LunarSol wrote:I used to, but I just find with the tendency of mold lines to raise the center point of the barrel, its just not worth the effort of trying to get them perfectly centered to look right. It's much easier to paint and looks about the same.
Take a flat file and run it across the end of the barrel a few times. It helps.
Some people recommend scraping an “X” on the barrel to center the bit. I’ve never gotten this method to work. (Maybe you need a panel line scribe or some similar Gundam tool?) I take the bit and work it back and forth a little to find the center before I apply pressure and drill.
To answer the poll question, I do it for bolters on up. I like it. But I don’t nag others.