Gun Paint Planner·Updated September 28, 2026
Rattle Can M81 Woodland: History, Colors and Paint Jobs on Real Guns
M81 woodland is the four color US camo issued from 1981, a 60 percent enlargement of the 1948 ERDL pattern. For two decades it was the look of the American soldier. Here it is painted with real spray can colors on 12 real guns. Pick yours to open it in the planner, then reroll the layout or paint over it by hand.
Quick answer
- It takes 4 spray cans: Khaki, Woodland Light Green, Brown, Black.
- Spray it light to dark: Khaki first, Black last.
Cans and spray order from the Krylon and Rust-Oleum color charts, matched in GunPartPicker's paint planner.
M81 Woodland camo on 12 real guns
Where M81 woodland camo comes from
M81 started as ERDL. Army engineers designed ERDL in 1948, and elite recon and special operations units wore it in Vietnam from 1967.
For 1981 the Army blew the ERDL shapes up by 60 percent. Bigger blobs keep breaking up a soldier's outline at longer range. The print also went on a shade darker, so it fades toward the right colors in the field.
The Army and Marine Corps adopted it first, and the rest of the services followed by the late 1980s. The Marines replaced it with MARPAT from 2002, the Army with UCP from 2005. Marine Raiders and some SEAL units still wear it.
M81 is one of the most painted patterns on AR-15s. You'll find it on Cerakoted receivers straight from the factory, on furniture and on magazines.
- Adopted
- 1981, US Army and Marine Corps first
- Based on
- ERDL, designed 1948, enlarged 60 percent
- Real colors
- Light green, dark green, brown, black
- Replaced by
- MARPAT (Marines, 2002), UCP (Army, 2005)
Spray cans for an M81 Woodland paint job
In spray order, lightest first. Either brand works; do not mix them in one job.
Krylon
- 1Camouflage Khaki
- 2Camouflage Woodland Light Green
- 3Camouflage Brown
- 4Camouflage Black
Rust-Oleum
- 1Camouflage Khaki
- 2Camouflage Army Green
- 3Camouflage Earth Brown
- 4Camouflage Black
Painting M81 woodland on a gun
The real pattern is light green, dark green, brown and black. Our version keeps light green, brown and black and trades the dark green for a khaki base, a common rattle can choice that reads well on a rifle.
Go big. M81 shapes are large, so a few big blobs beat a lot of small ones. Cut the blobs from tape or vinyl for hard edges, and lay the black branches last.
We'd pick M81 if you want one camo that looks right on any rifle. It's forgiving, and you can fix a bad blob by spraying the next color over it.
How to spray M81 Woodland on a gun
1. Strip it down
On an AR pull the bolt carrier group and split the upper and lower. On an AK take off the dust cover and bolt carrier. On a Glock take the slide off. Remove the optic or plan to tape it.
2. Degrease everything
Wipe every outside surface with acetone or isopropyl alcohol. Paint will not hold over gun oil.
3. Mask what moves
Plug the chamber and muzzle, tape the ejection port, magazine well, trigger and safety, and cover the optic lenses.
4. Base coat in khaki
Two light coats over the whole gun, 8 to 12 inches away, 10 minutes apart.
5. Lay the m81 woodland pattern
Big hard edged blobs with black branches, the classic US woodland. Spray woodland light green, then brown, then black, light to dark, letting each color flash off before the next.
6. Let it cure
Handle it after an hour but give it a full day before it goes in a case, and a few days before hard use.
More rattle can camo patterns
Frequently Asked Questions
What colors are in M81 woodland camo?
Four: light green, dark green, brown and black. The 1981 Army report lists them as Light Green 354, Dark Green 355, Brown 356 and Black 357.
What is the difference between M81 woodland and ERDL?
M81 is ERDL enlarged by 60 percent and printed a little darker, so it works at longer range. ERDL dates from 1948, M81 from 1981.
What spray paint do you need for an M81 Woodland paint job?
4 cans of Krylon, sprayed in this order: Khaki, Woodland Light Green, Brown, Black. Rust-Oleum has a match for every color.
Can you paint M81 Woodland camo on a real gun?
Yes. Strip and degrease the gun, mask the bore, chamber and anything that moves, lay the lightest color first and build the look light to dark with tape and stencils. Plan on an afternoon plus a day to cure.
Cite this tool: GunPartPicker, “Rattle Can M81 Woodland: History, Colors and Paint Jobs on Real Guns”, https://gunpartpicker.net/gun-paint-planner/camo/m81-woodland. Paint colors from the Krylon and Rust-Oleum color charts; gun photos credited on each gun's page. Free to cite with attribution.
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