Gun Paint Planner·Updated September 28, 2026
Rattle Can Snakeskin Bands: History, Colors and Paint Jobs on Real Guns
Snakeskin bands is a do it yourself spray look, not a military pattern: diagonal color bands with a darker coat sprayed through mesh so it leaves scales. 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 3 spray cans: Sand, Brown, Black.
- Spray it light to dark: Sand first, Black last.
Cans and spray order from the Krylon and Rust-Oleum color charts, matched in GunPartPicker's paint planner.
Snakeskin Bands camo on 12 real guns
Where the snakeskin paint job comes from
No army issued a snakeskin camo. The look comes from shooters and hunters who figured out that spraying through stretched netting leaves a scale texture.
Fishnet, an onion sack, a laundry bag or a helmet net all work. The size of the holes sets the size of the scales.
Pro coaters use the same trick between Cerakote layers, and you'll find it sold as hydrographic film too. On a rifle it's a hunting look that hides well in grass and brush.
- Origin
- Do it yourself technique, no military issue
- Method
- Bands, then a dark coat through mesh
- Colors
- Three: sand, brown, black
- Best on
- Rifles with long flat panels and stocks
Spray cans for a Snakeskin Bands paint job
In spray order, lightest first. Either brand works; do not mix them in one job.
Krylon
- 1Camouflage Sand
- 2Camouflage Brown
- 3Camouflage Black
Rust-Oleum
- 1Camouflage Sand
- 2Camouflage Earth Brown
- 3Camouflage Black
Painting a snakeskin look on a gun
Spray sand, then brown in wide diagonal bands. Stretch the mesh tight over the gun and tape its edges so it can't move.
Spray black straight on and light, from about a foot away. Heavy coats bleed under the net and the scales blur. Bolt action stocks are easier than an AR-15's busy shapes.
We'd test the mesh on a scrap piece first. You'll see right away whether the holes are the size you want.
How to spray Snakeskin Bands 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 sand
Two light coats over the whole gun, 8 to 12 inches away, 10 minutes apart.
5. Lay the snakeskin bands pattern
Bold diagonal bands with a scale net sprayed over them. Spray 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
How do you make a snakeskin pattern with spray paint?
Paint the base and color bands, stretch netting or an onion sack tight over the gun, and spray a darker color through it in light coats. The holes leave scales.
Is snakeskin a military camo?
No. It's a spray technique shooters and hunters use, not an issued pattern.
What spray paint do you need for a Snakeskin Bands paint job?
3 cans of Krylon, sprayed in this order: Sand, Brown, Black. Rust-Oleum has a match for every color.
Can you paint Snakeskin Bands 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 Snakeskin Bands: History, Colors and Paint Jobs on Real Guns”, https://gunpartpicker.net/gun-paint-planner/camo/snakeskin-bands. 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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