Yet Another Paint My Magazine Thread

[3MTA3]

Normally I don't bother to paint magazines and if color is important I just buy them that way. However, I'm branching into 300 BO and want to make darned sure those mags are easily and visibly different than those used for 5.56. My interest in 300 BO is subsonic, so I went with the special PMAGS with followers and a few other tweaks to make them work better with the heavier bullets used in subsonic loads. They do have a slightly different texture and feel by design, but it isn't enough to be fool proof and they only come in black.

I've decided the safest way to proceed to to paint them to a color ONLY used for those mags. In this case it will be a green or a green/brown combo.

Reading various threads I've seen several ways to do this, but I want to make sure that what I use will stand up to use and not have to be reapplied every year or so. While I treat my firearms with respect they are tools and get used. Magazines might wind up getting repeatedly dropped during changes when training, for example.

Options are:

• C-Series (air dry) Cerakote: It can be applied using equipment I already have. It's more expensive, but worth it to me if the scratch resistance and adhesion to the polymer plastic is effective
• Brownell's Alumahyde II: Specialized paint for firearms and has a reputation for durability.
• Duracoat: Also a great reputation and a bit on the spendy side. I do have the necessary equipment for the two part product and of course there is the pressurized "ready to go" version.
• Kryon, Rustoleum, etc..: Inexpensive and available everywhere. Not sure if it will hold up well.
• Wheel paint: Pretty tough as it must be for it's intended application. Not sure if it's available in matt finishes.

I'd like to know what you have used and how well does it hold up? Also, is there a technique I have missed that could meet my needs?

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[Member 34319]

I'm not sure if magpul makes the sand colored 300 blackout mags. If they do, I recommend Rit Dye. It penetrates the plastic and lasts, essentially, forever.

I've done bright blue for a blank only mag, and if you have a hot glue gun, you can get a little creative. The glue blocks the dyeing process and though a pain in the rear to peel off, makes for cool designs if you want to take the time.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Having painted firearms and magazines with Kryon and the like...
It works...its fairly quick and easy to do.
However...it also ain't the most durable.
Might be more durable is one were to coat the paint job afterwards with some sort of sealant / protective over coat...

Never did that...and that might be done with a one step process , maybe with some of the other options you listed.
Haven't any experience with those...so I can't say.
Andy

 

[Knobgoblin]

I have been unhappy with Cerakote overall. My assumption is that the person who applied it made some mistakes. I have had several guns and a flashlight Cerakoted. It's not cheap.
Duracoat works about the same (so far) . The wear I noticed is smooth and not prone to chip/flake the way that Cerakote did.

1 man's experience with these different products, both applied by a certified applicator for a healthy fee.

 

[Member 3687]

You can always die them with Rit garment die.

I died the pink ones for my wife to match my wife's rifle using the sand color mags.

The burgundy one was a FDE mag I tested to see what would happen and I made 4 to use with special ammo, cant miss them

Pour die into water per instructions heat to about 175 then strip mags and soak till you get the darkness/color you want.

You can do what ever color you want including tie die,
Just another option and no sticky paint mess.

also impregnators into the material and does not rub off. they where died 5 years ago and heavily used.

 

[Camelfilter]

Easiest, simplest to remove & least expensive is blue painters tape marked with a sharpie marker.

Another simple option we use is silver & gold crafters tape (also sharpie marked), however that tape isn't as easy to source. Either a crafts store (Michaels, Hobby Lobby etc), or online.

 

[3MTA3]

I have been unhappy with Cerakote overall. My assumption is that the person who applied it made some mistakes. I have had several guns and a flashlight Cerakoted. It's not cheap.
Duracoat works about the same (so far) . The wear I noticed is smooth and not prone to chip/flake the way that Cerakote did.

1 man's experience with these different products, both applied by a certified applicator for a healthy fee.

I have had some rifles Cerakoted and all have held up very well. Cerakote requires preparation of both surface texture as well as proper cleaning and degreasing. Oven cure Cerakote can be botched by improper heating. That extra labor is why a quality job will cost more money,

 

[3MTA3]

I'm not sure if magpul makes the sand colored 300 blackout mags. If they do, I recommend Rit Dye. It penetrates the plastic and lasts, essentially, forever.

I've done bright blue for a blank only mag, and if you have a hot glue gun, you can get a little creative. The glue blocks the dyeing process and though a pain in the rear to peel off, makes for cool designs if you want to take the time.

View attachment 1255770 View attachment 1255772

They only come in black. I do have some sand ones for my AR308 that I'm going to dye FDE (ran across the "recipe" on ar15.com)

 

[Member 34319]

They only come in black. I do have some sand ones for my AR308 that I'm going to dye FDE (ran across the "recipe" on ar15.com)

Perhaps a soldering iron then?

Permanently change the texture so as to have a tactile feeling different than your other magazines. Combined with a low budget color band and it should be fairly obvious they are not 556 mags.



Or is this more of a "I don't want black mags" thing?

 

[Member 3687]

I have also use electrician's tape in orange, yellow and brown to mark my mags.

 

[Member 3687]

is the only difference in the blackout mags the follower or are the feed lips different.

If just follower then buy light colored mags and swap followers between them and then color.

 

[3MTA3]

Perhaps a soldering iron then?

Permanently change the texture so as to have a tactile feeling different than your other magazines. Combined with a low budget color band and it should be fairly obvious they are not 556 mags.

View attachment 1255788

Or is this more of a "I don't want black mags" thing?

View attachment 1255787

I dig those bands!

The upper and lower are a combination of FDE and foliage green. Black is serviceable and has it's place, but stands out and gets hot in the sun.

The 300 BO upper will follow this pattern and will use the same lower which is being SBR'd.

 

[ktgee]

I use gun skins on some of my mags or blue tape. I was thinking of spraying paint some of my mags to match my colored upper with a black lower since magazines are cheap, I can take that chance.

I seen some videos with some people use spray paint on an AR, after a year or two, with the paint wearing off, they would spray a different color or design on it.

But we are just talking about magazines. Isn't it the most abuse part of the gun? It get dented, chipped, cracked, color wearing off and possibly replaced. My opinion, Not worth the time and effort with the expensive option.

 

[3MTA3]

is the only difference in the blackout mags the follower or are the feed lips different.

If just follower then buy light colored mags and swap followers between them and then color.

There is a difference in the mag body, the vertical guide in the 300 BO mag is shorter to match the wider ogive portion of the follower. Not sure if it would be too tight in a 5.56 body for it to function reliably or if it could be trimmed back. To me reliability outweighs color

 

[edzz]

I use black Pmags for 5.56 and other than black Lancer mags for Blackout.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have used a 3 part Acrylic finish to do up a few rifles and shotguns, and so far, it holds up about as good as Dura-coat. Gotta strip and clean really good and then use a self etching primer/sealer, I like West Systems Hi-Fill etching primer, it makes for a very nice and hard surface for the paint to adhere to. next, airbrush your color(s) using Modelmasters or Tamiya Acrylics, and finally, West Systems Gel Coat thinned to 3/1 with Alcohol and airbrushed ( Make sure you really clean that airbrush each and every time, or else) in three coats, letting each coat set up fully before the next! This ends up as a mat finish, and is very "Hard" with out chipping! I did a pair of shotguns to play with and tune the system and they have held up very well for over 10 years, most chipping and wear is due to impacts or on the slide rails clearing themselves! This really holds up well for P-Mags, only use a single coat of Gel-Coat, or skip it all together!

Another trick you can use for Mags is Hydro-Dip, you can get small "Kits" on line and the results are actually really good, do it as a single color and do just the base plates of your mags and you will have a simple and ultra durable coating that stands out enough for you, but not your enemies!

 

[Member 53328]

Cerakote sucks. I'd go with rattle can (krylon). You could even just paint the base plates. Or use a paint marker on the sides of the mags. Just like when marking torqued screws on optics etc.

 

[Ura-Ki]

You can also get "Tire Paint Pens" on line or at your local Import accessory shops, the paint is made to bond to tire rubber and lasts a very long time and seems to hold up very well, and it can be touched up pretty easy! Haven't tried it on anything firearm related, but it should hold up well! It's also cheap too, I think a single color pen was $13.00 or so, takes one pen to do a single tire!
I did the tire lettering and logos on my Challenger and Spitfire tires a few years ago, haven't had to touch them up once, and they hold up to the car washing and tire treatments just fine!

 

[AK0perator47]

Everyone has already beat it to death… paint is ok and all the other stuff… the rubber band works great because it's visual and texture like tape… as far as the mags go it's the inner walls of the stanag mag… basically 556 has double indent and the 300BO… the good ones don't… why some people dremel them… just buy the lancer mags… save the headache and go freaking shooting lol

 

[Member 34319]

I dig those bands!

The upper and lower are a combination of FDE and foliage green. Black is serviceable and has it's place, but stands out and gets hot in the sun.

The 300 BO upper will follow this pattern and will use the same lower which is being SBR'd.
View attachment 1255789

Since Rit Dye is out of the question, I'd say your best bet might be a plastic orientated spray paint. It's definitely the lesser expensive option. That and there are a few now that molecularly bound to plastic.