Help and advice on refinishing a Glock handgun slide

John_ · Mar 22, 2017

So I picked up a used Glock 22 today. Guy didn't own it for long, he got it in a trade. Its a solid gun, I figure its a LEO trade in because it has tritium sights and a lot of holster wear on slide. Cleaned it very well when I got home and all looks well, barrel rifling great.

So anyways, anybody have any idea what it would cost to have just the slide refinished? The factory tenifer finish would be nice but not likely locally I imagine.

Any of our sponsors/gunshops/gunsmiths here do refinishing? Maybe in Baton Rouge, Slidell, or Hammond. Somewhere on the north shore area. Or any info related to refinishing it would be appreciated. Recommendations, experiences, ect.

Thanks.
John_

323MAR · Mar 22, 2017

The tenifer finish is invisible. It is still on the slide. The finish you refer to is just a matte black that was put on above the tenifer finish just to give it a black look. The slide will not rust thanks to the tenifer finish. If you want to return it to it's purely cosmetic black look, any of the black coatings will do and any full-service gun shop can handle it.
If you want to spend more money for something fancy, you can send your slide to Robar. They are an industry leader. The NP3 finish can run with no lube and be cleaned with a napkin.
https://robarguns.com/custom-firearm-finishes/

beauxdog · Mar 23, 2017

Look around for folks that do Cera-Coating. They're many locally that can do it. It's a good coating, comes in many colors and will last a long time.

Beauxdog

John_ · Mar 23, 2017

323MAR said:
The tenifer finish is invisible. It is still on the slide. The finish you refer to is just a matte black that was put on above the tenifer finish just to give it a black look. The slide will not rust thanks to the tenifer finish. If you want to return it to it's purely cosmetic black look, any of the black coatings will do and any full-service gun shop can handle it.
If you want to spend more money for something fancy, you can send your slide to Robar. They are an industry leader. The NP3 finish can run with no lube and be cleaned with a napkin.
https://robarguns.com/custom-firearm-finishes/

Thanks for the info. I'm glad to hear the tenifer/corrosion resistance is still there. I'm not really worried about cosmetics with this one. I have a G19 I purchased new in about 1990, a gen 2, and the black finish is way different than this later gen 3 G22. The older models have a more robust black final finish from what I read Google searching after I posted this query here. (another good reason to hang onto my G19 forever) I read lots of owners of gen 3 and 4 are disappointed their finishes are visibly wearing prematurely. My G19 has some "finish polishing" from holster wear, but no black removal or shiny metal spots like this G22. But no doubt this G22 saw 20 times (and maybe more really) the holster time, in and out as my own personal G19 to be fair.

beauxdog said:
Look around for folks that do Cera-Coating. They're many locally that can do it. It's a good coating, comes in many colors and will last a long time.

Beauxdog

Yeah I read about the ceracoat finish in detail googling "gun finishes". Rather disappointed tho as many say its no more than a really good paint finish, baked on. 1 to 2 mils thick in application. But so many color choices. I might try it down the road sometime.

Do you know of anyone specific in the BR or Hammond area or in between that does ceracoating well, and for a reasonable rate? Just to do the bare stripped slide.

Bryan, you up way early today. Me too, didn't sleep well, restless, body aching.

Labeeman · Mar 23, 2017

If I were you I'd coat it myself. I've done several cerakote projects and they have all turned out really well. The air dry is easy to use and very forgiving. The paint is 40 dollars for the small bottle and the aerosol can applicator is less than 10 bucks at Home Depot. You will be able to do multiple projects with this small bottle. Preparation is the key for a quality job so clean the piece you want to coat and then clean it again. A slide would be very easy to do in my opinion. I would not paint the inside of the slide so you would have to tape it off but that's easy also. It is very durable and like you said the color options are almost endless.

John_ · Mar 23, 2017

Labeeman said:
If I were you I'd coat it myself. I've done several cerakote projects and they have all turned out really well. The air dry is easy to use and very forgiving. The paint is 40 dollars for the small bottle and the aerosol can applicator is less than 10 bucks at Home Depot. You will be able to do multiple projects with this small bottle. Preparation is the key for a quality job so clean the piece you want to coat and then clean it again. A slide would be very easy to do in my opinion. I would not paint the inside of the slide so you would have to tape it off but that's easy also. It is very durable and like you said the color options are almost endless.

How do you personally prep the metal prior to application? Maybe bead blasting? or maybe wire wheel buffing?

Couldn't you bake in oven at home after air dry for increased hardness/curing?

Labeeman · Mar 23, 2017

If you take it to a place that does this for a living they will bead blast it and clean it with what ever they feel is the best product before they coat it. On the other hand, if you are like me and don't want to pay someone to do this, you prep the surface by cleaning it with something with a degreaser in it then clean with acetone. You can take the cleaning process to what ever level you like and this will be dictated by the condition of the part you are trying to coat. If it is in relatively good shape you degrease it by using a scrub brush and degreaser and the let it dry. You then come back with some acetone and clean it again. After the cleaning you tape it off and then coat it. The pros do a lot more cleaning than I do, but I've had great results doing it this way. It is very durable and I've hunted a couple of season with the guns and they are holding up great. The gun you are wanting to do this to is not a show piece but something you are going to shoot so give it a go and see what happens. There are plenty of videos on you tube to look at. Look at some and then get some ideas and get to it. It really is a very simple process. Oh,the bake on is more durable, but it takes more steps. The air dry is the way to go.

Robbie · Mar 23, 2017

Try Googling "glock refinishing Hammond, LA". It takes all of 15 seconds.

John_ · Mar 23, 2017

Robbie said:
Try Googling "glock refinishing Hammond, LA". It takes all of 15 seconds.

Ready for ur free forehead tat? It would look so damned good on ya

I'll pay 100% and buy the vodka.

fng · Mar 23, 2017

http://plate-tacular.com/

he does good work..he did a g19 slide for a friend of mine, came out great..I'm about to set him up to ceracoat my 1911

Robbie · Mar 23, 2017

Thanks for the offer but, both heads are off limits.

John_ said:
Ready for ur free forehead tat? It would look so damned good on ya

I'll pay 100% and buy the vodka.

John_ · Mar 23, 2017

fng said:
http://plate-tacular.com/

he does good work..he did a g19 slide for a friend of mine, came out great..I'm about to set him up to ceracoat my 1911

Thx, right in St Amant

firelane · Mar 23, 2017

Contact Glock you can send it to them and have it refinished .

Refinish slide $45.00 - Glock will replace the sights with new standard sights free of charge. They will leave your original sights on by request.
Refinish barrel $20.00
Refinish barrel and slide $60.00
Replace Meprolight Night Sights $57.00
Inspect, replace and upgrade all internal components in the lower FREE*.

* The polymer lower is the part of the Glock BATF considers a weapon. Lowers MUST be shipped by common carrier (UPS or Fedex), must be declared and must ship Priority Overnight (Fedex) or UPS Next Day Air® Early A.M.®, UPS Next Day Air®, or UPS Next Day Air Saver® (UPS). Overnight shipping is expensive so alternatively you may prefer to bring your lower to any GSSF shooting event where a Glock certified armorer will perform this service free of charge.

Shipping address:

GLOCK, Inc.
6000 Highlands Parkway
Smyrna, GA 30082
U.S.A.
Tel.: +1 770 - 432 1202
Fax: +1 770 - 433 8719

John_ · Mar 23, 2017

Great info firelane, thx.

Yeah, they did line #6 for me once already

jdindadell · Apr 10, 2017

Not to be a douche, but paint is paint... Some is better at wear resistance than others, but it is all paint.

Anyone who says any spray applied coating is impervious to wear is, well, impervious to logic...

Sounds like glock are offering a fairly priced service, I had no idea that they did that.

I do like the np3 coatings, I have a g23 upper done by NiBx, which I think is NickleBoron. It is nice.

I have painted alot of guns, I use 2 part, automotive epoxy, thinned to function out of a small needled spray gun. Basically my own version of duracoat, except it is a 3rd of the price. With good prep and adequate dry time it performs well. I personally thing the old English baked on enamel is one of the tougher finishes. Inch fal lowers and other painted parts always seem to retain their finish well, even after battlefield use.

Best part about paint is that it can always be removed and refreshed. A quick look at any modern gun used in actual battle shows that the finishes get worn with use.

John_ · Apr 10, 2017

I decided for the time being to just leave it alone. As 323MAR pointed out above, the tennifer is still there (corrosion protection), it just has some serious character (read holster wear). No doubt this 22 was a LEO's duty weapon. The action is smooth as butter from firing/service. My G19 I purchased new in 1990 is nowhere close to this smooth. The 19 might have 1000 rounds thru it.

I agree with you, paint is paint. Might be some durable tough epoxy paint. But its still paint. If i ever do anything to the 22 slide, I'll probably have Glock restore its finish, but only if I ever see any real surface corrosion on it.

ALVIN GOLDEN · May 13, 2017

Jonathan Reulet
Covington
985-400-5128

Does great work and he is slow in May.
Alvin

Help and advice on refinishing a Glock handgun slide

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