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  #1  
Old 11-27-2020, 05:18 AM
georgeld georgeld is offline
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Default Cerakote: what's YOUR experience?

Ok guys, here's a big can of worms.
Let's hear your opinions and experience's with this paint crap.

Several years ago I had three rifles built or refinished with it by
one of the boards long time sponsors. I was shocked when I saw
he'd painted them instead of proper bluing. I'd never expected that.

We hadn't discussed the finish, so it's as much my fault as his. The
barrels didn't match the actions by a long shot.
First trip to the range with one of them it was scratched and seemed to
be done way too easy.

Then a couple ? years later our friend Rider brought his new toy bore
scope over and we looked at several of my barrels. The other two were
cooked so bad I had them rebarreled and properly blued. The other was
a new high dollar build: Re: .358RUM, left it. New Douglas barrel. Too
big a deal to just refinish it.

I've spent hours last night and today with a gunsmith trying to sell me on
how wonderful and durable it is etc. Then when he said "I can't match the
action color with it" "just blue it then and it should be real close"

Enough from me, let's hear yours now. Thanks everyone.
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  #2  
Old 11-27-2020, 11:21 AM
Hog Patrol Hog Patrol is offline
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I built a rifle with a nitrided finish action, took it to a certified, authorized, cerakote applier to get the entire barreled action and trigger guard done. He said it wasn't necessary, he could match it. He did and unless you knew it was cerakoted, you couldn't tell the difference in the finish. My suggestion is find someone who is on the cerakote website and visit the shop or view their samples. Can a home guy do it ok? Maybe but it may wind up like your examples.
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  #3  
Old 11-27-2020, 12:26 PM
Danny Danny is offline
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It's paint. Paint only belongs on those gun parts which can't be blued, parkerized. or maybe plated.
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Products that I am looking for but can't seem to find no matter how hard I look:
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I video recorded all of my Highpower Rifle matches. Pretty soon I am going to watch them all in reverse order so that I can watch those F Class guys GO HOME and leave us alone so that we can shoot Highpower Rifle.
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  #4  
Old 11-27-2020, 01:23 PM
jdunham jdunham is offline
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I have owned a few rifles that were cerakoted and have been happy with them. Plenty durable and I had no issues. Only one I still own is my favorite big game rifle and it has seen tons of use and still looks new after a decade. I have seen some cerakote jobs that were less than impressive and would scare me away from having anything similar. My tastes have moved to just having bead blasted stainless on recent builds.

I believe the person doing the job is the biggest factor with cerakote. Karl Kampfeld did mine and does excellent work and the only guy I would use for it. If you have questions about cerakote give Karl a call and he will give you the good and the bad, he is a straight shooter and a great guy.

http://www.kampfeldcustom.com
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Old 11-27-2020, 03:24 PM
Hog Patrol Hog Patrol is offline
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It's not "paint" in any way shape or form. It's a ceramic and polymer coating.
It's more durable and harder and better at protecting metal than bluing, parkerizing or plating. When I needed it done, I went to their website, found an applicator in my area. He does work for LEO, military and defense contractors.
If it wasn't any good, I doubt those would be using the process.


https://www.cerakote.com/
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  #6  
Old 11-27-2020, 03:27 PM
moorepower moorepower is offline
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The coatings will never match bluing, even if the colors are the same, because of the texture. Much of the issues people are having is caused by the applicator. I only coated a few guns parts, "my own" but my former business and myself coated over 10,000 sets of exhaust headers, which is a much tougher environment to deal with. The prep is a huge factor in adhesion. Every part must be heated to a temp higher than the temp that they are coated at to get any oils off and outgassing. Even on a polished surface, there can be/are oils and impurities that can NOT be removed by an abrasive blasting. Fully warming the metal, if required is another area that can cause failure. That being said, nothing is scratch proof. Chrome is much much harder than steel, but is easily scratched. That being said, the coatings will offer a higher salt spray resistance than blued or SS. Like everything, I think they have a place. If your trying to match steel to aluminum, want a different color or desire a camo gun for hunting. John Norell Moly Resin is an outstanding coating for firearms and I actually prefer it, FYI
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  #7  
Old 11-27-2020, 03:33 PM
Bayou City Boy Bayou City Boy is offline
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Cerakote is definitely not just another paint job. It is a very durable surface coating that far exceeds paint.

The key to a good Cerakote job is in the prep. Find someone who has a bonafide history and a good reputation with Cerakote. Don't use a new guy who says, "I can do that" with no reputation behind the statement, and you should be fine.

JMO - BCB
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  #8  
Old 11-27-2020, 06:56 PM
Danny Danny is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hog Patrol View Post
It's not "paint" in any way shape or form. It's a ceramic and polymer coating.
It's more durable and harder and better at protecting metal than bluing, parkerizing or plating. When I needed it done, I went to their website, found an applicator in my area. He does work for LEO, military and defense contractors.
If it wasn't any good, I doubt those would be using the process.


https://www.cerakote.com/
Call it what you will, but it is something that is sprayed on.
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Danny

**************************************************

The 11th Commandment: Thou shallt not fold thy Pizza.

Products that I am looking for but can't seem to find no matter how hard I look:
Leopold Scopes, Forester reloading equipment and Victorianox knives.


I video recorded all of my Highpower Rifle matches. Pretty soon I am going to watch them all in reverse order so that I can watch those F Class guys GO HOME and leave us alone so that we can shoot Highpower Rifle.
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  #9  
Old 11-28-2020, 05:24 AM
georgeld georgeld is offline
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Default

IT's applied with a paint spraygun exactly like
the one I've used for years painting cars.

BCB: pm
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  #10  
Old 11-28-2020, 02:09 PM
Double D Double D is offline
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Nothing wrong with paint.

Here is a BSA 1215 that I picked up for parts. The exterior was heavily rusted and deeply pitted.



The bore was solid rust-stem to stern. Ruined liner drill boring it out. Relined it to 17HM2.

Bead blasted the entire gun.

Had to cut the buttstock off and replace and and reshape it. Spray painted the stock with gray faux granite paint.

I filled all the pits in the metal work with JB Weld and reshaped everything with a file.

At the recommendation of Brownells I sprayed the entire gun with their baking lacquer. Looked good after applying. When I reinstalled the barrel I covered the action with masking tape to protect the finish from the barrel wrench. When I peeled the tape off it pulled the baking lacquer off also.

I repolished everything and spray painted all the metal with Rustoleum and lived happily ever after.



That was in 2004. Since the gun has been used many, many days and shot thousands of gophers in the gopher patch. Like any gun used this heavy it has some bare shiney spots the could use a refinishing. But no rust.



If you have a rough use gun and with a rough finish I can recommend JB Weld and Rustoleum.

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