So Guys,

In the great collection of brains (or other gray matters) in the Nutz,
let me ask a few old question.

What type of metal (or other parts) finishing do you think is the best?

- Duracoat
- Gunkote
- Cerakote
- Parkerizing
- Hot Blueing
- Cold Blueing
- 2Pac car paint
- rust browning

Why do you think it is best?

The reason I ask is because I am curious and I am building my new wildcat and would like to prepare for the finisher for it.

I'm surprised that you included Cerakote in this list mate...'specially considering the luck you have had with it in the past.

Cheers, Vince

Any one who said brown rusting would have to be smoking something pretty heavy .I love Parkerize finish .That and case coloring.

I love the look of shiny stainless steel, like the Browning White Gold Rifle, or the finish that Ruger discontinued about 4 or 5 years ago.

The finish to me depends upon what the intended use of the gun will be !!!
Because of this I’m unable to give you a straight answer.
I do however lean towards matte stainless steel, no finish required.
All you’ve listed have good points and bad points.
If you like the spray/bake on stuff I’d recommend Teflon or Electroless Nickel.

By the way, there is such a finish as Browning !!! (not rust)
I’ve seen a few muzzle loaders and an old hammer lock side by side done in it. Don’t knock it till ya see it !!!

A "browned" barrel is a thing of beauty on a historic style muzzle loader. I've done a couple on single shot percussion handguns. I'd love to try a rifle some time.

I haven't tried applying any of the finishes you listed so I can't add anything there.

I'm not sure we are on the same page here, I was referring to Browning the gun Manufacturer. They have a beautiful stainless gun called the "White Gold Medallion". But the browned finish like on the older guns is pretty nice.

I was referring to this statement!!!

whittling wrote:

Any one who said brown rusting would have to be smoking something pretty heavy

I’ve seen the Browning White Gold and do like the looks of them also !!!

Ohhh, some days I'm a little slow. Oh well all is good now.

the darker stainless color that is made from blasting it w\ Aluminum Oxide is my current modern finish but on a classic there's no sub for coming up 100 grits at a time till you get to 1000 and then hot blue. this finish on everything but the receiver upper that is #12 beadblasted then Hot blued this treatment is like the old 70'sexcept the 1000 is shinier. Oh yeah and if you get a scratch on the Alum Oxide you can re blast it.

Hmm
Out of 6 votes, the classical Parkerizing and Hot blueing seems to be favorites.

Why are so many others swear by (or at) the newer systems?

Vince wrote:

I'm surprised that you included Cerakote in this list mate...'specially considering the luck you have had with it in the past. Cheers, Vince

I still think the bad result I got in the past is due to inexperienced gunsmith using new method.
Cerakote has been used for a lot of other things (mufflers, boats, cookware etc)
The theory of how it works convinced me, but I have yet to see a gun done with it
except the one done by wildstalker a few months ago.

I cant condemn a method based on a single experience.

From what I’ve just read about Creakote, it’s not for the inexperienced to work with !!!
I suggest a professional shop if your considering it again.

When you refer to the newer systems I’m assuming your talking about bake on type finishes.
My STI 1911 has one on it, don’t know the actual brand or system they use but I’ve been more than satisfied with it.
The pistol is about 4 years old and has just started showing holster wear in the last year. The edges are just starting to show very slightly the metal under the coating.
Mind you this gun is shot in competition and is in and out of the holster a lot.
Had this gun been blued there is no doubt in my mind I’d been seeing alot more metal a long time ago!!!

The darn thing is that cerakote professionals are rare as hen's teeth here in Australia.
And Duracoat .. Damn rip off, you can buy a 4oz tin for US$29 but the same tin sold in Aussie for AU$80 (US$70)
The problem is the supply to Aussie is monopolized and there are no sellers allowed to sell direct to Oz from the USA.

I wonder if I should get one of you US dwellers to send me a couple of tins?
Reckon even with postal costs it would be much much cheaper..

I'm one that voted for a blued finish. The look of a really nice deeply polished blued finish is hard to beat. They don't blue guns the way they used to. I had a Colt Python with their Colt Royal Blue finish and it was a thing of beauty.
Don