Sponge painting stocks?

This is my effort to paint a Boyd's laminate stock. I laid down a primer and then a mix of brown, OD, and tan base coat and varied the colors with a sea sponge.
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I gave this a try on my first rifle last summer. I was pleased with the first outcome.

My first rifle purchase after college was an early 90's Rem 700 stainless synthetic (tupperware) stock and I had bought an old McMillan stock to replace it that needed to be painted.

I worked on the original stock first and foam filled the hollow butt stock and stiffened the foreend with a broken carbon arrow shaft. Initial base coat shown here.

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I wanted a strong tan undertone for the Texas brush that I hunt with this rifle in. So the tan paint went on next with a sponge (I went heavy on the sponge) and lightly sponged olive, brown, white and some more tan. Final coat was a black webbing paint followed by multiple thin clear coats. Finished product alongside the chipped dark navy blue McMillan that would be done next is here as well.


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Final product is the rifle set in the newly painted McM next to the original tupperware stock:

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I began "sponge painting" my stocks using colored epoxy many years ago. The epoxy (I use acraglas gel mixed with dye and/or pearl and aluminum powders). This can be applied to the stock using polyurethane foam in any color or pattern you may want. It provides the patterning you want with texturing over the complete stock for a good grip surface. Attached are photos of a Win 70 rifle in a traditional camo pattern and Tuebor Legion rifle in a more colorful "camo".
 

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Ive also done a few. Started off with my Savage 93 17HMR to see how it would turn out. I use Krylon camo paint and natural sponge. Sometimes I use a tan base and others I use a green base. When dry I use a satin finish polyurethane o protect it. This pic is my Tikka with the green base.
 

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My first attempt. I like how it came out. Stock was black already so I just added the camo with a sponge and sprayed several layers of matte clear coat over the top.
 

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The clear coat sure helps with dings and scratches. Krylon makes a flat crystal clear that looks great with no reflective glare.
Krylon Rocks for guns! Fiberglass, metal especially! And at 1/10 the the cost of other GUN PAINTS! You can apply the second coat within three minutes....then I let it sit for seven days... the gun powder residue on my muzzle brake wipes off with a damp cloth! I thought that would / could be a real problem. Our Prime Minister is afraid of Black guns...so I painted my 50 Bushmaster...was real happy with the outcome!
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Krylon Rocks for guns! Fiberglass, metal especially! And at 1/10 the the cost of other GUN PAINTS! You can apply the second coat within three minutes....then I let it sit for seven days... the gun powder residue on my muzzle brake wipes off with a damp cloth! I thought that would / could be a real problem. Our Prime Minister is afraid of Black guns...so I painted my 50 Bushmaster...was real happy with the outcome! View attachment 280899View attachment 280900
Hey Skip,

I bet it looks real good with them Christmas lights too while nighttime predator hunts.

Best, JGS
 
Krylon, I have found the best sponge to be the big "airy" sea sponges from Michael's. I finish with Brownell's Alumahyde. I definitely think less is more, as you can see on the last one, I got a little carried away.

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