Finish Wear

[Trapper Jim]

So for this gun I own that has a Cerakote finish I now have discovered a drawback. I shoot this LC9s Pro weekly. It has about 3000 rounds thru it now. I purchased this cause I liked the looks of the contrasting slide. However, now with many presentations and a few years later, you can see the finish wear on the slide. Unfortunately to refinish will cost me more than a usual cold blue or naked stainless. Unless I am not seeing something, I will stick to carbon blue or beaded naked stainless from now on. Any thought?

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

Do you carry it because of the looks?

If it works and you shoot it well, why worry about holster wear?

Save the pretty guns for range day.

 

[PGRChaplain]

That gives it some character!

 

[actaeon277]

That gives it some character!

 

[Vigilant]

 

[Sniper 79]

I'm the opposite. I buy guns to shoot. Nothing but tools in my toolbox. The more they get beat the better they look. Love buying used.

 

[bwframe]

 

[Tactically Fat]

Thoughts? Meh. Tools get wear marks.

And leather holsters gather and hold on to finish-marring materials so it kind of exacerbates.

But, again, tools get wear marks.

 

[Ziggy01]

I would say if its daily carry piece I wouldn't worry about it. As mentioned above, leather will continue to expedite the removal of the cerakote. You could try switching to kydex or something similar to help slow the process down. If it bothers you that much just break down and have it re-refinished should be around $90 +/- a few bucks.

 

[Thor]

If you like spray paint on your firearms then this is expected. I never have; I won't buy a painted weapon or pay to have one done. Everyone to their own.

 

[Mongo59]

Thick boots, parkas, gloves...

Oops, sorry. I was going in another direction with this post.

 

[Spyco]

If it's honest wear, leave it alone. Unless the gun is now rusting it should be fine. It's a carry gun, not a safe queen.

If you must have it refinished, just go with the cheapest Cerakote and make it black.

 

[Ark]

I'm definitely on team "honest wear is character", but that is indeed a disappointing result in a relatively short period of time. I've had guns with factory finishes and bluing that were in daily police service for a decade or more and didn't wear that bad.

 

[DadSmith]

Nothing lasts if you carry everyday. My pistol gets put in and pulled out of a holster minimum twice a day. On days o shoot many more times. Nothing holds up to that except stainless steel. If you dont want wear that shows a lot stainless is the way to go. My beretta 92 stainless even showed wear after wearing it daily for 13 years. Everything wears eventually. Stainless just shows it less.

What about a holster that had say sheepskin as a liner would that slow the wear process?

 

[Karl-just-Karl]

.

What about a holster that had say sheepskin as a liner would that slow the wear process?

Some holster folks claim a soft liner holds too much moisture against the firearm and promotes oxidation. I would also fear the lint and other organic debris that would get into the rails/action.

Although I can't personally attest to that. I've always carried leather, used polyester at the range and I just started my experience with Kydex.

Tight leather does seem to wear through bluing pretty quick.

 

[Hookeye]

Brownells Gunkote $35

 

[DadSmith]

Brownells Gunkote $35

Unfortunately it's all sold out.

 

[Spyco]

I don't expect much from painted finishes on guns. Looks nice, but will wear off fast. It's not like a surface treatment like bluing, Melonite, or tefloning the slides, like on Glocks and M&Ps. even if the color wears off on those guns, the surface is still protected because the surface metal still maintains the treatment.

Now I don't know if Ruger did that to the LCP series. May have, may have not for the sake of cost.