Experience with painting, Cerakoting, or GunSkinning your rifle?

[nucular]

Has anyone had good luck with using one of these methods to pimp their rifle? I have a frankenbuild I am considering cleaning up. My original idea was to go the paint route but that doesn't seem very durable. I would prefer cerakote but not sure how feasible that is. If you did any of these, how much did it cost, how did it look, and how well did the finish last?

 

[shootersix]

Cost will depend on who’s applying it, just remember cheap ain’t good, and good ain’t cheap!

I have a sig m11a1 in dark earth (factory applied ceracoat) and it was a daily carry for a few years, and the finish did wear off, think holster wear on a blued gun, and that’s exactly what mine did, but no scratches or chips in the coating, I had a friend who was a coater and he put a gray on the frame of one of my 320’s, and it’s held up very well.

Those are my experiences

 

[WebSnyper]

Has anyone had good luck with using one of these methods to pimp their rifle? I have a frankenbuild I am considering cleaning up. My original idea was to go the paint route but that doesn't seem very durable. I would prefer cerakote but not sure how feasible that is. If you did any of these, how much did it cost, how did it look, and how well did the finish last?

Are you thinking DIY or having someone do it?

If thinking of having someone do it, you might ping AllenM. He's local given that you appear to be in Brownsburg and will give you an estimate up front. He does phenomenal work with and beyond cerakote.

 

[nucular]

Are you thinking DIY or having someone do it?

If thinking of having someone do it, you might ping AllenM. He's local given that you appear to be in Brownsburg and will give you an estimate up front. He does phenomenal work with and beyond cerakote.

If I paint, I'll DIY. If cerakote I would have someone else do it but I'm not sure what is possible. I want something like a camo - not a single color.

 

[Hookeye]

Id spray paint it and let the wear add character....if doing an AR or waterfowl/turkey gun.
Matte clear over flat spray paint helps protect it, but adds sheen. Not horrible, but not flat.

If folks want a cool pattern/color scheme and want it to look new......Cerakote.

Have had decent luck w Gunkote oven cure (metal only), but don't think itd be as good as Cerakote done by a professional.

 

[STFU]

I have had a couple of weapons and many parts Cerekoted over the last few years. Nothing blinged out...just plain, single color jobs.
All have retained their finishes and look as good as the day they were done.

That said, I did have one of my silencers Cerekoted in FDE to match the weapon. My son ran about 4 or 5 (~120-150 rounds) mag dumps through it and it scorched the Cerekote. The Cerekote did not peel off, but it did darken up a bit.

 

[ditcherman]

I have very much enjoyed cerakoting most of my AR’s and now doing some pistols, basically if I mill it for a dot I cerakote it.
Not interested in going into business because I don’t work very fast but had the space and a $75 Craigslist oven.

Not hard if you follow the steps. I’ve definitely gotten better at it but even my early rifles are respectable. And if I don’t like it I blast it off.

As far as wear goes, I’ve had some holster wear on some I got too thin, but nothing different than a Sig legion finish shows!

If you don’t have the room/tools for that, but have the diy spirit, go for it with some of the simpler paint options. I think the cerekote is worth it though.

 

[lrdudley]

Take a look at DuraCoat Firearm Finishes. It is a two part finish that does not have to be baked. Used a cheap Harbor Freight detail spray gun with results that I am very pleased with. Have done two pistols and one rifle. The rifle is an old Sears 22 gill gun and has some feeding issues so hasn't been shot much. The first pistol is my favorite range gun and still looks as good as the day I finished it. The second pistol became my 9mm Friday Night Steel and Monday Night Steel gun until my retirement and the price of 9mm semi retired it in favor of my 22lr pistol. The color on this pistol was custom matched to a sample I supplied. No extra charge for that service. Have also done a couple of knives that came out nice, but they are not every day care knives.

 

[ancjr]

Is it possible to repair chipped cerakote?

 

[Squirt239]

Is it possible to repair chipped cerakote?

Yep....strip it and recoat.

 

[Squirt239]

Take a look at DuraCoat Firearm Finishes. It is a two part finish that does not have to be baked. Used a cheap Harbor Freight detail spray gun with results that I am very pleased with. Have done two pistols and one rifle. The rifle is an old Sears 22 gill gun and has some feeding issues so hasn't been shot much. The first pistol is my favorite range gun and still looks as good as the day I finished it. The second pistol became my 9mm Friday Night Steel and Monday Night Steel gun until my retirement and the price of 9mm semi retired it in favor of my 22lr pistol. The color on this pistol was custom matched to a sample I supplied. No extra charge for that service. Have also done a couple of knives that came out nice, but they are not every day care knives.

I was a DuraCoat guy. Until I used Cerakote. Now, I'm embarrassed for ever using DuraCoat.

Cerakote is 7 to 10 times tougher. While DuraCoat is able to be used by the average DIYer, Cerakote is by far the better option.

I am not sponsored by either, just personal experience.

 

[NyleRN]

AllenM did a cerakote job on my German P228 years ago. I think maybe 6-8 years ago now? Still have the gun. I bought it off Gunbroker as a LE trade in for $400. I had him put new factory springs in it and Trijicon HD sights on it while he had it apart. He did a great job