[M14MSgt]

What are your thoughts on using a white grease pencil to fill in the etched writing on your receiver, scope mount, etc? Does this detract from the "tactical" appeal?

 

[RichRoy]

I have been using a white china pencil on my garands and M14's for years. I like it.

 

[lefty o]

ive personally never seen the need to highlite any markings, and dont understand the logic behind it.

 

[foxtrotterz]

I have seen the sn marked with yellow to help read off serial numbers easily at matches. If any one at the match wants to confirm a number it helps speed things up.

 

[NoExpert]

Every time I think about doing this I decide against it... I think I'd rather paint it than use a grease marker and that's why I decide against it. Maybe I'll be brave one of these days. Main reason I'd paint it is because white lettering doesn't do anything for me so I'd like a colour. Personally I'd only do the heel of the receiver, not everything needs "Hey look at me!" on it.

 

[davidgcalderone]

If you like it, do it. if not, do not. It is that simple. If a bad guy is close enough to see white pencil markings, you are in bayonet range, not rifle range.

 

[M14MSgt]

If you like it, do it. if not, do not. It is that simple. If a bad guy is close enough to see white pencil markings, you are in bayonet range, not rifle range.

good point...

 

[FPeel]

While my near vision is good, my distance vision is poor, so I wear contact lenses. Unfortunately, correcting my eyes for distance messes up my near vision. Things finally reached a point that I could only see the windage and elevation markings bright sunlight.

As a test I recently filled the windage markings on the receiver and indicator line on the sight base with white paint stick. Now the markings are easy to read, so I plan to do it again with something more permanent. The white marking works with the front sight of my 1911, too.

As for filling in the heel markings, barrel stampings, etc. I'm not so sure. It *does* look nice, but just seems out of place on a battle rifle. I'll stick with functional. Functional is good.

 

[Seventh Fleet]

I think it serves more of a function on the sight adjustment knobs but looks tacky on the heel of the receiver. What ever floats your boat I guess...

7th

 

[Rawnerves]

I have every etched letter and number on my rifle done in either white or yellow. I'm very sure that this makes my rifle much more accurate and it smells delicious. The colors glow in the dark and my M1A can now be used as an emergency road flare. Cover your bases, rah!

 

[wrwindsor]

I haven't done it (I've never bothered), but when I saw one done with red, I knew that was the way I'm going to do it, if ever.

In short, red looks much nicer, and almost retains that tactical look.

 

[Nickoli]

I'm not a big fan of the white lettering and numerals, however I have given some thought to painting them something more subtle like o.d. green.

 

[NoExpert]

Can't really tell, but I did this one's heel markings with OD green.

Very subtle, which I liked. I may do my LRB with Coyote brown... if I'm brave.

 

[riq21]

White grease pencil is so easy to apply/remove that I am surprised people actually put off attempting this on their own weapons. It works great on the elevation index line on the left receiver ear. If you hi-lite the 200 yd (garand) on the elevation pinion, it is really helpful at the range. Also hi-lite the windage marks on the receiver and the line on the back of the sight block to enhance your ability to dial in more quickly at the range. I like to hi-lite the serial number also, just to make it easier to read in the rack at home. All mine are marked in order to facilitate use, not as decoration.

 

[mgraffam]

Every time I think about doing this I decide against it... I think I'd rather paint it than use a grease marker and that's why I decide against it. Maybe I'll be brave one of these days. Main reason I'd paint it is because white lettering doesn't do anything for me so I'd like a colour. Personally I'd only do the heel of the receiver, not everything needs "Hey look at me!" on it.

Uhm. Grease pencil is just wax. Crayola crayon isn't much different.. somewhat harder, but still plenty soft to work into the stamping on a receiver. Use grease pencil if you want to write on glass. For filling in a stamping, any wax will do, I'm sure.

 

[82nd ABN]

Check out brownells website. Do a search for laqour pens. This is what I licked up in both red and white. I did one heal of one of my receivers in white. I dig the way it looks.

 

[Trung Si]

I use White Tire Marker and it remains after 15 Years!

 

[NoExpert]

Uhm. Grease pencil is just wax. Crayola crayon isn't much different.. somewhat harder, but still plenty soft to work into the stamping on a receiver. Use grease pencil if you want to write on glass. For filling in a stamping, any wax will do, I'm sure.

True... but ever seen a box of crayons after sitting in a 120+ degree car in the summer? I remember the carpet didn't fare so well in my dad's van.

I have some epoxy based spray paint here in coyote brown. I'll probably try spraying some metal with it to see how it comes out (I think I read rubbing alcohol can remove it if it's still wet). This is mostly why I'm scared to do it, I want to use something that isn't broken down or discoloured if it's hit with a cleaner. That also means it's harder to get over spray off so I'll have to mask it really well then remove the masking and wipe it immediately.

 

[mgraffam]

True... but ever seen a box of crayons after sitting in a 120+ degree car in the summer? I remember the carpet didn't fare so well in my dad's van.

I have some epoxy based spray paint here in coyote brown. I'll probably try spraying some metal with it to see how it comes out (I think I read rubbing alcohol can remove it if it's still wet). This is mostly why I'm scared to do it, I want to use something that isn't broken down or discoloured if it's hit with a cleaner. That also means it's harder to get over spray off so I'll have to mask it really well then remove the masking and wipe it immediately.

Hmm. Yeah, thats a good point. I haven't filled in my stampings, so I don't know if guys run into issues w/ that or not.

I don't know that I'd risk paint though. That seems like it could get messy.

I'll just continue to leave it alone, myself

 

[Mike7.62]

I used a white one to highlight the markings on my sights because I've found that the older I get, the harder it is to read them, especially at close range. My arms just keep getting too short to read small print nowadays.GI6