Why are our soldiers guns black?

[1lostinspace]

After billions of dollars spent on camo pattern development the weapons remain black!

There is nowhere that black blends in not even at night! Under NV black sticks out like no other color and why NIR reflectors are black.Now when I say black I don't mean the little pixels in woodland Marpat but the M4/M16 across our soldiers chest. Here is a picture illustrating what I mean notice how bad the black rifle sticks out compared to painted one!

[LibertyDeath]

Cost I would assume. Painting a rifle black is much cheaper than camo.

[chickenfried]

so soldiers don't lose their guns.

[winnre]

It's only bluing to protect from rust.

[NorCalXJ]

Imagine if they were PINK

[JamesY]

Faster and cheaper to anodize than to paint. Imo

[Stockton]

18yrs of service, 3 camo patterns, and 4 different countries. If you ever find the answer to this let me know.

Different units and missions have dictated ability to Krylon the **** out of a few issued to me. However BIG Army loves that black A2/M4. Now paint your face and put your PT belt on your ruck!!

[Donkeypunch0420]

Well, black is good camo at night!

[SocomM4]

Didn't know there was a second rifle lol

[Fern]

I didn't even notice the camo painted one until I read there was one. Nice!

[MrOrange]

Cost-saving mostly, I imagine, along with the bureaucratic uniformity that the military loves so much.

But take a look at the weapons in the sandbox, and you'll very seldom see something as squeaky-clean black as the one on the right in your pic. Just carrying it around will pick up enough dust & crap to make it look like it's starting to become one with the environment.

It depends on how high-speed your outfit is, too, if for no other reason than the garritrooper officers tend to leave you alone. IIRC it was in Plaster's book Ultimate Sniper where he mentioned in SEA the members of his team would get kitted up, weapon, ruck, everything just like they would be patrolling, then another team member would walk around them spray painting camo patterns onto them.

[stormvet]

Why don't you man up, sign up and find out.

[stormvet]

Why don't you man up, sign up and find out.

[dieselpower]

as stated it a production cost thing

[1lostinspace]

Cost but over 3billion got spent on the UCP pattern and equipment