"Blacken" a stainless revolver?

[freyasman]

I have a question about "black" coating or refinishing a S&W 686. If you wanted to turn a 686 "black", how would you go about it? What would you use and why? Robar, duracoat, krylon, what? Just kidding about the krylon, but seriously, whats your choice and why?

 

[Owen]

Send it to a company that can do PVD coatings.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

Olympic Arms comes to mind- they black coat their stainless barrels

 

[dfariswheel]

There are methods ranging from the "paint" type coatings, to gun bluing, to special chemical treatments.

The paint type polymer or ceramic coatings are done by most professional gun re-finishers.

It's now possible to actually blue a stainless gun. The luster depends on how the metal is polished before the bluing operation. Since this requires a special bluing chemical, not everyone offers it.

The chemical treatments are probably the most durable, but very few companies offer it.

Here's some sources for the various types of black finishes. Most offer a variety of gun finishes so do some reading:

http://www.apwcogan.com/
Offer most types of gun finishes and is possibly the best all around service.

http://www.fordsguns.com/
Offer many finishes including bluing of stainless steel.

http://www.techplate.com/firearms_pl.htm
Wide range of finishes.

http://www.elitecustomguns.com/index1.htm

http://www.robarguns.com/

http://www.coalcreekarmory.com/custom_finishing.html#Melonite
Offer a melonite type finish they call Isonite QPQ. This is a special chemical finish that's probably the most durable.

 

[Owen]

I advise against melonite on the cylinder. Its a heat treat process, and tends to make thin sections brittle.

 

[UltimateReloader]

Anyone have high quality pics of a bluer stainless revolver?

 

[blackrussian]

You could also buy a 586.

 

[Twmaster]

Caswell Plating has a cold blackening kit for stainless. I have their cold black kit for regular steel and am happy with it. No experience with their stainless kit.

http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/black.htm#stainless

 

[KIX]

I would lean towards a really nice polish, wipe it down and a go blue.

I just don't trust paints and much coatings much. At least when you blue it, you can touch it up if need be.

Jonathan

 

[Lucky Derby]

You could also buy a 586.

This

 

[Taroman]

Birdsong's Black-T is another option. FBI HRT has their entry weapons treated by them. I had a SS pistol slide done by them and it turned out great.



http://black-t.com/

 

[VA27]

Go shopping. Look at every 586 you can find. Open the cylinder and check the model number stamped on the frame under the crane. If you're lucky, you'll find one of the 'black' 686's that Smith made.

 

[.338Sako]

Thank you, I may try this stainless steel blacken gel for my new lwd barrel. Maybe it will cover up that @#$% wolf image.

 

[Owen]

.338Sako, you'll have to polish the graphic off of the barrel first.

 

[.338Sako]

thanks for the comment, will do!

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Another vote for Birdsongs's "Black-T".

 

[whtsmoke]

Bead blast it, no shine left to it and its a very dull grey color, plus if you scratch it up reblast it, Cheap.

 

[robctwo]

http://www.springerprecision.com/

Ionbond worked well on my blue 1911s, I think it works on stainless.

 

[westy39]

Blacken a S&W 686, you speak sacrilege is there no virtue left in this world ????? Just my 2 cents worth from the Big Sky Country..... MONTANA.........
Please reconsider,,,,
Westy39..