I want to build an AR, and I keep looking at all the different add-ons, but I can't seem to find all the parts I want in the same color.    Am I missing something?    Are they all the same color just a different name?    Please enlighten me!    I am new to this stuff, so pictures would be really helpful!

Problem is, Military has not come out and said one particular shade is mil spec FDE or Coyote. So everyone is making their own shade and calling it FDE or Coyote or Tan. So Vltor, Tango Down, Magpul, etc. all have ther own and none of them even come close to matching. Only way to match is to stick with one accessories maker or have your stuff coated or paint it yourself.
Hell, to be honest, no one's black matches either. People just over look it. Some blacks are more gray dominant, some are blue, some are green.

All I know is the Desert Tan by Duracoat is the same exact color as the dirt here in Utah.  That's why I like it so much, on muddy days in the desert I become one with the dirt

Quoted: Problem is, Military has not come out and said one particular shade is mil spec FDE or Coyote. So everyone is making their own shade and calling it FDE or Coyote or Tan. So Vltor, Tango Down, Magpul, etc. all have ther own and none of them even come close to matching. Only way to match is to stick with one accessories maker or have your stuff coated or paint it yourself. Hell, to be honest, no one's black matches either. People just over look it. Some blacks are more gray dominant, some are blue, some are green.

Thanks, but that isn't what I wanted to hear.   Why can't they make my life easier, and let me get the parts I want in the same darn color without painting them?

Does anyone have any pictures that might show the difference between the colors?

I don't know. I bought a Magpul MIAD grip full kit in FDE and I hate it, well the color anyway. I was hoping it was going to half way close to the taupe rail covers I have from KAC. Needless to say I installed it, looked at it for about 10 minutes and it came back off and is in a box in the closet. Just disappointed .

I am with you though, why can the manufacturers make the colors at least close. Like mentioned above, you want matching then try and stick to one manufacturer for all parts if possible.

I must be blind because I thought my FDE parts matched!

Ergo grip
Magpul rail covers
VLTOR stock
CQD sling(I think it was called tan)

I'll have to ask my wife to look at it and make the call!

Quoted: I don't know. I bought a Magpul MIAD grip full kit in FDE and I hate it, well the color anyway. I was hoping it was going to half way close to the taupe rail covers I have from KAC. Needless to say I installed it, looked at it for about 10 minutes and it came back off and is in a box in the closet. Just disappointed . I am with you though, why can the manufacturers make the colors at least close. Like mentioned above, you want matching then try and stick to one manufacturer for all parts if possible.

you wouldn't happen to have a picture that shows the both of them would you?

My Tapco FDE is pretty cool.

Although if I had to guess I would call it Coyote Tan, based on the other manufacturers' information.

Vltor EMod FDE
Magpul MIAD and PMag FDE
Magpul ladders
KAC Taupe rail covers
Gear Sector sling

Do the different maunfactures colors match ? Nope, if that is really important to you then yes paint is the only way to get them to all "match" .

There is a picture thread in AR Discussions that's only for desert / FDE colored rifles / accessories. Here's a tip - the photos often will exaggerate the difference between each manufacturer's color. It's not as straightforward as you would like it to be since there's no standard spec from the military or otherwise. Bottom line is that you shouldn't worry about it as much and just get parts that are similar. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

can i make a suggestion, buy everything from the same company and the colors will match, i ran into this also. Calvery Arms has the largest selection of parts to make an ar15 the color of your choice. i used magpul for stock and pistol grip, then a troy rail system. they are pretty close but not perfect, good luck. there is a FDE thread on here somewhere maybe someone will pull it up for you

Flat Dark Earth Picture Thread

Quoted: Flat Dark Earth Picture Thread

Thanks!


That is exactlt want i wanted to see!

Quoted: Vltor EMod FDE Magpul MIAD and PMag FDE Magpul ladders KAC Taupe rail covers Gear Sector sling

That's a GREAT Color Comparison Pic. Thanks!

.

Quoted: Quoted: Vltor EMod FDE Magpul MIAD and PMag FDE Magpul ladders KAC Taupe rail covers Gear Sector sling i48.photobucket.com/albums/f240/mvician/newbuild/FDESPR2004.jpg That's a GREAT Color Comparison Pic. Thanks! .

Under regular "indoor" light the colors are close, the Vltor is lighter than the Magpul, and the KAC Taupe is a bit darker with a hint more of orange to it.

Out in the sunlight it shows up more.

This is the problem as I know it.

The color coyote came from the Marine Corp woodland digital camo (marpat). That funky mustardy color was named coyote, as it was taken from Ralph Lauren color swatches and color was in fact named coyote.

That is how the industry started using the term Coyote. However the color they were duplicating is the lighter tan color  on the same camo pattern.

Then somehow other .gov and .mil type got involved and started using the term Flat Dark Earth to describe this funky mustardy color.

Now the industry got confused and started calling the what they were calling Coyote, which was a tan that was a little darker than khaki FDE of Flat Dark Earth.

The industry is still trying to figure this one out. FN 5.7 in FDE is correct in shade. So is the LMT sopmod stock and KAC accessories in a color they call Taupe.

Cav Arms has products in both Coyote (dark khaki) and Flat Dark Earth (funky mustardy color).

To make things even more confusing Larue & Magpul have come up with a color called UDE or Urban Dark Earth.

I hope this helps.

ETA: I have also noted that magpul rail ladders in FDE have changed shades to the more funky mustardy color than they have been in the past. I recently purchased some new ones to replace some I had lost. It should be noted that Magpul ladder covers are made by Falcon/Ergo grips.

Ok, the furniture and magazine on this is Magpul FDE. The pattern is Hydrograph applied MARPAT.

See how the Magpul FDE matched the Dark Khaki and not the funky mustardy color that had been renamed Flat Dark Earth.

Also the colors on the hydro graph are correct, you can compare to the piece of actual MARPAT in the background.

Quoted: Quoted: I don't know. I bought a Magpul MIAD grip full kit in FDE and I hate it, well the color anyway. I was hoping it was going to half way close to the taupe rail covers I have from KAC. Needless to say I installed it, looked at it for about 10 minutes and it came back off and is in a box in the closet. Just disappointed . I am with you though, why can the manufacturers make the colors at least close. Like mentioned above, you want matching then try and stick to one manufacturer for all parts if possible. you wouldn't happen to have a picture that shows the both of them would you?

Sorry, no pictures of the two together. The grip wasn't on it long enough for me to bother taking any pictures. I was just hoping for a little better match was all and knew it wasn't going to be exact.

The taupe color KAC uses seems to be just a bit different than any one elses. Everyone seems to have their own twist on things. And when looking at pictures online it can be a bit deceiving as so much depends on the picture, lighting, color enhancements, monitor settings, blah blah blah.

I will have a different stock on the way soon (next week hopefully) and I am hoping that it will be a color that works for me. When it arrives I'll have my wife take a few pics to add to the collection and get posted for others to see.

To the comment about having the wife checking it out, yeah mine always has comments on how things do or don't match .