gun coatings

crsracing · Sep 20, 2011

hi i just got a taurus p92 and all the blueing is worn off the slide and i was wondering what woulld be a good product to use or a good place to go local to get it done. i would like to get a nice flat/satin black finish on it. i am also looking for a good gunsmith if any one has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated
thanks chris

MrNiceGuy · Sep 20, 2011

I'm not sure about the gunsmith, but if you're looking for a nice finish that's tough as nails, go cerakote.

I just had a 1911 and a mossberg 500 done in cerakote and I could not be happier.

Mine was done by NIC industries in white city.

crsracing · Sep 20, 2011

is cerakote somthing you have to have done or is it somthing you can also do yourself ? and also where is white city ?

dschuetz26 · Sep 20, 2011

I just sent an email to Northwest Gun Coatings (Cerakote Ad is linked above in header) for a price quote. I got a response that they are not accepting any new work until Dec. 1st. Does anyone know of other local outfits who apply this finish?

deadeye · Sep 20, 2011

dschuetz26 · Sep 21, 2011

Does Guncoat NW do Cerakote or something similar? In looking at their website I understood that they apply is "Duracote" which is similar to "Cerakote". I dont want to pass along bad info so if I am misinformed please let me know. If they do Cerakote I am excited, since they are located about 5 miles from me.

crsracing · Sep 23, 2011

so which is better cerakote or duracote cause i was looking at some of guncoat nw's work and it looks very good

MrNiceGuy · Sep 23, 2011

I've had bad results with duracoat. The paint seems to flake/chip/scratch way too easily.

I will do cerakote from now on. It's proven to be incredibly tough on the two guns I had coated.

I only have a few poorly framed and lit cell phone pics, but I'll post them up anyway.

It withstood re-installing the heat shield. That was a big surprise for me. That shield is a tight fit and I had to slide it down the barrel, grinding the whole way. To my surprise there was not a single scratch.

crsracing · Sep 23, 2011

well thats what i was looking for cerakote it is and i know what you mean about the heat sheild i have installed one before. does any one know what the avarage price for a pistol just one color is ?

joken · Sep 23, 2011

Duracoat gets a bad rep because amateurs apply it incorrectly and then whine about it. Sorry, it's a fact. I have a hunk of steel in my shop with Duracoat on one side and Ceracoat on the other and most people don't know which is which after scratching both. They are both good products.

MrNiceGuy · Sep 24, 2011

Both being properly applied, cerakote is the superior product.

That being said, duracoat isn't necessarily a bad product. Depending on use, budget, and desired longevity, duracoat may be the right choice.

KEMOSABEJR1 · Jul 2, 2014

I just duracoated a Glock frame and it seems to be holding up well. from what I understand, ceracoat needs to be baked in the oven. Polymer frames will melt out of shape even at 250 degrees... I know, I had a Glock that I heated up with some leather building a holster for it and it mis-shaped the mag well so bad I had to beat it into submission. I know that it was 250 as I had a thermometer in with it. Any input?

KEMOSABEJR1 · Jul 2, 2014

That was a dumb move on my part!

MountainBear · Jul 2, 2014

There are two different types of Cerakote. The H series is the standard finish they use for firearms. It includes a hardener and is baked on. The other type is C series, which doesn't have to be baked on, so it is used for heat sensitive parts. But the trade-off to no heat is less durability than H-series. I still like the product. It's what I have many of the custom guns I build coated with. It's what Nosler coats their rifles with (take that for what its worth, I suppose).
I don't do the coatings myself, but I do offer the service out of my shop in Sweet Home. I take them to a professional every few weeks. He has a full professional set-up with paint booths and commercial ovens, and has been spraying for years. He's who I have do my personal guns, again, for what that's worth.

I have little experience with duracote or KG or any of the other spray-on products. I'm sure properly applied they will function as advertised. Getting them properly applied always seems to be the struggle. And their reputations suffer accordingly. Cerakote is almost always applied by a factory trained person, or at least a factory trained shop. That probably helps with things.