes. Paint can be stripped off with a bristle brush and acetone, Citristrip (safer for plastic parts), Goof Off, or similar solvents. This can take a lot of time and elbow grease, so only paint the gun if you are sure you want to.

Final Thoughts

Repeat the steps above until you get the look you are going for.

And remember, not everything has to be camouflage or FDE. There are tons of cool colors and patterns out there to choose from. You're only limited by your imagination!

Have you painted an AR or something else lately? How did it come out? Let us know in the comments! And if you want more awesome ways to customize your AR-15, take a look at the Best AR-15 Upgrades!

Latest Updates

April 2024: Reworked entire article layout. Added Common Mistakes to Avoid and FAQs section. Removed discontinued products.