Last Monday, I ordered a Mossy Oak graphic kit in Obsession for a Franchi Affinity 20g that I picked up. The Affinity was black synthetic, so I thought $24.99 was worth the gamble over having it dipped for several hundred. The Mossy Oak graphics team had the kit to my door in 4 business days. Upon initial inspection, the kit didn't appear overly impressive. However, once I dug in, I was quite impressed.
I knew I had a little spare time this past weekend, so I was going to really see how good I could get this thing to come out. I started off by disassembling the gun and using a mild degreaser to cleanse the portions of the gun that would be covered. There's a new product out from the "Goo-Gone" folks that is for use on finished metals. It works quite well and is gentle on your firearm's finish.
I let the gun dry after cleaning it several times. I then gathered an x-acto knife and my wife's blow dryer. I didn't have a heat gun, but found that the blow dryer we had worked plenty good enough to mold the decals and activate the adhesive. I don't think a heat gun is necessary, but others may feel the need. As Mossy Oak advertises, the adhesive on the decals is easy to peel and reapply if you make a placement mistake. It also doesn't appear to leave any residue. I know this because I peeled it off several times to better place it. It does take hold once heated. The kit comes with pieces cut in general sizes for your barrel, receiver, stock, and foreend. Some cutting will be necessary, but nothing extensive. This gun, being a semi-auto, probably required more adaptation than your typical pump. Still, no biggie if you take your time.
Call me crazy, but I actually found this enjoyable. Sure, it took some time, but I'm quite pleased with the finished product. Had I not told my wife about the project, I probably would've been harrassed for picking up a "new" shotgun.
If you're on the fence and looking for a Saturday project to hold you over for Spring, pick one of these up!
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