DIY Camo

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Usually if I'm putting a finish on something it is made of steel (AK, FAL, M1919 etc) So I just parkerize it. Up to now all my aluminum stuff has been anodized, just assemble and go. I ended up with a couple of raw 80% receivers that were ready to go together. A while ago before I got set up for parkerizing, I experimented with some bake on coatings gunkote. alumahyde, brownells baking lacquer. This time I wanted to try something that didn't require an oven. So I selected duracoat. It's a two part paint that does not require baking.
I already have several ARs in basic black so I opted for something different. Urban digital camo.
 

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I wanted to be able to mount a sling QD as flush as possible. I found one that is designed to mount through a flat panel held in place by a spiroloc and two set screws to tension it. I formed a 1/2 washer to match the contour if the forearm and ran a couple of allen head screws in from the opposite side.
 

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I think it was flintoid that posted about dura cost just being a enamel type paint , very much like rattle can engine paint.

I did my 1911 with dura coat of green. Turned out great and has held up.

I like what you did, I've seen some digital camo that seem too busy.


Who's carbon fiber tube did you use? I've thought about getting one but heard they break.

Like the qd mount too.
 
Who's carbon fiber tube did you use? I've thought about getting one but heard they break.

Break? Carbon fiber has one of the highest strength to weight ratios on the planet. They use it on all kinds of high stress critical components from Formula one suspension pieces to helicopter rotor blades. That one is DPMS
 
Break? Carbon fiber has one of the highest strength to weight ratios on the planet. They use it on all kinds of high stress critical components from Formula one suspension pieces to helicopter rotor blades. That one is DPMS

I know how strong it is. Just depending on how they make it tho it's as weak as thin fiberglass. I forget the company but I heard they where cracking , made them to thin or had to much resin . It was one of the ones you had to glue the tube on to the nut.

I figured you'd buy from a good company tho.
 
I like it. My one small criticism would be that the camo pattern on the magazine looks vertical compared to the rest of the rifle. But overall, I really dig it. I like how some of the carbon fiber shows through.

I know how strong it is. Just depending on how they make it tho it's as weak as thin fiberglass. I forget the company but I heard they where cracking , made them to thin or had to much resin . It was one of the ones you had to glue the tube on to the nut.

I figured you'd buy from a good company tho.
Actually, DPMS has you glue the tube to the barrel nut. I opted to drill and tap holes to hold it on so I can take it off if I need to work on the barrel for anything.
 
I think it was flintoid that posted about dura cost just being a enamel type paint , very much like rattle can engine paint.

No comparison. Dura Coat is an epoxy, its mixed with a catalyst and then sprayed.

At the body shop where I work we used to spray Cobra kit car frames with black epoxy primer. The stuff is like iron when dry and if you prep the surface right, adhesion is excellent.
 
I like it. My one small criticism would be that the camo pattern on the magazine looks vertical compared to the rest of the rifle. But overall, I really dig it. I like how some of the carbon fiber shows through.

I opted to drill and tap holes to hold it on so I can take it off if I need to work on the barrel for anything.

Two reasons for that. First, the basic shape of the magazine does not really lend itself to horizontal patterns and secondly. the mag was the last part done and I was pretty low on templates at that point. I did the best I could with what I had left to work with.

I have been toying with the same attachment idea, but there is precious little meat to work with there. I'm not crazy about the permanent attachment, but I plan on giving it a full workout before I install the forearm at all.
 
No comparison. Dura Coat is an epoxy, its mixed with a catalyst and then sprayed.

At the body shop where I work we used to spray Cobra kit car frames with black epoxy primer. The stuff is like iron when dry and if you prep the surface right, adhesion is excellent.
Yea Duracoat is pretty durable if you prep properly. Grit blast with aluminum oxide. I have a barrel and some magazines that have held up extremely well for about 4 years. I switched to gunkote though as it is even better and more economical. It needs to oven cured and you can't use it on plastics like you can with Duracoat though.
 
Finally complete.
The final 3 pieces I was waiting for (rear sling QD, optics & 1/2 riser block) came in. I gave them a little of the camo treatment and added them.
Lfin.jpg

Lfinsling.jpg

Rfin.jpg
 
massbrs, Sorry I never your question until now. 2nd nailed it, that's exactly what it is. I was going for as small and light as possible for this build.
 
Love it, for sure. It's so functional, it breaks up all the details on the lower. Wish I still hunted turkey, you'd be doing my shotgun. My next ar build will be an urban defender. I'll be in touch!
 
massbrs, Sorry I never your question until now. 2nd nailed it, that's exactly what it is. I was going for as small and light as possible for this build.

No worries - I actually thought that's what it was. I'm thinking of going the same route with my SBR build so it can fit in a violin case. How do you like the stock?
 
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