Operation MARPAT - Painting a GOG G-1 with Woodland Digital Camoflage

On a slightly different topic (not miniatures, but painting related), I recently purchased a  GOG G-1 marker from Performance Paintball and decided I'd like it to customize it a bit.  Since I wear woodland MARPAT fatigues when I play paintball, I thought it made sense to paint my new marker to match.  This is the first time I've painted a marker so I thought it would be helpful to share my experiences and what I learned during the project.

Here's a shot of my new G-1 before the operation.

I spent time online researching the best methods and found a number of helpful sites with digital camouflage designs.  Over the course of a few days I found a few sites with good painting advice.  After watching several "how to" videos on YouTube, I was ready to move ahead with the operation.

I decided to paint the plastic body of the G-1 and left the barrel and regulator unpainted.  No sense accidentally painting a part that shouldn't be painted, right?  

My budget for the project was about $60 and included buying spray paint and the digital camouflage stencils.  I ended up buying a mix of Krylon and Rust-Oleum paints which are a very close match for the USMC Woodland MARPAT colors (see Figure A below). 

Figure A. Khaki, Hunt Club Green, Satin Nutmeg and Black are a pretty close match for woodland MARPAT colors. 

After reading a number of positive reviews, I decided to buy a set of male and female digital camouflage vinyl stencils from TacticalCamo.com for $31.  I found their stencils worked well during every stage of the operation.  They were easy to apply, stayed on during the painting and drying process, and were easy to remove with negligible paint peel during removal.   

In this post I'll walk through each step of the process sharing my experiences and what I learned along the way.  In total, I spent about 10 hours during the span of a week from start to finish.

Before you start painting, it's important to decide how accurately you want your marker to match the MARPAT camouflage scheme.  According to Wikipedia, the official USMC Woodland MARPAT colors include:

• Khaki
• Coyote Brown
• Forest Green
• Black

To get the closest match, the sequence of paint should be:

1. Paint with primer
2. Apply khaki paint
3. Apply forest green paint
4. Apply coyote brown paint
5. Apply black paint
6. Apply light coat of olive drab paint

I'll provide more detail regarding how to apply each paint and stencils to get the right color balance in the steps below.  I've also included timing to help illustrate how long each step of the project will take.

Steps:

1. Field strip the marker - Sunday 12PM.  

The first step was to break down the G-1 to remove the internal components and prepare the body for priming and painting.  I found an extremely helpful, well illustrated post with step-by-step instructions on the Paintball Africa forum by "NeilG" here.  Figure 2a shows the G-1 completely broken down with all components visible. 

2. Remove Rails - Sunday 1PM.  
I removed the picatinny rails from the sides and bottom of the marker (see Figure 1).  I doubt I'll attach anything to the side rails so it made sense to provide more real estate for camouflage paint.  It's also very difficult to paint the rails with stencils. 

To take the side rails off, you'll need to remove the screws then gently pry the rails off with an exacto blade or very thin putty knife since they're secured with epoxy.  I used a razor blade and sandpaper (220 grit) to remove the leftover glue from the surface of the marker  (see Figure 2b).   

Figure 1. Picatinny side and bottom rails removed for painting.  

Figure 2a. G-1 components and parts.  Be sure to label everything for re-assembly!

Figure 2b. The side rails are glued on.  I used a razor blade and sandpaper to remove the epoxy to provide a smooth finish for painting.

3. Clean Parts and Reassemble - Sunday 2PM
Before painting, it's important to clean the parts to remove any contaminants.  Since I painted the three main components - body block, pistol grip and adjustable stock (fully extended for obvious reasons), I washed all three using Windex and dryed them thoroughly with a clean microfiber towel.  If you prefer, you can wash them with a mild detergent like dish soap.  I use microfiber towels since they are excellent at drying and leave minimal fibers behind. Afterwards, I reassembled the three pieces of the marker.

4. Tape Paint Free Areas - Sunday 2:30PM

I used blue painters tape to seal areas which don't need to be painted including the trigger, handle (where the battery is stored) and the top of the loader. I also used a piece of dowel inside a plastic PVC pipe and a piece of paper inside the barrel to keep paint out.  It also worked well for holding and pivoting the marker during painting. 

Be sure to lightly sand the loader - the primer and paint will adhere better to plastic if smooth surfaces are lightly sanded. The body of the G-1 has a textured surface so I decided to apply primer only (see Figure 4), but feel free to lightly sand it also.  I'd suggest using sandpaper of 200 grit or higher to avoid removing too much plastic during sanding.

Figure 4. G-1 is taped and ready for priming.

5. Apply Primer - Sunday 3PM 
Using my improvised outdoor table (two sawhorses and some paneling), I sprayed a light coat of Rust-Oleum Gray Primer to the entire body of the marker (see Figure 5a) letting one side dry for a minute or two before continuing.  The temperature was in the mid-80s with a light breeze so it didn't take long for each side (top, bottom, left and right) to dry. I rotated the marker to ensure primer was applied evenly across all of the surfaces.

It's always better to apply several thin coats rather than one thick coat.  That way the paint doesn't pool or drip on the surface of the marker.  To help prevent fingerprints on the marker, I recommend using nitrile plastic gloves during painting.

 Figure 5a. I like Rust-Oleum's clip on spray paint trigger - it helps turn that can of paint into a spray gun!

Figure 5b.  Looking good after one coat of primer.

I situated the G-1 in front of a fan for drying.  Between the dehumidifier and the warm temperature (it's been a hot summer so far) it was dry by the next morning.

On Monday afternoon, I lightly sanded the surface of the marker with 320 grit sandpaper and paid particular attention to the loader (see Figure 5c).  Afterwards, I sprayed a microfiber towel with Windex and wiped down the entire marker to ensure all of the loose plastic and primer was removed before painting.

Figure 5c.  Lightly sand the primer coat after it is completely dry to provide good adhesion for paint.

6. Apply Khaki Paint - Monday 4:30PM
When painting digital camouflage, it's a good idea to start with the lightest color. Khaki also happens to be the least frequent color included in the MARPAT digital design.  I applied a light coat of Krylon Camouflage Khaki paint (see Figure 6a).

It took a little extra work due to windy conditions, but I was able to cover the entire marker in a light coat (no primer visible) and brought it back inside to dry in front of a fan on my work table.  By the next morning it was dry and ready for the next step - applying stencils!

 

Figure 6a.  Painting outside can be a bit trying, especially when the wind is blowing more than 5mph! 

7. Apply Male Stencils - Tuesday 4:45PM
Up to this point, painting the G-1 with primer and the khaki coat are quick and easy.  The next step in the process is applying male stencils that will preserve the khaki color in the camouflage scheme on the marker.  Since Khaki is one of the low density colors in the MARPAT camouflage, a minimal number of stencils should be applied.

I was pleased to see the stencils I purchased from TacticalCamo.com (see Figure 7a) included a wide variety of random digital shapes and designs. The roll was about 12" x 36" and included enough stencils to complete this project with a few left over.  I paid a small additional fee to include female stencils and I'm glad I did because I ended up using all of them in the last painting stage.  

I used an X-Acto knife to peel the vinyl stencils from the backing and applied them in random locations on the marker (see Figures 7b and 7c) keeping them parallel to an imaginary line running from the front to the back of the marker through the barrel.  That ensured the camouflage would look right after painting.  

I found cutting the stencils into three or four smaller pieces worked very well given the many vertical and beveled surfaces on the G-1.  It took about half an hour to apply the stencils and press them securely to the surface before taking the marker outside for painting.

Figure 7a.  The blue vinyl sheet includes male stencils which preserve the khaki color through other coats of paint.

Figure 7b.  Since khaki is minimally present in woodland MARPAT camouflage, I applied the stencils sparingly.

Figure 7c.  I cut the male stencils into smaller sections to fit the varying surface levels on the G-1.

8. Apply Hunt Club Green Paint - Tuesday 5:30PM
After confirming the vinyl stencils were in place with no loose edges (to avoid paint seepage) it was time to apply the green coat.  I took the G-1 outside and applied a coat of Rust-Oleum Satin Hunt Club Green which is the closest match I could find to the shade of green used in Woodland MARPAT camouflage (see Figure 8a).  After painting, I took the G-1 downstairs and let it dry overnight in front of a fan on my workbench.

Figure 8a.  Left side of G-1 - smooth coat of paint with solid coverage and stencils visible.

Figure 8b.  Right side of G-1.  If you look closely, you can see the male stencils (darker areas).

9. Apply Male Stencils - Wednesday 6PM
After confirming the green paint was completely dry, I started applying male stencils.
Using an X-Acto knife, I peeled the vinyl stencils from the backing and applied them in random locations on the marker keeping in mind they cover the green color until the final coat of paint is applied.  Once I was sure they were situated correctly, I pressed down firmly to eliminate any air bubbles.

Since green is one of the highest density colors in the woodland MARPAT camouflage, I had to apply a large number of stencils to preserve that color.   It took me almost two hours to apply the stencils and press them securely to the surface before taking the marker outside for painting (see Figures 9a and 9b).

Figure 9a.  Right side of G-1.  Male (blue) stencils applied to preserve green color.

Figure 9b.  Left side of G-1.  Male (blue) stencils applied to preserve green color.

10. Apply Nutmeg Paint - Wednesday 8:45PM
After confirming the vinyl stencils were secure with no loose edges (to avoid paint seepage) I was ready to paint.  

I took the G-1 outside and sprayed a coat of Rust-Oleum Satin Nutmeg onto the G-1.  It's the closest commercially available color I could find that matches the coyote brown color used in Woodland MARPAT camouflage (see Figure 10a).  After applying a solid coat, I took the marker downstairs and let it dry overnight in front of a fan on my workbench.

Figure 10a.  Right side of G-1 with nutmeg (coyote brown) paint applied drying on workbench. 

11. Remove Male Stencils and Apply Female Stencils - Thursday 4:45PM
At this point it was time to remove the male stencils from the G-1.  After drying for 16 hours, the paint was dry so I began gently peeling the stencils from the marker using an X-Acto knife.  I was pleased to find the stencils did a great job of protecting the paint underneath with only a few spots on the loader where the paint peeled during stencil removal. 

Once all of the male stencils were removed, it was time to add female stencils that would allow me to add black paint to the G-1.  I used the female stencils to outline areas where the black paint would look appropriately random in the big picture.  Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the removal procedure or the female stencil application as we were a bit pressed for time.

12. Apply Black Paint - Thursday 8PM
After confirming the female stencils were in place and as secure as possible (the edges are often loose in non-flat areas on the marker), it was time to paint. With the help of two friends (thanks Steve and Chris!) I took the G-1 outside and sprayed a coat of Krylon Camouflage Black onto the female stencils. 

The female stencil squares are approximately 2" x 2" so I created a mask (to avoid over spray) by cutting a square of a slightly smaller dimension out of a Chinet kitchen plate which I placed over each stencil.  It worked well when applying black paint to flat areas on the marker, but didn't work so well on rounded or angled edges.  With assistance from my helpers, we improvised and used four small pieces of cardboard to "frame" the areas with the female template to avoid over spray outside the stencil area.  It took about half an hour to apply the black paint (see Figure 12a and 12b).   

Upon closer examination, I noticed a few spots where black paint over spray hit the other colors.  I sprayed some paint into a plastic cup and used a small hobby paintbrush to re-paint the correct color onto the marker.  I also hand painted several additional digital designs onto the marker in spots that looked too "empty" (especially on the stock which is very difficult to paint with stencils) which took about an hour.  After that, I placed the G-1 in front of a fan on my workbench and let it dry overnight.

Figure 12a.  Right side of G-1 with all four colors. 

Figure 12b.  Left side of G-1 with all four colors. 

13. Apply Olive Drab Paint - Friday 8PM
At this point the four primary colors in the woodland MARPAT camouflage scheme were looking pretty good.  However, when I compared the G-1 to my MARPAT fatigues, I decided it could use a little more green so I decided to add a very light coat of olive drab to give all of the colors a subtle green tint.

Before painting, I used painters tape to cover the hand grip, trigger and loader cover.  I also inserted a rolled up sheet of paper into the barrel (see Figure 13).  Next, I sprayed a very light coat of Krylon Camouflage Olive Drab from about 12" onto the G-1.  I was very pleased with the results, and set the gun aside to dry overnight.

Figure 13.  Almost finished - ready for the last light coat of olive drab paint!

14. Apply Clear Matte Finish - Saturday 9AM
With the paint dry, it was time to seal it in.  I sprayed a coat of Rust-Oleum Matte Clear coat onto the G-1 and let it dry for two hours in front of the fan on my workbench.  After that, I applied a second coat to help protect the paint and give it a nice flat finish (see Figure 14).

Figure 14.  Sealed and delivered!

15. Reassemble G-1 - Saturday 12:30PM
With the paint and clear coats dry, it was time to reassemble the G-1 and take some pictures.  I carefully disassembled the painted sections then reassembled the marker.  I was pleased to see that taping the gun helped prevent unwanted paint from getting inside the handle or barrel. 


Overall, I'm very pleased with how the project turned out and how the G-1 looks after the operation (Figure 15a). I learned quite a bit during the project and now know how to field strip the marker with confidence.  

The last picture shows how well the G-1 blends with woodland MARPAT camouflage - I'm looking forward to testing it in the field during our next paintball game! (Figure 15b).

 Figure 15a.  Ready to hit the course and put some paint down range!

 

Figure 15b.  It's a pretty good match with woodland MARPAT material - the flash makes it look lighter than it really is in normal lighting conditions.

I hope you found this helpful.  Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions!