What's the concensus on "coloring" your roll marks?

[LMT42]

Some guns are sold with colored roll marks, but most aren't. I've seen threads on the best ways to color roll marks. I'm just wondering what the thoughts are regarding this practice.

[Jay Cunningham]

Honestly can't understand why anyone would waste their time. That being said, it's your rifle, do what you like to it.

[vicious_cb]

I kind of wish the SFA marks on my spikes werent colored. Coloring is pretty stupid. If you cant tell whether or not your gun is on safe or fire without having colored markings you shouldnt own a gun

[jvencius]

Honestly can't understand why anyone would waste their time. That being said, it's your rifle, do what you like to it.

Ditto--other than the "I want to pretend I have a HK", I cannot see the reason for rollmark painting either and besides, you ought to know how to manipulate the fire control mechanism of your rifle w/o looking to see if it's on safe or fire...

[BWT]

You still have the Selector switch pointing to it.

Honestly, I think you should get familiar enough with the safety/selector that you shouldn't be looking at it, more of what's down range. While in use anyway.

I wouldn't color mine, I like the classic look of just writing on it. Maybe a few symbols, "Safe" "Fire" work for me though.

YMMV.

[LA Sig]

I have seen some of the subdued colored markings and like those. My AR is not colored but if I was going to do it, it would be minimal contrast such as dark gray, brown, or your favorite dark color. I would like to color the right side of the safety lever so that I can see it if it laying there with the ejection port up but have not done that either as I ALWAYS put it on safe before laying it down but others do not. There are reasons for and reasons against. Mostly against but it is a personal preference.

[Jason Falla]

Fella's, just thought I would jump in and make a comment on this topic.

From an instructors point of view, being able to quickly identify the condition of the weapon is an important part of range safety. For several reasons;

1. If I explain and demonstrate a drill on the range that involves the manipulation of the safety catch, I expect that the students perform the drill to the same standard. During the supervision of the range practice part of the RSOs responsibilities is to ensure that all weapons are returned to the safe condition on the completion of the drill. If there is a white mark on the 'right' side of the receiver indicating the condition of the weapon then identifying a safe weapon is a lot easier, especially from a distance.

2. I teach a lot of military personnel and train my students in several advanced dynamic drills such as;
- Contact Drills
- Break Contact Drills
- Vehicle counter ambush dills
- CQB
etc etc,

As an RSO there is very little time during the execution of these drills to identify the condition of the weapon before the student takes a bound to a new piece of cover or moves to the next room.

If there is a white mark on the receiver, again from a safety point of view it becomes a lot easier to control safety.

I am always looking at the right side safe indicator on the M4 during these drills as most people are right handed. For lefties it's too easy to observe the safety catch itself.
Ambidextrous safety catches are good for that too!

Now it doesn't matter how high speed you think you are or what unit you come from, people perform differently under stress and as a result there are safety violations and even NDs.

So at the end of the day, I like the white mark from a Instructor/student perspective.

Hope that helps!

JF

[kdcgrohl]

Your poll is missing the option of I could care less, as long as it works.;)

[rob_s]

I don't see the point, although I don't see the point in the guy from Sheboygan painting his rifle desert tan or flectarn to take to the range either.

I get Jason's point, but I think that is so far from the rationale of the typical crayon-er as to not matter. I've been ROing shooters for 5+ years and in the fast pace of shooting a stage I can't see a little white mark on the indentation of the ejection-port-side of the safety really jumping out at me, especially when I'm more worried about rules 2-4 first, and the safety second. If they can abide rules 2-4, the safety is a non-issue. Our rules require a shooter to engage the mechanical safety any time they are moving and not shooting (to include moving vertically from standing to kneeling to prone or back again, or performing lateral transitions from one shoulder to the other) but it's really a redundancy for us.

At the end of the day it's not my gun so people are free to paint whatever patterns, logos, etc. they want to onto their guns.

[ztf HITMAN]

In these days of Pink Camo'd rifles and carbines with NFL Team Themes, coloring the roll marks is a minor thing. As said above, it's your gun, do what ya like.

[michschi]

I don't see the point, although I don't see the point in the guy from Sheboygan painting his rifle desert tan or flectarn to take to the range either.

Are you talking about Sheboygan WI, cause that is like 20 minutes from my house! Yeah there is no desert there :)

[rob_s]

Are you talking about Sheboygan WI, cause that is like 20 minutes from my house! Yeah there is no desert there :)
I just like to throw in odd sounding towns. That was my odd-sounding-town-for-the-day. ;) :D

[Outlander Systems]

I used to live in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

[jbo723]

I kind of wish the SFA marks on my spikes werent colored. Coloring is pretty stupid. If you cant tell whether or not your gun is on safe or fire without having colored markings you shouldnt own a gun

This..muscle memory and training and it's becomes second nature to ALWAYS have your weapons on safe if you're not on target and ready to fire.

[variablebinary]

If you like it, then do it

[arizonaranchman]

Fella's, just thought I would jump in and make a comment on this topic.

From an instructors point of view, being able to quickly identify the condition of the weapon is an important part of range safety. For several reasons;

1. If I explain and demonstrate a drill on the range that involves the manipulation of the safety catch, I expect that the students perform the drill to the same standard. During the supervision of the range practice part of the RSOs responsibilities is to ensure that all weapons are returned to the safe condition on the completion of the drill. If there is a white mark on the 'right' side of the receiver indicating the condition of the weapon then identifying a safe weapon is a lot easier, especially from a distance.

2. I teach a lot of military personnel and train my students in several advanced dynamic drills such as;
- Contact Drills
- Break Contact Drills
- Vehicle counter ambush dills
- CQB
etc etc,

As an RSO there is very little time during the execution of these drills to identify the condition of the weapon before the student takes a bound to a new piece of cover or moves to the next room.

If there is a white mark on the receiver, again from a safety point of view it becomes a lot easier to control safety.

I am always looking at the right side safe indicator on the M4 during these drills as most people are right handed. For lefties it's too easy to observe the safety catch itself.
Ambidextrous safety catches are good for that too!

Now it doesn't matter how high speed you think you are or what unit you come from, people perform differently under stress and as a result there are safety violations and even NDs.

So at the end of the day, I like the white mark from a Instructor/student perspective.

Hope that helps!

JF

Ditto. Same issue here... if the right side of the selector (that line that points to S or F) had a white line there then a quick glance as I'm going down the line of shooters is quickly and easily done.

[ra2bach]

I guess for me it comes down to "what's it going to do for me?" does it help the function of the weapon or is it just fashion?

if it's just fashion, then it seems kind of foolish to me. I don't really have anything against people who do it, and can kind of admire some of the efforts, but I see no need to adorn my weapon or make it more "attractive"...

*** ETA: I make the distinction between a weapon such as an AR (which to me is essentially as much a tool as is a hammer or saw), and a fine firearm like a vintage Mauser or a Steyr Mannlicher, etc. I can appreciate the fine lines and beautiful form of a classic rifle as much as the next guy. I just think coloring in the lines of an AR is stupid...

[6933]

It marks one as being concerned with "fit and finish" over function. When I see the TigerSwan guys color theirs, then they'll be a reason behind it; otherwise, gay.

[ra2bach]

Fella's, just thought I would jump in and make a comment on this topic.

From an instructors point of view, being able to quickly identify the condition of the weapon is an important part of range safety....

JF

I agree. this would be an example of functional use of paint. this makes some kind of sense and I can see why you would want to have the selector switch indentation on the right side made visible.

but to me, filling in the "fire", "safe" just seems more about decoration than function...

[Jay Cunningham]

It marks one as being concerned with "fit and finish" over function. When I see the TigerSwan guys color theirs, then they'll be a reason behind it; otherwise, gay.

Even if the TS guys do it, you still need to question whether it is appropriate for you.

[Blob]

Meh, I did it to my lower one day because I was really bored. I didn't do it to make it easier to see the safe/fire markings, just did it for the hell of it. After a few months of having it on there it started to bug me so I've been scraping it off. Not much different than having a big white "BCM" or other such brandings on your rifle in my opinion.

[tip2oo3]

"Decorating your ar"????Like decorating your christmas tree????

[JBecker 72]

I just like to throw in odd sounding towns. That was my odd-sounding-town-for-the-day. ;) :D

I live in Manassas, VA :p

[bkb0000]

i hate that these questions pop up, inviting people to have opinions about dumb shit they otherwise probably never would have even thought about.

paint it or dont, but stop caring what others think



ETA- not trying to rip on you, OP- just making a point.

[QuietShootr]

http://images.quickblogcast.com/5/9/9/6/7/187604-176995/gay_called_its_for_you.jpg

[organdonor]

It marks one as being concerned with "fit and finish" over function. When I see the TigerSwan guys color theirs, then they'll be a reason behind it; otherwise, gay.It doesn't affect function at all so I'm not following your logic.