On an early M16, for example, you
would age areas around the trigger,
trigger guard, the section of the lower
receiver at the top of the handgrip,
selector section (making note of the
half moon area where your thumb rubs
against the lower receiver), magazine
release, the magwell, cocking handle and
areas of the upper receiver close to the
triangular grip where it is held.
There would also be wear on the
duckbill flash suppressor, carry handle/
iron sights and other sticky out bits,
so don’t forget to give them a bit of
attention too.
Browning metalwork
Okay, you could leave the bright metal as it
is. Or you could age it further by browning.
Browning is obviously the name of
a very famous weapons inventor and
manufacturer, but it is also the effect
caused when steel rusts slightly between
periods of oiling a real firearm.
Over years of use this builds up a
beautiful effect on real steel weapons
– and we can cheat this effect by using
opaque brown paints or inks.
Simply paint or ink the bright metal and
wipe off any excess to give a slight brown
stain to the metalwork. Easy!
“Browning
is obviously
the name of a
very famous
weapons
inventor and
manufacturer,
but it is also
the effect
caused when
steel rusts
slightly
between
periods of
oiling a real
firearm”
ABS plastic effect metal
So you have an ABS plastic gun and
want to achieve the same aging on the
metalwork? Don’t despair – we can forge
this effect too.
The technique used is known as
dry-brushing, as many model makers
will already be aware. Taking a silver/
gun metal acrylic paint and a fairly stiff
bristled brush, simply sweep across a
rag until almost all of the paint is gone
from the brush head. Then apply lightly to
the same raised points of the gun. This
should pick out the areas of wear and
give your ABS plastic weapon a seriously
mean look.
Again, if you want a browning effect
then simply mix a little brown or ochre
into the gun metal paint before applying.
You can spend hours putting layer upon
044
February 2012