How to Paint an AR-15
- 1). Unload the rifle.
- 2). Use a screwdriver to remove the folding bipod from the AR-15. Skip this step if your rifle lacks this accessory.
- 3). Place the AR-15 on a heavy-duty fabric drop cloth.
- 4). Sand nonmetallic portions of the AR-15 with 180-grit sandpaper. Stop when these areas feel slightly rough to your fingertips.
- 5). Cover sensitive mechanisms, including the trigger, barrel hole and ammunition loading area, with painter's tape. Use scissors to trim the tape if necessary.
- 6). Cover all nonmetallic portions of the AR-15 with masking paper, using painter's tape.
- 7). Coat metallic portions of the AR-15 with galvanized metal etching spray primer. Maintain an 8-inch distance between the AR-15 and the spray nozzle as you apply. Remove the masking paper immediately after application. Wait 4 hours for the etching primer to dry.
- 8). Coat the entire rifle with acrylic spray primer. Maintain an 8-inch distance between the AR-15 and the spray nozzle as you apply. Wait 4 hours for the acrylic primer to dry.
- 9). Coat the primed rifle with acrylic enamel. Maintain an 8-inch distance between the AR-15 and the spray nozzle as you apply. Remove the tape from the rifle's sensitive mechanisms immediately after application. Wait 6 hours before handling the rifle.
Source...