Refinishing a pistol

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SSN Vet

SSN Vet

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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?
 
Unless you are already set up for Hot Bluing, perhaps have it done, same with Cerakote
So that leaves Duracoat:)
 
Depends on how much work you are willing to do for prep. I would not paint a Hi-power. Hot Blue, Park, or Hard Chrome depending on what you are planning to use it for.
 
If you are set up to do a hot blue, that would be my choice. A friend of mine had hot blue tanks a while back, and we hot blued a 1951 vintage Rem. Model 950-1. The thing looks better than new...

Bayou52
 
I have an air brush and a toaster oven and access to a blast cabinet, so I'm interested in learning Cerakote (not in flying to Oregon to take a week long class to get certified).

Hot bluing on a hot plate in a pot (in the barn) with stump remover salts seems to produce pretty darn good results.

Sending it out defeats the whole purpose of the build... which is to develop my skills.
 
I have done all three. Hot blue is dangerous to the user and surroundings. I have had just as good a result with Duracoat as with Ceracoat. The prep is the same, and very important. The biggest advantage to Ceracoat is that it’s ready to go as soon as it cools from the oven. For best results from Duracoat, it needs to cure several days.
I guess everyone has to try hot blue once. I did it for several years and have permanent scars from the experience. I leave it to the professionals now. Not cheap but affordable if you do the prep yourself.
 
SSN Vet said:
Adding Brownells Gun Kote to the list of spray finishes.

Cerakote looks pretty intense... anyone out there ever play around with it?
Click to expand...


Well if you have a sprayer and are good at, hard to beat Gun Kote

Heck I have used a lot of Brownells Aluma Hyde and been happy with it, and no baking. So the gun kote should be even tougher,
 
Hot blue is an expensive setup, even for just one time pieces. A middle of the road approach is slow rust bluing. This video gives the basics, but it is far from a complete run through.



I would pick slow rust blue over Duracote or Ceracote for a DIY finish on a Hi Power.

Another option is Parkerizing. Which is even easier than slow rust bluing to do yourself.

 
SSN Vet said:
... 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?
Click to expand...
FWIW ... *I* would have the work done for me by someone experienced & properly setup for the task.

15-16 years ago I went thru my "refinish it yourself" phase and, quite frankly, the hassle is just not worth it for me. For me, Duracoat & Cerakote fall under the heading of PAINT ... and if I respect a firearm I will not PAINT it. Yes, I know, diff'rent strokes ... JMO. ;)

I phosphated and magnetited several firearms (and multiple individual components) during my "phase". The HOT, devil's-brew magnetiting was a major & dangerous PITA but I found that if I kept the temp in "the zone" the finish was wonderful. Phosphating was a cakewalk, compared ... but I am not a big fan of that finish.

<chuckle> Yeah, I know ... no help at all. Sorry'bout that, but best of luck with your project! :)
 
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Parkerizing is now on the list as well.... tied for top spot with GunKote

Slow rust bluing looks like a PITA, as you have to do it over and over.

This isn't a pretty gun... it's an old mil. surp. FEG P9 that is in rough shape and wasn't even safe to shoot when I bought it on the cheap. It's a project gun... and my goal is to learn by doing, because that's what I'm into. And that's why I posted this discussion in the gun smithing board :)

I've replaced many of the internals and have it functioning reliably, so it's time to move on to the next phase of the project, making chips...
  • machine top of slide flat and mill serrated arrow pattern.
  • machine dovetails for both Novak front and rear sites.
  • fix the big dropped gun dent in the bull nose
  • stipple front and back strap
Each of these will be a first time experience for me... so I have low expectations that this FEG is going to be a beauty when I'm done. Just going for a reliable shooter and a lot of hands on practice.

That said, any coated finish (paint) needs to be very thin, so as to not obscure the serrations or stippling.
 
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GBExpat said:
Aaaaaahhhh ... perfect for Anything Goes. :)
Click to expand...

Nothing ventured nothing gained. I figure everyone who ever learned the trade of pistol smithing had a less than perfect first couple of projects and probably screwed a couple guns up in a big way. If this one shoots straight and is safe and reliable, I'll use it for blasting steel plates at the Rod N Gun Club.
 
SSN Vet said:
Parkerizing is now on the list as well.... tied for top spot with GunKote
Click to expand...

Parkerizing is a good choice. I have done an at home Park job on a few 1911s following the video I linked earlier. Using mostly the same materials in the video. I did not use the atomized steel but read on another gun board that doing the same coffee filter process with some degreased steel wool does the same job. For a pot, I used a Teflon coated spaghetti pot I got from a bargain store. Heat, kitchen stove. Some pliers and wire cutters to bend coat hangers to hang up the parts in the solution. Prep work with scuff pads and acetone.
 
I've parked a few guns. I use it as a base for Duracoat. It's easy enough to do and for guns with a few pits it helps disguise those. I've cerakoted a few as well. It makes a damn tough finish for hard use guns. It's not all that tough to do, you just need to be proficient with an air brush or hvlp sprayer. I'm not. I did the slow rust blue on a sporterized 96 mauser. It looks really nice and I'm about to do a smith mdl 10 that way. Time consuming, but, it is winter in Wyoming so.....
 
Good finish, also very authentic for your gun is indeed parkerizing.

If somehow you don't like the finish, paint over it. Sure sure, go for whatever Snazzy Gun Finish you want but any quality paint of the right lustre, properly prepped and allowed to cure (do not touch for two weeks) is very good. Lots of mil guns parked and painted lasted decades.

Used to have a friend with a home parkerizing tank, not that hard but some setup costs. Fair number of smiths do parkerizing, so ask around locally if you won't do it again.
 
Forget Duracoat, order up a bottle of Norrell's Moly Resin. Tough stuff, easy to apply if you have an air brush or HVLP gun. I finish/refinish a few guns and thousands of suppressors, mounts and adapters with it each year.

Two model 51s, an original finish .32 in mint condition on the left, a well used .380 that I refinished in SOCOM black on the right.

20211206_191738.jpg

Cans in a few colors:

20211205_140248.jpg

20220122_160133.jpg
 
Gotta agree with bbbbill, rust blue for the DIY guy. Yes it's time consuming, remember that prep is very important to get a decent result just like finishing for a hot blue job. If you are in a really dry climate a humidity cabinet will speed things up. Rust blue is pretty durable, I think more so than hot blue.
 
You can speed up & improve the results you get with a cold blue by heating all the materials involved. Completely disassemble the firearm so you can put all the parts you're going to blue in the oven and heat to about 140 degrees before each application. Heat the bluing liquid in the microwave for just a few seconds.
 
I vote for the hot blue finish, or as already suggested a traditional rust blue (takes longer, but less messy and toxic).
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'm tweaked my trigger job, started fitting a C&S wide trigger yesterday.

Slide is at work so I can fab a vise block for it on the Bridgeport
 
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