First finishing project

S

ssn vet

Registered
Registered
Joined
Mar 14, 2018
Messages
3
Greetings all,

I'm into a complete re-build of a Browning Hi Power (and FEG clone actually) and though not my first pistol build, this one is going to require stripping and re-finishing the frame and slide. Options I'm looking at are:
  1. DuraCoat
  2. Cerakote
  3. Hot Blue
I intend to do the prep and re-finish myself. DuraCoat is obviously the easiest and I may chicken out and go that route.... but if you had to chose between Cerakote and Hot Blue, which would you go with for your first re-finishing project?
 
Both Cerakote and Hot Blue take plenty of equipment. Neither are kitchen-table processes.
Blue is classic and can't be looked down upon by anyone. It's the standard by which all others are judged. But it's easy to do wrong. You might, after buying tanks, heaters, instruments, and salts, end up doing it 5 or 6 times to get it right the first (or twentieth) time and even THEN might not match because of metallurgy. And that's after hours of grinding and buffing because, having not seen your gun, all it does is change the finish color of the metal. Every imperfection remains and is only accentuated by the bluing.
But it's the gold standard.
Cerakote coats. Like paint. Still a 100 grit sandblasting in the offing, so you'll need that. Multiple bakes. A good airbrush. With air supply. So you'll need that. Plus the chems. But there's some very authentic colors - and some wild ones, too - to choose from.

If you're gonna do a FIRST finishing project, you can go either way. That is, if you intend to do lots and lots MORE finishing projects, you'll find Cerakote to be in demand, especially if you're setup for clown colors and stencils. You'll find a good hot blue to ALSO be in demand, if you can meticulously finish the white metal and control your process.

IOW, if you're not gonna do this, like a lot, for your friends and your other guns, it's hardly worth it. Take it to someone. But I'd give the nod to Cerakote because it's more forgiving and you can't blue an AR - which will be most of what people ask you about.

Oh, and if you do this for other people, you'll really wanna check into an FFL.
 
thanks for the reply... all good points.

I'm a woodworker as well, so my shop has compressed air, and a home brew spray booth. Cerakote looks pretty involved, but doable. I've also been checking out Brownells Gun Kote, which also required oven curing, but the application seems more straight forward.

I've seen YouTube vids with guys hot bluing in a pot over a hot plate with stump remover salts and getting respectable results.
 
I have used the Brownells Gun Kote on a rifle. Just have to plan the application and oven time for a day when the wife is not home.
Prep was 80 grit sandpaper on the barrel in the lathe and 60 grit sandblasting on the rest. There is not a mark or scratch showing thru the finish.

This was painted about 15 years ago and spends a lot of time out in the woods hunting. It is a short barrel so it is my usual carry gun when busting brush. There is not a scratch or mark on it.
Even the experimental finish on the stock is holding up to the abuse fantastic.
 

Attachments

  • 6.5x55-001.jpg
    6.5x55-001.jpg
    111.2 KB · Views: 16
The KG Gun Kote (Brownell's is just a retailer) is very good stuff. Both the KG and Cerakote are easy to work with using an oven cure. The "air-cure" Cerakote is even easier. It goes on very thin, but cures hard as can be. It's all about prep, just like any finish job.

I am very interested in doing hot blue or melanite process... mainly for tools and shop-made parts. I'm going to start experimenting eventually... The hazards are what they are, just like life you have to be knowledgeable and use the right controls. But I don't think it's out of reach. I expect it would take some effort to learn how to get consistently good results.

I wouldn't dare use a spray finish coating on a Browning High Power unless the knockoff is so cheap that you're trying to cover up and hide the factory finish. It's a classic turn of the century pistol, not some tactical-marketed junk. Save the coatings for the polymer framed pistols and aluminum 16" ARs. Those look nice coated. A classic all-steel pistol should be polished and blued, or else it will look like a Saturday night special.
 
You should look into doing rust bluing. Lots of info on this over on the Accurate Reloading gunsmithing forum.

Rust Bluing at 23 Degrees - Topic

forums.accuratereloading.com forums.accuratereloading.com

First time rust blue - Topic

forums.accuratereloading.com forums.accuratereloading.com

These are a couple of threads for you to look at. There are lots more. They are pretty friendly over there just like here. Ask questions and you will get answers

I am going to try this on an old Anchutz 22 that I have that needs to be blued
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top