Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Painted rifle stocks, what is your preference of color and design?

I am going to invest in a composite stock that will come in the raw and need to be painted or coated. Looking for preferred options, for material used, color, and patterns. Being a wood stock guy, I want this to be conservative, no camo, no colors other than natural earth tones, basically look similar to a wood stock or similar.

Looking for examples and experiences in this area.

Well, wtf, don't they paint these fabulous plastic?? stocks such that the paint doesn't flake off. Eh?

Well, wtf, don't they paint these fabulous plastic?? stocks such that the paint doesn't flake off. Eh?

Contact JohnBoy. He's the only person I let paint my stocks.

i would probably do brown with black webbing or speckles

Here is a couple I painted. Of course they would be my preference.

Sorry about the camo.

As long as you're happy with it, that's all
that counts. The animals don't GAS
That's why I laugh at people that criticize
my cera-krylon-koated firearms that
were "processed" in the back yard

Faux bois is what you're talking about. I used to do a bunch of work like this, but I never did it with a gun stock. I used to take scrap wood or painted wood or even particle board and put a faux wood grain texture on it. It was easy to do, but the trick would be finding the right paint.

You start with a flat paint. I remember a light brown for walnut finish. I used a pumpkin orange for mahogany. Once that was dry, I used a glaze. Raw umbre was one of them-- I think for walnut. Here's where the trick comes in. First you paint it on, and then go back and run a stiff brush over it and make the grain. As you remove the glaze, the underlying flat coat comes through. Finish with polyurethane.

There are youtubes now that teach this. Remarkably, I learned from my father. Dad was by no means an artist, but Mom found some mauled-up wood furniture and he spent the winter one year down in the basement painting the stuff up for my bedroom. I still have all the pieces scattered throughout the house, and the finish on most of them is still quite good. When I went off on my own, I found the technique was great for junk furniture, and once my friends saw it, I did a bunch of it for them.

I've used Krylon Fusion on several shotguns and camo'd them up for turkey hunting. Krylon Fusion is the shizz. After painting a base coat (usually desert tan) I take sprigs of cedar and use them as a stencil and just spray splotches. I work in front of a box fan, sucking the air off the work surface. It causes the paint to dry quickly. I can spritz on a few splotches, change cedar sprigs and paint can, and spray on a few more. I keep doing this until I have layer-upon-layer of these and the pattern looks like you could fall into it.

Bubbba Paints His Turkey Gun

Not a Fan of Camo rifles and spider webs, the critters don't know what color gun you killed them with. Rio7

You can paint it like a custom car or a WW-II jeep. Mine are flat rattle can, they have nicks and scars from riding in a scabbard or strapped to the back of my hunting MC. If they get too scarred up I can hit them with another coat. The barrels have camo gaffer tape on them also.

There are some that can paint it to look like highly figured wood if that is what your looking for.

Here's a couple I've done. The Mini Mark X is a wood stock that was pretty beat.

Brown with black speckles by McM.

Are you wanting something other than a rattle can job?

I assume it's in the raw, not primed?

Any idea if it has even been sanded yet?

Are you opposed to a dip job? If not they make film in wood grain patterns. Then the dipper can shoot a coat of clear on the film giving you matte, gloss or a satin finish.

See my post for more.....

I am going to have it professionally done. Tell me more about this dip job process. Can you point me to a place that does this?

EdM, I am admiring the work done on this rifle. The barrel work is excellent. Can we see a pic of the complete rifle?

Tarjac is who I have used, excellent work.

Same as the camo jobs you see on a lot of shotguns.

YouTube hydrodipping.

Mornin, google hydro dipping or water transfer. Good luck picking a pattern, it's been 2yrs looking & I still haven't chose the pattern yet!!! Leaning toward diamond deck plate or riveted pieces of steel??? There in a lite grey colour which I think woul be a good winter match for my coyote gun. Good luck. GWPGUY 🐾👣🇨🇦

The applicator can change the color of the pattern by applying a different colored primer than normal for the pattern.

Thank you. This is amazing. They can even do this process on Hogue rubberized stocks.

Good thing. Hogue rubberized stocks don't like paint....
But then again I haven't had the chance to try one since I've started using adhesion promoter....

This is Plain Jane. Rustoleum Textured variegated rattle can paint. Gives good grip. IMHO patterns are for wanna bees.

The rifle in the second with the brown texture paint, is that right out of the can, no other process involved? That is quite attractive.

The rifle in the second with the brown texture paint, is that right out of the can, no other process involved? That is quite attractive.

I am a big fan of Krylon texture spray, the texture is just enough to give a good grip but not so rough that it is irritating to the cheek. Not a lot of prep work needed, I just wiped the stocks with degreaser and sprayed them, both have held up for years. The nice thing about the Krylon is that if you do manage to chip it or do something that requires a touch up all that is necessary is to just spray over it and it is as good as new.

Cooper 57M painted with Krylon texture - desert sand



Rem 700 also with Krylon texture - a medium dark green

Same rifle. For some reason the lighting in the first photo makes it look different. Yes that is right out of the can.
It's called Multicolor Textured and several colors are available.

Well the Rustoleum and Krylon look like viable solutions with touch ups super simple.

Nothing wrong with brown paint and red pachmayr:

Brown PoundR stocks, pre 64 magnum rifles. 8 pounds all up, as pictured.

Same color scheme on Ruger m77 mk2 300RSAUM:


Mcmillan:

That's a classic look, and very simple.

For the home hobbyist:
There’s not a thing wrong with Krylon, or Rustoleum.
Be aware though, Krylon is acrylic based and Rustoleum is oil based. I prefer oil.
My paint comes from the US, Germany and Spain.
There’s lots of good stuff out there.
Be sure and use an adhesion promoter on plastic. Any auto parts store.
To tell if it’ll work use the sandpaper test….
Patterns are for artists…..

I used the above to paint a Ruger American Ranch. Turned out pretty good I thought

Photos are fighting me but think I’ve got it now. I followed up with a couple of coats of satin clear

I've used this with excellent results:

Brownells Aluma-Hyde II Epoxy Based Firearms Finish (O.D. Green)

What color is that one? Thank you

I don't like patterns, webbing, or most splatter (except black). Give me solid colors - black, gray, OD, or brown (just not the McMillan Babychit Brown).

Granite stone by rustoleum. Got it off of Amazon. Kinda pricey and takes a little getting used to the way it sprays in chunks but I was very pleased with results. Sanded, blew off with compressed air, 2 coats of primer, 3-4 coats of stone paint and 2 clear coats. It’s a very hard finish and I believe it will hold up to scratches well.

Gonna paint a T3x stick soon!

I like green and brown. Mostly green. In fact, every time I paint a stock a different color I wish it was green, but for the sake of variety I mix it up. I like solid color with a small amount of texture underneath - usually primer, spiderweb/marble paint on that, and a solid color on top (with flat clearcoat to finish it off).

That looks great.