Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tips for DIY Duracoat kit ?

So I bought a 4oz, DIY, Duracoat kit.
Anyone else try this ?
Any tips, or things to avoid ?
I'm going to use HK semi gloss black on a Remington 700 with a stainless fluted barrel, only doing the insides of the flutes.

Degrease super well with acetone. Prep perfectly. Let it flash off between coats. Do it at 80F. Have fun

I did a lot of it and agree on the degreasing. I used both an airbrush and a gravity fed spray-gun. I liked how adjustable the spray gun was but the airbrush was nice on smaller areas.

Helps to do it in a fairly small space,with an exhaust fan, and a dehumidifier. It doesn't have to be a small space, but if you use a dehumidifier it's easier to run one in a small space. I used a big plastic tote/box with hangers added and a bathroom exhaust fan sealed in the back of it...whole thing fitted to an open window pane. The exhaust fan was an old display model at a local hardware store....whole setup cost me a few bucks (had the dehumidifier) and worked great.

Good to know.

Mtn Boomer, how were you applying the paint?

This is what I bought.

The kit looks quite workable. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Please post up your results.
The only home D-C job I’ve seen went on way to thick and resulted in a less than attractive finish. I don’t know if it was the same type you have though.
If the D-C does not work to your satisfaction give the Alumahyde spray that Brownells sells a look. I’ve had good results with it.

If it doesnt work, I'm giving it to a local guy, and paying him 125 bucks to Ceracoat it.

I use (still, slowly but surely) an airbrush (Paasche VLST-PRO) and a touchup mini spray gun, the Iwata LPH-80, I have a couple.... One tip (pun) is plastic containers aren't worth a chit except to mix in. Yogurt cups are handy. A good airbrush is pretty slick. The VLST-PRO uses screw-on glass containers and is well made for repeated usage (CLEANING). Duracoat is mixed a simple 1:12 ratio so stainless teaspoons and tablespoons.... Lacquer thinner. More hardener is shinier, less is - LESS. Tactical flats are the ones to get if you don't want shine.


Thin coats, flash off between, heed the directions. The kit above has the two parts (color and hardener) and has propellant, hopefully enough. FYI, NO single part rattle can will be as chemically resistant as a two part coating. Nonetheless I just bought some rattlecans today that I like the results of! LOL Cheers and good luck dudes!

This is Duracoat... At home.

Looks very nice.

Still waiting on delivery !

Thanks. Your work looks good!

What compressor are you using? What PSI?

Hey Boomer, you mentioned to "flash off" twice above. For those of us not in the know, what is meant by "flash off"? Thanks in advance.

Oh, you spray it on then let it gas off a little before hitting with another light coat. As instructed. A few minutes AT LEAST, maybe 7-10 minutes between coats, it takes a few coats generally...


About any compressor will work for an air brush, and it takes just a little more for the small Iwata gun. Dry clean air.. Fairly low pressures, like 15-30 and it looks wet, not too much air where it's dry instantly, or is powdery looking...


Have fun....

The kit I bought was a 4oz, the kit I received is something else !
Got a much better deal.

Watched a video that shows using a blow dryer between coats.
I'll give it a go in a day or so.

Nice. Hope I can get my hands on some to try.

I spent about 60 bucks, plus tax for mine.

I have a Sako 85 that the soft touch stock went sticky after 7-8yrs. I used acetone, rags, and scotchbrite to remove the old finish. I ordered an aerosol can of the DuraCoat finish.

I watched the YouTube videos before spraying. Did exactly like the video/directions called for, using blow dryer. I had no problems and think stock came out great and has held up fine.

Think I did 3-4 "light" coats making sure it didn't run.

Good luck! Let us know how you make out.

I am doing my 7 mag first. I have it all apart and cleaning it, before I clean it !!
Amazing how much stuff is in the creases, and crevasses !
I may paint tomorrow, but I think I'm going to prep another rifle, in case I have extra.
I'm only doing flutes on the barrel(s), so I should have extra to do 2.
Taping off, and doing flute cut out is gonna be fun !

I've done a bunch of stick for members here with duracoat with airbrush a d spray gun. Prep is the key. Degrease and when your sure you have it clean degrease it again. Duracoat will not stick to any remaining oil. Spray the trustrip on liberally and wipe with clean cloth/paper towels. My suggestion for the barrel would be to tape the whole thing with painter's tape then press along the edges of the flutes hard. Follow the edge with a exacto/hobby knife and cut the flutes out. Press the edges back down to ensure a good seal...duracoat is thin and can creep under the edges.

If doing a polymer stock and worried you might not get it clean enough and have chipping/flaking issues you can get adhesion promoter for plastics at any auto parts store. Spray on let it tack up and apply duracoat. I've used dupli-color here and there on well used stocks when residual oils/cleaners could be an issue.

Good luck and if you need some help shoot me a PM.