What parts of the AR do you guys disassemble when/before painting?
What parts should taped off, and what parts shouldn't be painted (obviously not the bcg)?

Tape off your sight(s) and the optic lenses.

Close the ejection port and move the selector from SAFE to SEMI and AUTO at some point while you're painting.

Strip it down 100%. Do it right.

Paint lower, upper,and rail.

The small parts, whether they're black or other color, will supply the needed contrast.

Every screw, bolt, pin and spring have to come up for it to be done 100 percent right.  But you can half ass anything in life if you want to......

+1

When we did mine we broke it down to the optic, buis, rail, stock, buffer tube, rail covers, upper and painted the base coat a few times. Then we reassembled and did the rest.

Awesome paint job.

I use krylon.

I don't strip anything.

I cover the lenses on my optics.  I remove the sling.  I degrease the outside surfaces.  I close the ejection port cover.  I put the safety on safe (where it is most of the time).  I paint.  I want everything to match whatever pattern/colors I'm painting and that's easier if the parts are installed and in place as the colors/layers/patterns are applied.

When it's dry on the last coat/color I remove the paint from the front sight post and any that might be in the center of the rear BUIS hole.

Changed optics (had a 1X4 scope on it when painted but went to the SUIT and then to an AimPoint.



Different SUIT on the M&P carbine and it was painted (except for the rubber eyepiece) on the gun.



My vARmint rifle.  I've replaced the carbine stock with an A2 stock and tried to match it up.  The scope is different than when painted so It doesn't match.  This was my first one and I got in too big a hurry and didn't have it like I wanted it when I painted it.



20" HBAR clone.  I was taking a picture more of the cat getting chummy with the rifle than the rifle.

Mask off your glass and turrets. Remove nothing.

I tried to tell OP that and was overruled.

Paint whatever you want.  I doubt you want to paint inside, or any glass.  If you want to paint the optic, do it seperate so you can paint the full rail.  Also remove buis.  If you have FSB, remove sight, and put a little oil in the hole. Or leae it on and hit it with some fire after it dries.

Thanks for all the input guys, I'll be getting started soon.

Don't strip it down.  Do it 100% right.

Paint the lower, upper, and rail...and everything else too.  Stuff a rag in the upper, paint the inside of the dust cover too.  Move the selector lever so you don't have a dark spot.  Remove a carbine stock so you can paint the whole receiver extension.  I cover the front sight post and the ghost ring, but everything else gets the paint.  Depending on the handguard, I'll pull it off to put a basecoat on the barrel so it doesn't have black spots on it.