How to Paint Gun Actions

Some enthusiasts say there are no rules for painting a gun and that it's all an improvisation on the part of the gun owner. While there are many techniques, there are some hard and fast rules. Those rules apply whether you're painting the stock, the barrel or the action of the gun. When painting the action, though, you should use the maximum time recommended for the paint to cure so that you don't gum up any moving parts with paint that isn't fully dry.

Things You'll Need

  • Gun cleaning fluid
  • Shop rag
  • Soapy water
  • Screwdriver set
  • Aerosol paint gun
  • Paint
  • Painter's masking tape
  • Fine-grit sandpaper
  • Safety glasses
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make sure that the gun isn't loaded before you begin, then disassemble it, laying the parts out carefully on your work table in a well-ventilated area.

    • 2

      Clean all metal parts of the gun with cleaning fluid, including those you don't intend to paint. Set the parts you aren't painting aside, out of the way of your work area.

    • 3

      Clean the parts you will paint with soapy water, then rinse and allow to dry. The soapy water will remove the oils and residues of the cleaning fluid so the paint will adhere better to the gunmetal.

    • 4

      Use the masking tape to cover any parts of the disassembled action that you don't want to paint. Make sure to mask off openings in moving parts of the action so that they don't get clogged with paint. You can paint moving parts that have the surface fully exposed, but don't try to spray paint into holes or onto interior surfaces of the action.

    • 5

      Lightly and evenly sand the surfaces you intend to paint with the fine-grit sandpaper.

    • 6

      Spray a thin layer of paint on all exposed surfaces in accordance with the paint manufacturer's instructions. Because you're working with the action, allow double the recommended drying time. You can use multiple thin coats as long as you allow sufficient drying time between coats.

    • 7

      Remove the masking tape and reassemble the gun after the paint is fully dried. Oil the action and check to make sure all moving parts work smoothly. If anything doesn't move smoothly, disassemble the action and sand down the paint in the area of resistance, then oil and reassemble.