Hey guys,
  Finally got some bowflage! I've got a question or two..

I've been wanting to do an AR, so I figured I would try my mod'd 10/22 first.

I started out with the leaf green as a basecoat. Then went outside and got some leaves for my stencil (I got scammed). I proceeded to use the Olive Drab to make the leaf shadows. I then did this with the brown...  It turned out pretty good. Question... Should I have used the brown first, then the OD, or not?

Also, After it was all said and done. I went to pick up the gun and the paint was like powdwer, and just fell off at the touch. Did I not give it enough dry time inbetween coats? What do you/they recomend?

I am now in the process of trying to remove it all.. What a fun job! I guess I'll need to figure out something to use besides the spray off.. Will Gun scrubber work? Will that damage my Hogue Overmold? Thanks!~

-Jared

Since you're having so much fun could you provide us some pics??

I understand most folks start with the lightest color for a basecoat.

I'm puzzled why it came off so easily.

I started by coating the entire gun with a coat of the lightest color and then added the pattern by spot spraying with darker colors.

Yeah, the 'paint' will very easily flake off if you don't let it dry long enough.  I can't recall how long it took to dry, but be patient, I understand the temptation to pick it up before it's ready.  Also, I applied a heavy coat, and a lighter second coat, so even if a bit flakes off, which it did even after drying, the gun should still retain the color.  I think a certain amount of flaking is normal, or at least it was in my experience.

Keep in mind that my gun still looked decent after 6+ months and a couple 1000 rounds.  Only showed black in areas of high traffic (PG, handguards, stock, etc.) and places where solvent built up during cleaning (around the various pins and such).

Here's a shot before I took the bowflage off:
[img]www.ar15.com/members/albums/HKocher%2Facogtopsml%2Ejpg[/img]


As far as your grip, I don't know how it reacts with rubber, but it did not damage my stock or plastic KAC panels, even after over 6 months of sitting on the gun.

I used CLP, gun scrubber and Hoppes to remove the Bowflage (not at the same time though), and I found the best results came from using good old fashioned Hoppes and a lot of scrubbing with the ol' toothbrush.

BTW, none of these solvents caused any damage to the finish or the plastics, and the gun looks good as new now that it is back in black.  However I remember someone had problems with CLP (in conjunction with the Bowflage) taking the bluing off a Rem700, but probably not a problem with an AR due to the finish.

Just went and got some gun scrubber. Sprayed off the action really easy.. Going to do the scope, bipod, and stock next...

I'll try to post some pics after I paint it again. Don't get your hopes up, all I have is a digital camera. Hopefully tonite yet...

I think I just got a little gun ho on the after coats.. I wish I had an Idea on how long to let is sit...

Damn though, It looked bad ass... At least I thought so.

-Jared

I think an hour between coats should do it.

Be careful using gunscrubber on the scope.  Most contain O-Rings.

I'm convinced I didn't give it enough time to dry... It was ALOT less than an hour... [rolleyes]

Things are not going good today! I dropped my 200 dollar Volq Custom Trigger Guard 2000 on the concrete in my garage, lost the pin for the magazine plunger, and the plunger itself... Argggh!

Oh well...

-Jared