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I'm looking for a good spray paint primer (dark grey), any suggestions?

I've used the Krylon brand that I just got from a hardware store and found that while it's ok for the most part, sometimes it leaves a gritty/sandy residue on the model. This residue nearly ruins the model, which has happened a few times now. Perhaps I'm just not shaking it enough, though I feel like I am. Still, was wondering if anyone had any suggestions that are high quality and meant for models.

Not sure if available where you are at, but my go to has been Dupli-Color sandable auto body primer. Goes on flat, dries quick, has great bite, doesn't obscure detail and great even in humid and hot weather which for me is important where I live, but maybe not so much where you are. Also I typically pay between 4 and 5 dollars a can so the price is good as well.

I've mostly used Krylon so I'm in the same boat as you; eventually I relented and just went back to using black from some more wargaming-oriented companies.

 Lord of Deeds wrote:
Not sure if available where you are at, but my go to has been Dupli-Color sandable auto body primer. Goes on flat, dries quick, has great bite, doesn't obscure detail and great even in humid and hot weather which for me is important where I live, but maybe not so much where you are. Also I typically pay between 4 and 5 dollars a can so the price is good as well.

Second for Dupli-Color. I've used it for years and never once had a problem with it.

 Lord of Deeds wrote:
Not sure if available where you are at, but my go to has been Dupli-Color sandable auto body primer. Goes on flat, dries quick, has great bite, doesn't obscure detail and great even in humid and hot weather which for me is important where I live, but maybe not so much where you are. Also I typically pay between 4 and 5 dollars a can so the price is good as well.

Looked online and it seems as though DupliColor is a thing here as well, though more expensive. Have you tried other types of primer by them or just stuck with the sandable auto body primer? Hopefully I can find dark grey.
Thanks

You can get an airbrush system for the price of like 10 hobby-level spray cans and it'll last you forever.

Had fun testing 4 different cans: GW, Army Painter, Auto and some from ant art store. GW is definitely the best. Army painter comes second, but smells like pure cancer and I somehow found the 'propellant' to be too weak for my liking, auto one clogged the details and left an odd feeling it was still sticky on touch, the art one dried glossy, so pure pain to paint by brush further.

 Lord of Deeds wrote:
Not sure if available where you are at, but my go to has been Dupli-Color sandable auto body primer. Goes on flat, dries quick, has great bite, doesn't obscure detail and great even in humid and hot weather which for me is important where I live, but maybe not so much where you are. Also I typically pay between 4 and 5 dollars a can so the price is good as well.

So I got Dupli-Color Sandable Primer, Alkyd Polymer, Premium Automotive Formulation
but just want to double check this is the one you use as it says "fills light finishing scratches" on the front of the can which has me concerned it will obscure the detail

My last can looked like the following, but it's been a while since I've painted...

hm, hard to tell lol. our cans look different since there's french on them too, but I'm fairly certain it's the same one.
I'll try it on an old model first. if it's no good I'll just get the expensive gw one as CragHack suggested, I saw they carry the grey at my FLGS today


Automatically Appended Next Post:
tested it out: detail is solid, smooth finish, nice dark grey colour. works great for 1/2 the price of GW one's, thanks.