What's the best option for coloring weapons?

thperez1972 · Jan 16, 2018

So I have a couple of 1911's and I am considering painting them, or at least one of them. It'll probably be one color per gun or per part, no patterns. I've never colored any of my weapons and I'm looking for something more substantial than a rattle can job. I'll reserve that for my hard use AR's. Has anyone used a DIY kit like cerakote or duracoat or gunkote? Right now, I have an airbrush gun, airbrush compressor, oven, and baking sheets. Is it even worth trying to do it myself? Or is any potential headache worth it to pay to have someone else do it? I've gone to Green Dragon Guns in the past to have an AR upper and lower cerekoted and was pleased with the results. And I'm sure there are other places out there who does good work also. Any input based on personal experience would be appreciated.

leadslinger972 · Jan 16, 2018

Go to Green Dragon and have your guns professionally Cerakoted again.

An airbrush is useless with Cerakote. You need a HVLP gun minimum. Leave it to the professionals, it's not cost effective to do it yourself with one or two guns anyway.

thperez1972 · Jan 16, 2018

leadslinger972 said:
Go to Green Dragon and have your guns professionally Cerakoted again.

An airbrush is useless with Cerakote. You need a HVLP gun minimum. Leave it to the professionals, it's not cost effective to do it yourself with one or two guns anyway.

If I did it myself, I would likely use duracoat. The airbrush gun was the beginnings of a project to duracoat a couple of AR's. That project got put on a list but was repeatedly trumped by other projects and never made it back to the top of the list. My plan was to start off with non-essential parts of the AR, like the hand guard, to reduce the chances of messing something up and rendering the weapon useless. With the 1911's though, I have been leaning toward farming that job out to someone much more experienced than I.

leadslinger972 · Jan 16, 2018

thperez1972 said:
If I did it myself, I would likely use duracoat. The airbrush gun was the beginnings of a project to duracoat a couple of AR's. That project got put on a list but was repeatedly trumped by other projects and never made it back to the top of the list. My plan was to start off with non-essential parts of the AR, like the hand guard, to reduce the chances of messing something up and rendering the weapon useless. With the 1911's though, I have been leaning toward farming that job out to someone much more experienced than I.

Ask yourself why no professionals use Duracoat.

http://abbottarms.com/cerakote-vs-duracoat

Deerslayer440 · Jan 16, 2018

leadslinger972 said:
Ask yourself why no professionals use Duracoat.

http://abbottarms.com/cerakote-vs-duracoat

yep,cerokote be better.

I hope you plan on keeping those firearms forever,cause they worth about half of original value
when you do any coating,paint,etc.. to them.

Good Luck !!!

thperez1972 · Jan 16, 2018

Deerslayer440 said:
yep,cerokote be better.

I hope you plan on keeping those firearms forever,cause they worth about half of original value
when you do any coating,paint,etc.. to them.

Good Luck !!!

To date, I've traded a Baretta 92FS for a Glock 22, I eventually sold the Glock 22 to my ex-wife, and I've sold a SIG556 to a military buddy. Other than that, I'm pretty much a hoarder when it comes to firearms. I'm comfortable at that thought of keeping them forever. But if you'd like to make a reasonable offer, I'm listening.

kingfhb · Jan 16, 2018

What's the best option for coloring weapons?

-- Not to.

BarneyFife · Jan 16, 2018

I did 2 or 3 using Gunkote with very good results. A good prep job is the key to a good result. I believe that product is only for metal parts if I remember correctly. It's been about 15 years so I imagine there could be better/easier products out by now.

leadslinger972 · Jan 16, 2018

BarneyFife said:
I did 2 or 3 using Gunkote with very good results. A good prep job is the key to a good result. I believe that product is only for metal parts if I remember correctly. It's been about 15 years so I imagine there could be better/easier products out by now.

IIRC, Duracoat and Gunkote are only for metal, specifically steel.

Cerakote will adhere to most all materials, except for rubber like materials.

Magdump · Jan 16, 2018

I had a couple of the Beretta 92FS police trade ins that I bought dirt cheap and decided to have them cerakoted in the matte black and I’m as pleased as one can be.
I may go get the others done soon. Although I paid less than $300 for each of those pistols, I doubt I’d consider any other coating.

jdindadell · Jan 16, 2018

I like that guys "test"... I often soak my guns in acetone for weeks on end.

Paint is paint. It is a sacrificial coating that will stop bare metal from rusting/corroding. Cerakote does seem to fit the bill for hard wear uses. If I was t pay someone to paint a gun (which would never happen, but) I would certainly spec the best product that could be used. Why spend the money on the labor and use a crap product?

I have coated numerous guns (and all kinds of other random stuff, and about 2k cars) and have used auto epoxy on the guns. Matches the saiga ak finish, dries quickly enough, and gets hard. Much better than duracoat, and about a 1/4 of the price. Omni (ppg value line) 2k epoxy, mixes 2:1, so 1 qt of epoxy and 1 pt of activator. Sprays well out of a 1.4 tip hvlp gun. About 30 bucks for the setup, and that gives 48 sprayable ounces of paint. About enough to do 24 aks, or a bunch of handguns. So less than 2 bucks a gun.

As mentioned, prep is key. I find using straight, non diluted simple green is the best way to remove any oil or grease. Then I lightly blast using a medium grit, then make sure I do not handle the item without gloves. Paint right over the blasted metal with the epoxy. All parts are removed, and painted individually.

FORman · Jan 17, 2018

I prefer Cerakote over Duracoat.

With Duracoat the mfg says thinning it is optional and you need to use their thinner. I've had some good results, but it really needs to be thinned.

With Ceracoat no need to thin and a lot less masking. It's a little harder to apply as thickness variations will effect color and gloss. It will run in cheap HPLV gun with a 2-3 hp compressor. If you oven cure it, the fumes are not a big deal.

For aluminum receivers in black, Brownells Alumahyde works well and it comes in a rattle can.

myles · Jan 20, 2018

Check out Plate Tacular in St. Amant. Daniel Hidalgo does excellent work.

https://plate-tacular.com/contact-platetacular/

Labeeman · Jan 20, 2018

Get the Cerakote air dry and do it yourself. I’ve coated a few different guns and knives with it and they all have come out great. It’s all about prepping the item you want to coat as in do tge best you can and you won’t have any problem with it sticking to tge gun parts. You can buy the aerosol applicator from Home Depot for 10-12 bucks and the cerakote is 35-40 bucks online which puts you at the 50 dollar mark, plus add 10 more bucks for prep supplies. For 60-70 dollars plus your time you can a nice coating for your pistol. There are lots of videos on you tube so take a look at them before you start. On the other hand if you take it to somebody to coat it I’m sure they will do an awesome job, but it will cost way more money.

jbkeepitsimple · Feb 26, 2018

Labeeman said:
Get the Cerakote air dry and do it yourself. I’ve coated a few different guns and knives with it and they all have come out great. It’s all about prepping the item you want to coat as in do tge best you can and you won’t have any problem with it sticking to tge gun parts. You can buy the aerosol applicator from Home Depot for 10-12 bucks and the cerakote is 35-40 bucks online which puts you at the 50 dollar mark, plus add 10 more bucks for prep supplies. For 60-70 dollars plus your time you can a nice coating for your pistol. There are lots of videos on you tube so take a look at them before you start. On the other hand if you take it to somebody to coat it I’m sure they will do an awesome job, but it will cost way more money.

Just read your reply, and I've searched Home Depot's website for an aerosol applicator like you describe. Could you provide a link or picture of what you're describing? Very much appreciated.

Labeeman · Feb 26, 2018

It’s called “Preval Sprayer”.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

jbkeepitsimple · Feb 27, 2018

Labeeman said:
It’s called *Preval Sprayer*.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks.

rabiddawg · Feb 27, 2018

A few weeks ago, I tried my hand at painting a gun.

I used the products I have in my collision repair shop.

I know how to handle plastic parts. My factory rep use to have a nerf football, a shower curtain and a piece of aluminum foil painted with these same products. I can make them as flexible as I want. Adhesion? I paint plastic of different types every week.

I have pics but since photobucket crapped out I don’t know how to post them and frankly don’t want yo learn. I will email them to anyone that wants to post them for me

pm me

The color I chose was my attempt to match an old dodge truck I saw on Barrett Jackson. It was a green pearl metallic with a matte clearcoat

What's the best option for coloring weapons?

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