I was in the gunsmithing business when it caught on. Never applied it myself but saw wildly varied results pertaining to durability in everything from OEM to garage applications.
Built rifles and pistols for multiple people who wanted the “best” in corrosion and wear resistance and insisted on sending the guns out to be coated. In multiple instances they came back after a season wanting it blasted off and nitride finished like we’d suggested in the beginning.
My only personally owned Cerakoted item is a suppressor. I had no choice in finish as there were no options from the manufacturer. Durability was laughable, a couple months of use and all the sharp edges were worn through and there are multiple scuffs and scratches through the finish from tree limbs etc. I don’t fret it since it’s SS underneath but it is pretty ridiculous that a product billed as the toughest thing to come down the pike would fail so easily.
My personal opinion is that manufacturers love it because it’s a quick easy finish without the HazMat and safety issues some chemical finishes like hot bluing or nitride present. Consumers want to like it because of the advertising, multiple available colors, and often no other choice from the manufacturer. And plenty of guys will have good luck with it even if it isn’t a perfect application because they don’t hunt in a style or area that is hard on finishes. Taking a rifle out of a case at the truck and walking 100 yards to a box blind in dry weather isn’t going to show wear like hunting Kodiak island for a rainy week in November.
