Duracoat or Ceracoat?

[Expert684]

Just finished a gun. I went ahead and Duracoated it. It held up well, for two weeks. Prepped the metal, degreased with MEK, sprayed on"warm" surface. Cured @ 200 degrees. I got some MEK on the crown when I was cleaning the barrel. Off came the Duracoat. My question is: Ceracoat more chemical resistant than Duracoat. I have Molycoat here. We use it in aviation and the is no chemical that will take it off. If you bake it, you'll have to blast it to get it off. Just wondering before I go and strip the gun. Thanks

 

[Ritten]

I don't see a question in there, but Cerakote is MUCH more durable than Duracoat. I've peeled Duracoat off with high pressure air. Cerakote has to be sand blasted off, and even then it takes a while to get down to metal.

 

[Tx_oil]

Cerakote has particles of ceramic in suspension, it is MUCH harder and durable than Durakote.

 

[mukwah]

In order I would put Cerecote first and Duracoat next, but Duracoat does require a 3-4 week cure time for complete hardness. I've done 4 or five long guns with Duracoat with no problems.

 

[Expert684]

Ok Thanks for the help everyone, I'll strip the Duracoat off and re-do with Ceracoat. I'll keep it away from the harsh chemicals. Thanks!

 

[JNieman]

Regardless of the coating, the proper curing, and baking if necessary, is everything. You can make cerakote crappy, I bet, though I haven't seen it. I've seen gunkote and duracoat wipe right off with a little pressure, because it wasn't baked or cured properly. I like Cerakote above them all though. I had an AK with some the no-bake air-dry Cerakote and even that stuff was intense in it's fortitude. I had worked the selector and the rear-sight lever a lot, and they were tight, but still never wore through the cerakote. To me, if the rear sight lever on an AK doesn't work it's way through the finish - it must be tough! If a /tight/ selector doesn't... that's a pretty good sign too.

 

[kapkanimd]

In order I would put Cerecote first and Duracoat next, but Duracoat does require a 3-4 week cure time for complete hardness. I've done 4 or five long guns with Duracoat with no problems.

++1

 

[rockmup]

First off its all in the prep. If you preheated your parts then that's why you had a failure. Period.

Duracoat does NOT take 4 weeks to cure. Post heat it for 1hr at 200 deg. And you can use it right then without worry.

@ Ritten, don't you think if you can blow it off with an air hose there's a problem with the prep ? Why would you blame the coating ?

In the end they are all just that. Coatings

 

[Ritten]

@ Ritten, don't you think if you can blow it off with an air hose there's a problem with the prep ? Why would you blame the coating ?

You're probably right and it was an issue with the prep work. It happened on two different barreled actions though that have come through the shop.

 

[mukwah]

I stand corrected rockmup, according to Laeur Weaponary websites Duracoat University, full product hardness is realized after 2-3 weeks.

 

[Expert684]

My problem wasn't prep, application or cure, it was the chemical it was exposed to when I cleaned the barrel. I preheated because it was cold that day. Shop temp was about 66 degrees, just brought surface temp up to 85 degrees. The stuff started to come off at the crown of the barrel where the Duracoat meets the bore. The stuff I was using is harsh on paint. That is why it lifted there. Rest of the gun is perfect. I just wanted to know which of the two was more chemical resistant. Thanks for everyone's imput.

 

[rockmup]

My problem wasn't prep, application or cure, it was the chemical it was exposed to when I cleaned the barrel. I preheated because it was cold that day. Shop temp was about 66 degrees, just brought surface temp up to 85 degrees. The stuff started to come off at the crown of the barrel where the Duracoat meets the bore. The stuff I was using is harsh on paint. That is why it lifted there. Rest of the gun is perfect. I just wanted to know which of the two was more chemical resistant. Thanks for everyone's imput.

I know what MEK is, I buy it by the gallon.
I also misread your original post. My apologies.

I stand corrected rockmup, according to Laeur Weaponary websites Duracoat University, full product hardness is realized after 2-3 weeks.

I provided a way for you to use it immediately.

 

[matt99]

Ive duracoated two and now have 4 cerakoted and there is no comparison IMO...the cerakote only comes off when it scratches into the metal.

 

[Armnhammer]

What's the average cost to cerakote a slide on a Glock?


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