Where to buy paint?

[AndrewSchaefer]

Thanks for the info. I may have to just pick colours they make and be happy. It’s a French gun, painted by them, the. Painted by the Germans, then maybe the Finns, who knows. I’d rather have flat paint in a slightly off colour then a correct colour in high gloss. Lol

[AndrewSchaefer]

What would I go with a colour chip? Take it to a retailer of that paint and have it made? Or is this just to pick the colours?

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by AndrewSchaefer

What would I do with a colour chip? ..
Or is this just to pick the colours?
I’d rather have flat paint in a slightly off colour then a correct colour in high gloss.

Yep, just to look at Gillespie's colors to see if it might be suitable for your purpose, and then buy the pre-mixed gallon can from Gillespies.

I don't know enough about German paint schemes (or French, or even a Finnish finish) to spot a precise shade of Feldgrau or Dunkelgelb at 20 paces, and neither would 99% of show attendees. Gillespies is a superior quality flat paint that is durable and fade free, and available off the shelf. If you can find a color that suits your purpose, go with it. There will however always be the risk of encountering the 1% expert that does know the difference, and they will be happy to point out your gross error.

If there is nothing close to what you want, or you're not happy with the approximation, then find a paint producer in Canada that will mix to your exact standard in a flat finish. As linked in the thread above, that seems to be a hard thing to find these days.

[AndrewSchaefer]

Yes good info. Thank you.

Can you tell me which “colours” those two chips are called? They look pretty damn good. I have about 10 period photos showing the same camo scheme so I am Going to mimic that.

Agreed on your point about exact colours. I’m a collector and want it to be right but, I know the limitations. The guys who bitch about colours are typically modellers or similar. Seldom do they own hard items and have to contend with maintaining them. Like getting the paint right on the plastic model is one thing compared to a gun or vehicle which requires movements and oil exposure etc. Also anyone who thinks colours were completely standardized is fooling themselves. You can find a wide spectrum of shades in dunkelgelb, and the red oxide primers, etc

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by AndrewSchaefer

Yes good info. Thank you.

Can you tell me which “colours” those two chips are called? They look pretty damn good.

The Grey is 34052 and the Sand is 30257. Be aware that photo representation and computer monitors can vary the appearance of colors, so it's probably best to order the chips first to satisfy yourself that the shade is correct for your use. Note that the tone of my photos are different from the ebay pics of likely the same chips.

[Tony Smith]

Another reason to get the chips rather than order by color is that the chips are representative of Gillespie's actual product. Their chips show a difference in colors to the official FS595b color chips. That might be bad news for someone looking for an exact 34052 paint, as Gillespie's color looks a more "Iron Grey" than the "Blackish Green" of FS595b, but it's good for you because you're NOT looking for 34052. If you went to Brand X and asked for 34052, you might get something much greener than you want.

[rob love]

Both those paint codes are available form RAPCO, out of Texas. They are where I order my paints from, and I am often bringing it up by the pallet.



At the MVPA conventions, Rapco will actually have a bunch of plates of metal that he has painted to give representation of the colours. However, there are so many variables like the reducer used, the amount of reducer, if the paint has been frozen, hardeners etc, that you are unlikely to replicate his exact shades. Even the daylight or lighting that the vehicle or gun is being displayed in will make a difference to the presentation of the colour. In real life, paint fades as well.


One only has to look at older Cdn camoflauge vehicles to see the change in colours over just a few years. Totally different shades of green become the same, and black turns to very light grey.