I bought a rifle that has been Cerakoted somewhat poorly, I would like to remove it and rust blue it. What type of blasting media do I need to remove it yet preserve the roll marks?

Fine glass bead if your blueing it unless the cerakote was done right and the rifle was parkerized before cerakoted then you will have to use fine sand or aluminum oxide to remove the parkerizing then bead blast and then blue

gemby58 I find your reply interesting. Not trying to sound like a 'know-it-all', but I am new to cerakoting and have followed the manufacturing instructions to the letter in an attempt to get the best results possible. You stated that 'unless the cerakote was done right and the rifle was parkerized before cerakoted' which implies that one must parkerize before cerakoting. I have never found that in the manufacture's instructions. Again, I am not trying to question your procedure, I am trying to learn. Thanks MPickle

I too am wanting to learn. no knowledge is poverty, any knowledge is riches!
I am poor
I find myself wanting to try these procedures. spent 50 years bluing, checkering, oil finishes, etc.
now am intrigued by hydrodipping, cerakoteing, duracoateing, etc.

I would also like to hear more....

Getting back to removing cerakote... I have found it takes little more than a damp paper towel.

Applying any spray on finish without properly preparing the metal is like painting a car without primering it first

you mean like the early 90's pickups? only there they used incompatible primer and paint.

I agree with you 100%, properly preparing the metal is critical in cerakoting metals and plastics. I have read the procedures furnished by the manufacturer (NIC Industries) as to properly preparing and applying cerakote and have never read that they recommend parkerizing anything prior to applying cerakote. Is there another supplier of Cerakote or possible a better way to apply it than is recommended by the manufacturer? I only belabor this point because I want to supply my clients with the best job I can, one that looks good and lasts. Regards, MPickle

"unless the cerakote was done right and the rifle was parkerized before cerakoted"

This statement, to me, implies that the rifle should have been parkerized before applying Cera-kote .

Gemby, please clarify.

LOL Going to go out on a limb and say you have no cerakoted rifles.

Have the guy “blasting” off the cerakote use powder or fine glass beads in the roll mark areas, and then blast the rest.
Using fine glass beads or powder will take FOREVER... but it will remove the least metal surface.... the rest, well you don’t call all that much.

If it’s NOT baked cerakote you might be able to use paint remover and a lot of elbow grease with a tooth brush... check this link
https://adventurefootstep.com/how-to-remove-cerakote/

This is good advice.

That would be incorrect. I have rifles done with cerakote and other coatings and in my direct experience cerakote is a joke. I have seen a rifle with cerakote applied by a well-known gunsmith with much experience and a good reputation fail badly. On a single trip on a Kodiak bear hunt the cerakote wore through on the barrel just from riding in a rubber raft with the barrel resting on a tube... i have seen other failures as well.

I have seen Cerakote rifles new and used and it isn't pretty

How can that be. I have read many times on this forum that Cerakote is the finest, most durable weatherproof coating available.

Hype...

Apply any baked spray on gun finishes on a rifle or parts just out of a Parkerizing tank and the finish is like on Steroids, I do this using teflon, gun kote, duracote, cerakot aluma hyde on carbon steel metal, stainless just get blasted with aluma oxide blasting media the coated. That said the Parkerized metal out last the coating stainless

I have standard cerakoted guns and I have guns that have been parkerized and then cerakoted. The ones that are parkerized first seem to hold up better as the parkerizing acts as a primer so the paint bonds better.

You will have to abrasive blast off the cerakote probably with either aluminum oxide or garnet media but it will probably leave a rough surface. I'm not sure if glass beads will remove cerakote but they might.

Glass beads will remove cerakote, but it's best to use coarse fresh beads not ones high pressure around 80 psi plus and that have not been used in a blasting cabinet over and over. Parkerizing acid etches the metal that's why baked on or just regular spray finish last longer. I do this right out of the tank after liquid evaporates and metal is still warm, if not applying spray on finish after parkerizing it goes into ATF tank to soak for 2 days

Keep in mind that if the application was done properly, the gun was abrasive blasted (Not glassbeaded!) before the Ceracote was sprayed on.

Said another way, the metal is already fairly rough under the Ceracote, so abrasive blast it off and then do whatever to prep for bluing.

Having way more people going to hard crome and nickle for there bad weather guns, less on spray on finishes

I run Birdsongs Black T have no complaints about it.

Blast it off with A.O. or garnet. 100 - 80 grit @ 80psi will work great. Cerakote is a great product when applied correctly, regardless of what the haters say. KG gunkote is another product that performs well.

I concur with this last comment 100%. This has been my experience from doing many hundred jobs. The roll markings will be fine...i just use the aluminum oxide, have never used garnet. Glass beads will take forever.

FWIW, I did use glass beads, and it did take forever

Sitka is pretty much spot on. I got certified went to the training and after a couple of years of working with Cerakote if you don't mix enough paint to finish a gun and you try to replicate the same measurements of paint and catalyst it never comes out the same. Plus it does wear out quickly when taking a rifle in and out of slip gun case/carrier. Even on handguns in and out of holsters.