Gun Paint Planner·Updated September 28, 2026
Rattle Can OD Green, Tan Mag: History, Colors and Paint Jobs on Real Guns
OD green with a tan magazine is the classic issued look. Olive drab was the color of US soldiers from World War II through Vietnam, and a sand colored mag adds contrast. 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 2 spray cans: Olive, Sand.
- Spray it light to dark: Olive first, Sand last.
Cans and spray order from the Krylon and Rust-Oleum color charts, matched in GunPartPicker's paint planner.
OD Green, Tan Mag camo on 12 real guns
OD Green, Tan Mag AR-15
OD Green, Tan Mag AK-47
OD Green, Tan Mag Glock 19
OD Green, Tan Mag Glock 17
OD Green, Tan Mag Glock 43X
OD Green, Tan Mag Block II
OD Green, Tan Mag M16A4
OD Green, Tan Mag M27 / HK416
OD Green, Tan Mag PSA PA-15
OD Green, Tan Mag DD M4 V7
OD Green, Tan Mag Sig M400
OD Green, Tan Mag M24
Where OD green comes from
The US Army moved to olive drab for field uniforms in 1902, replacing blue. Olive drab wool and khaki cotton became the look of the American soldier.
World War II made it iconic: OD uniforms, OD trucks, the OD M1 helmet. The Army kept olive drab and its cousin OG-107 through Vietnam, and M81 woodland took over uniforms in 1981.
Solid olive drab never left. US forces still use it on webbing and gear, and OD green is one of the most popular AR-15 colors for handguards, stocks and whole guns.
A sand colored magazine breaks up the solid green and nods to the desert. Polymer mags have come in tan and flat dark earth since 2008.
- US Army color
- Olive drab from 1902
- Era
- World War II through Vietnam
- Colors
- Two: olive and sand
- Today
- Gear, webbing and a top AR-15 color
Spray cans for an OD Green, Tan Mag paint job
In spray order, lightest first. Either brand works; do not mix them in one job.
Krylon
- 1Camouflage Olive
- 2Camouflage Sand
Rust-Oleum
- 1Camouflage Deep Forest Green
- 2Camouflage Sand
Painting an OD green gun
One can on the gun, one on the magazine. Krylon Olive covers the gun and Sand does the mag.
For an issued look, let the edges wear a little after it cures. A perfectly even coat looks new out of the box.
We'd call this the cleanest look on the page. If you're unsure about camo, start here and add a pattern later.
How to spray OD Green, Tan Mag 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 olive
Two light coats over the whole gun, 8 to 12 inches away, 10 minutes apart.
5. Lay the od green, tan mag pattern
Solid OD green with a sand magazine, clean and simple. Spray sand, 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
When did the US Army start using olive drab?
The Army adopted olive drab for field uniforms in 1902. It defined US uniforms and gear from World War II through Vietnam.
What spray paint matches OD green?
Krylon Olive on the gun and Krylon Sand on the magazine. The cans list on this page has the Rust-Oleum match for both.
What spray paint do you need for an OD Green, Tan Mag paint job?
2 cans of Krylon, sprayed in this order: Olive, Sand. Rust-Oleum has a match for every color.
Can you paint OD Green, Tan Mag 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 OD Green, Tan Mag: History, Colors and Paint Jobs on Real Guns”, https://gunpartpicker.net/gun-paint-planner/camo/od-green-tan-mag. 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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