Custom FDE M&P 15-22

[SPARC]

I've been wanting to post pictures up of my custom 15-22 ever since Scud03 posted his painted gun up...but I just haven't had the time until now. So, I snapped a couple of quick pics tonight to post up and I hope to have some better ones up later.

Details:

Lower / Upper Receiver, M4 stock, and handrails have all been painted in Magpul FDE duracoat. I coated each piece 3 times and each was baked at 200F for 3 hours after a 12HR cure. All of that provides for a very strong finish that is solvent proof.

Let me know if you have any questions. I think it came out great, but let me know what you think.

 

[Scuds03]

That looks way cool dude..nice job!

 

[motoservdog]

nice job!! thinking of painting mine too..

 

[SPARC]

Thanks for the comments guys!

Moto, you should join the club. I always get compliments when I'm at the range, but I'll warn you that its addicting. I started with an shotgun, then my 15-22, and yesterday I refinished the slide on my M&P 40 handgun to separate it from the crowd.

 

[Brett248Vista]

I like it a lot, but I just wish it was way more flat. Do they make it in an ultra flat, lusterless?

 

[BELT_FED]

With the duracoat products the finish can be adjusted somewhat by the process inwhich its sprayed... kinda like car paint, if you spray till its "wet" you get a more glossy look but if you spray from a distance you get a more matte finish.. if that makes since

 

[SPARC]

The finish actually is quite flat, but my wife's camera with its super flash makes everything look brighter and shinier than it really is. I'll take some pics with the flash off so you can see what I mean.

Also, the amount of hardner used duracoat has a big effect of the flatness of the paint. Too much hardner and it will be quite shiny, truly like a satin or even a gloss. I've painted countless guns, but up until the last three it's always been with Norrells. Duracoat takes a little getting used to, and it's a little different from all the rest.

Thanks again guys!

 

[19 Kilo]

How are you baking it after you spray it?

 

[SPARC]

I have a spare oven out in my shop, it's nothing special but I use it bake all of my pieces that need it.

You can use the oven in your house, it just creates a pretty strong smell while baking. The smell has never lingered in my shop oven, so I would be willing to bet the same can be said for your house oven.

Thanks.

 

[horn-tail]

do you have to finish it off in the oven, and also how did you get the pins all the way out, also what but pad are you using

 

[SPARC]

You don't have to bake the parts once you finish them, it just simply speeds up the curing time. I've painted guns for friends and they just hung the parts in a closet for about a week before doing any re-assembly. They came out great and still look great over a year later.

I'm assuming you are asking about the takedown pins? Both pins have detents that hold them in place. The rear pin is held in place by a pin and spring located in the grip, and the front is held by a seperate pin and small spring. The next time you clean your gun, just pull the front pin all the way out and you'll see the brass pin holding it in. It's spring loaded and can be a pain to get out.

The buttstock in the picture I posted above has a ProMag recoil pad. It gives a little extra length and really grips better than the stock configuration. The whole buttstock (stock A4, CAA cheek rest, and recoil pad) are going into the classified section tomorrow. I used it for a test piece and now it's gone back into the drawer in favor of my ACS.

 

[Scuds03]

do you have to finish it off in the oven, and also how did you get the pins all the way out, also what but pad are you using

Both pins are held in by spring loaded set pins that look just like the pins in a lock. Rear can be removed by removing the pitol grip. The front pin when pulled out all the way has a small hole which you can stick a small diameter punch or allen wrench through to press the small pin in while you pull the main pin out. Hope that makes sense haha.

 

[Bashers79]

I don't know if anyones said this all ready but, you should black out the M&P logo etc. I personally think it would really finish it off nice. Anyway, looking good!

 

[DownRange&Upwind]

I don't know if anyones said this all ready but, you should black out the M&P logo etc. I personally think it would really finish it off nice. Anyway, looking good!

Just about 5 or more times now lol. But I agree it would look better, he even said he was gonna do this to it.

 

[SPARC]

I'm working on getting the lettering black. I don't really want to do the standard crayola mod, so I've got my graphics guy coming over later tonight to devise the best plan to get the lettering black. He's always done my fine detail work when I did custom cars and bikes, so I'm sure he can come up with something.

 

[Brett248Vista]

That most custom pinstripe guys do is use an oil based paint that can be cut with Thinner (not laquer) they paint over the area and then wipe the excess off with a lint free cloth saturated with thinner.

 

[Scuds03]

That most custom pinstripe guys do is use an oil based paint that can be cut with Thinner (not laquer) they paint over the area and then wipe the excess off with a lint free cloth saturated with thinner.

Would the thinner take off the FDE too though?

 

[Brett248Vista]

As long as it's not Laquer Thinner it should not... Regular Mineral Spirits shouldn't touch cured enamel or laquer paints, but it will cut the non cured paint. You of course will want to test this on a painted and cured test piece.

 

[SPARC]

Would the thinner take off the FDE too though?

On a baked duracoat job, the only thing that can strip the coating off is a ton of NC brake cleaner and a lot of elbow grease, or aircraft stripper. I've had CLP, small amounts of brake cleaner, and all kinds of other chemicals spilled on my duracoated guns and never had a problem with the finish coming off...once its been baked and cured.

I did do a gun once in Krylon paint for a guy because he needed a cheap refinishing, and it seemed like anything could take it off. I wouldn't recommend any kind of thinner or solvent on Krylon or similiar paint.

 

[Brett248Vista]

Krylon Fusion on Plastic shouldn't have that issue, since it etches into the plastic. I've had great results with Fusion on Plastic.