Firearm coating/treatments…?

[Wilkup]

I live in the Pacific Northwest of the USA where we get a LOT of moisture. Maybe not Vancouver BC or AK wet but plenty compared to west Texas lol
I’ve used various treatments over the years but am looking for the ultimate “set it and forget it” option.
Cerakote - Been there done that and liked it well enough
Duracoat - Used when I couldn’t afford Cerakote but wouldn’t use again with what’s available to me
Black Nitride - I’ve had several leverguns done and a few Defiance/Kelbly actions. Works as advertised.

I’m currently researching Birdsong's Black-T and NP3+ and unless someone talks me out of it or introduces me to something better will be choosing one of these two options or a combination of Nitriding with Black-T coating for my next boltgun.

To those that live and hunt in wet environments, please weigh in with what you use.

 

[mdwest]

I live in the Pacific Northwest of the USA where we get a LOT of moisture. Maybe not Vancouver BC or AK wet but plenty compared to west Texas lol
I’ve used various treatments over the years but am looking for the ultimate “set it and forget it” option.
Cerakote - Been there done that and liked it well enough
Duracoat - Used when I couldn’t afford Cerakote but wouldn’t use again with what’s available to me
Black Nitride - I’ve had several leverguns done and a few Defiance/Kelbly actions. Works as advertised.

I’m currently researching Birdsong's Black-T and NP3+ and unless someone talks me out of it or introduces me to something better will be choosing one of these two options or a combination of Nitriding with Black-T coating for my next boltgun.

To those that live and hunt in wet environments, please weigh in with what you use.

I had a pistol with an NP3 finish put on it back when Robar was in business and owned the rights to it..

It was a duty gun… I wore it in the rain, snow, sun, etc every day for years.

It was in a word, AWESOME…

Not only did it provide excellent protection, it also made the gun super easy to clean.. carbon doesn’t stick to the finish easily at all.. and it is naturally “slick”.. you dont need a lot of lube…..

Other than a bit of holster wear, after about 5 years of daily carry, the gun looked great…

 

[Mekaniks]

Nitride- no more worries

 

[roklok]

Black Ice coatings is my favorite.

https://blackicecoatings.com/coating/

 

[Wilkup]

Black Ice coatings is my favorite.

https://blackicecoatings.com/coating/

Never heard of this product? Tell me more.

 

[roklok]

Never heard of this product? Tell me more.

I was first introduced to Black Ice coatings by a friend who had a Ruger No 1 done. He lived in Sitka Alaska at the time and spent a fair bit of time hunting in and around saltwater not to mention the constant rain in SE Alaska. The Black Ice coating prevented corrosion in this extreme environment. I have since had a shotgun done, and am planning to have a Remington 760 done this winter. The 760 will be my dedicated SE Alaska deer rifle to deal with the constant rain and salt water exposure. I like it much better than Cerakote, it can be applied to small parts such as springs, pins, etc without causing issues with tolerances.

Here is a video I did showcasing the Browning Auto 5 I had coated by Black Ice:

 

[Choupique]

Nitride is the best.

That said, mine get Alumahyde. Cheap and easy to apply and touch up. It does require a fair bit of prep work to do a good job and it isnt going to look great no matter how good of a job you do. It does work.

 

[Wilkup]

Came across another coating in the past week and chatted with the applicator. It’s called DLC and I know a few higher end gunsmithss offer this coating with their actions.
Any experience with this verses nitride, NP3, Black Ice, etc?

 

[coyote wacker]

I'am not in a salty envronment on the Great Lakes but have used Cerakote for many years. And only one gun that has a mark on it and it was a sever blow metal on metal to make a mark. Handling wear you would never know that the guns have been used. For a gun that was factory blued putting a matte black Cerakote is the way to go, I have several. Only limitation is your imagination with Cerakote as far as color.

Black Ice is a very good coating but has one limitation color you can only get it in a matte black.

 

[jruby]

My whelen is parkerized and have had no issues with it except in my eyes not the prettiest. I hunt the coastal range here in Oregon.

 

[roklok]

I sent the 760 in to Black Ice, should have it back in a couple weeks. I will post some pics and maybe a video when it returns. I also think DLC is a great option, but not sure if they can do all small parts, pins and springs.

 

[Jhsmith]

My whelen is parkerized and have had no issues with it except in my eyes not the prettiest. I hunt the coastal range here in Oregon.

You were one step ahead of me.
35 years ago, I knew a guy who hunted in a lot of adverse environments. He would parkerize his gun, and then put a coating of wax on it.
Probably Johnson past wax, which you can’t get any longer.

Another friend of mine in Corvallis Oregon parkerizes his guns.
He applies oil periodically as the finish will absorb oil.

 

[Hunter4752001]

According to the Blackice website, their coating is PTFE. PTFE is comonly known by the brand name Teflon. People have been teflon coating guns for a long time. A short lived fad among handgunners when I was a young bloke. Died out because it never lived up to the hype. Think about the lived experience of your teflon coated cookware...

 

[Wilkup]

According to the Blackice website, their coating is PTFE. PTFE is comonly known by the brand name Teflon. People have been teflon coating guns for a long time. A short lived fad among handgunners when I was a young bloke. Died out because it never lived up to the hype. Think about the lived experience of your teflon coated cookware...

Teflon is for sure not the most durable product I’ve heard of coating guns with.
Cerakote, DLC, and Nitride all seem like solid options.
Any advantage going DLC verses Cerakote?
Or nitride the entire product for protection and finish project with Cerakote color of my choosing?

 

[Choupique]

Any advantage going DLC verses Cerakote?

DLC is "better" but like all coatings, the application quality is 95% of the finished product quality and durability.

nitride the entire product

Nitride requires a fair amount of heat and may not be suitable for an already finished and treated part

 

[BillyJack1975]

Wilson Combat makes a heck of a finish. My 1911 wears an armor tuff finish that’s tough as nails. They parkerized first then apply the armor tuff finish. I’ve been carrying my CQB for over 5 years in a leather or kydex holster at work and the wear is absolute minimum. They armor tuff other firearms too. Highly recommend stuff!

 

[roklok]

In my experience, which is admittedly not extensive, the Black Ice PFTE coating is more durable than Cerakote.

 

[Choupique]

Wilson Combat makes a heck of a finish

I had rhem parkerize an 870 for me and it is awesome. I debated for a while about whether to armortough or not. It looks so good.

 

[Rimshot]

Cerakote: overhyped IMO (mediocre abrasion resistance - scratches off too easily). Inferior to DLC and nitride

Nitride: works really well on the guns I've had with it

DLC: (diamond like carbon) very hard and corrosion resistant. I think Blaser recently switched to this on some of their guns that previously got the nitride treatment

 

[roklok]

Ok, I said I would post some pictures of Black Ice coatings. I just reassembled this Remington 760 I got back from Lee at Black Ice. This 760 is set up as a switch barrel 30-06 and .35 Whelen and I had it coated as I intend to use it hunting in rainy SE Alaska. With Black Ice PTFE the small parts can be coated without causing issues with tolerances. It is a very slick finish and even dry with no lube this old 760 is slicker operating than it ever was. I much prefer it to Cerakote, which I think is very overrated. I don't have experience with DLC and Nitride, but am very happy with Black Ice. If there is a downside, the parts are slick and it makes assembly more difficult on the 760.