First and foremost, I learned patience. >,<
The can tells you to use light coats. THEY MEAN IT. If you even try to get full coverage on the gun with each coat? There will be runs and drips. For a Maverick, you do four passes on the left and right sides, two on the top, two on the bottom, one from the rear and one from the front...per coat. Move the can smoothly back and forth, taking about a second and a half in each direction. Always trigger the spray off the gun to avoid spattering, and pause to shake the can frequently.
Before you apply anything, you want to make sure the paint gets good adhesion. Clean your gun thoroughly and make sure any residue left over from removed decals is scraped off. Lightly sand the plastic. Wipe it down with a kleenex. Then apply either a plastic primer, or an 'adhesion promotor', a product Duplicolor also uses. I used the latter; trying to use the same brand of paint throughout a project is a good idea, reducing the chances of weird compatibility problems.
Then of course you have to apply the Metalcast 'ground coat', which lays down a color that simulates bare metal, which the paint requires to let its anodized qualities shine. Follow the directions on the can carefully. I've found that using the ground coat alone can give you some nice effects, since it really does look a lot like bare metal.
When you start applying the Metalcast color paint, wait ten minutes between coats, and apply all coats within an hour's time. I recommend, if your gun has a trigger guard, sticking a broom handle or other suitable object through it to hang the gun and let it dry between coats.
With every gun there are places that are awkward to spray, and that won't get the same coverage. You'll have to touch these areas up, but be very careful. The more of the Metalcast color you spray on, the darker the hue gets. You can go from a light sprinkled-red to thick fresh-spilled blood very quickly. The trouble-spots on the Maverick are the 'floor' and 'ceiling' of the rectangular area where the cylinder rests. Paint doesn't settle well there, and these areas must be sprayed quite directly.
Let it dry for a good day, then mask as you need to, and apply *at least* two coats of clear-coat. I used a clear enamel spray, but I don't like it much. The resulting texture is displeasing.
The clear coat is essential. This paint is 'thin', and fragile. You lose none of its lustre by clear-coating it.
If you do any masking, make certain the edges of the tape have been pressed down *hard*. This paint seems to love leaking under your tape. If you've gotten leaks, well, don't just try to spray over the messed-up area with the Metalcast color. You'll have to spray the ground coat again first, then recoat with the color. Try your best to match the rest of the gun, but chances are it will still look wonky. If you don't get it perfect on the first try, it'll be hard to recover. Practice on something you don't like much, first.
