Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters cerakote?

I once gave a rifle to a gunsmith with a very good reputation. Either he didn't properly prepare and cure the job, or he subbed it out to an idiot who didn't know how. Said gunsmith is now singing with the choir eternal so he won't be making that mistake again.

My mistake was not sending the rifle out separately to a specialist.

Yep--there are apparently a bunch of those, who think you just have to spray it on.

If done right it's among the tougher finishes I've had on my rifles.

There are also a bunch of the customers (suckers?) of such appliers, who refuse to believe how good Cerakote can be if done right.

Well, I was a sucker on that occasion. I would try cerokote again, but I've learned from my mistake.

From the looks of that it's KG Gun-Kote rebranded.

I much prefer the KG Gun-Kote to Cerakote. Much more durable.

We do a lot of different color applications and an AR Ceracoated upper will show wear on the shell defector pretty fast.

The Grey/Black are popular and that Grey KG Gun-Kote holds up pretty well.




Cerakote used to sell an Air Cure version that they claimed was just as good. I don't think they sell it any more.

Sounds like a problem with the gunsmith doing the application. I have quite a few cerokoted and haven’t had problems

A buddy of mine has a lathe in his garage. He does so much competition shooting that he chambers his own barrels and he does the same for all of us in the group. He doesn’t cerokote, so I just used Brownell‘s Aluma hide epoxy based spray and have done quite a good job on a few barrels. Beware though because cleaning solvent takes it off around the muzzle.

There's gunsmiths (and even writers) that are utterly clueless, hence that title is utterly f'ing meaningless. Cerakote needs to be applied correctly, no discussion needed in this regard.

Rattle can finish will never have the solvent resistance of Cerakote, ever. It can be just the ticket for some things.

Gun-Kote is indeed Gun-Kote. LOL

The most widely used, H-series is 1-2 mil, Elite is 0.6-1.1 mil, and others as thin as 0.25 mil. Bunch of guessing can be eliminated with a little bit of focused reading.

C-series are air cured. Some of the the hardest are clearcoats that are one part and oven-cured.

Great resource
https://www.cerakote.com/resources/documents

For black and hard, nitride is a phenomenal treatment and gets the bore. It's super sexy and won't be done in the garage, or by a smith, or a writer.

Carry-on

The biggest problem isn't the Cerakote product - it's used in all kinds of industrial applications and has a good reputation. The problem is human error - specifically in the applicator's preparation. Cerakote's adherence strength is not a chemical bond with the surface, but a physical, mechanical lock. If the surface is bead-blasted the finish will fail; Cerakote is clear and upfront about this and emphasizes the use of appropriately-sized silica or garnet based media, which results in a surface of micro-crevices and uniform roughness so that promotes penetration of the Cerakote and serves as an anchor for the coating when cured. Bead blasting just peens the surface and leaves it smooth. The other critical step is proper degreasing in acetone after media blasting. A fulltime applicator knows this, doesn't forget it, and doesn't take short cuts out of ignorance or laziness.

Bottomline: Unless I personally knew the guy, I would only use someone who is a dedicated Cerakote applicator.

This^^
Cerakote is a two component ureathane type epoxy with ceramic added. A lot of companies make a similar product but cerakote is a quality product that has done a good job marketing to the firearms industry, and has also done a good job emphasizing prep and application.

Offshoreman is correct about sandblasting/etching the surface. Smoother the surface the less “bite” and mechanical lock the coating has. Consequently Cerakote isn’t the best choice for a real smooth more glossy type finish.

Ask your applicator what media and grit he's using. If its outside the 80 to 150 range and something other than aluminum oxide or garnet......walk away.

I have coated a lot of guns and this is easily the most important part to good adhesion and durability. If you're getting similar results with other non catalyzed, non heat cured products.....you got duped.

I never mix my media and dump it between bead and cerakote jobs to avoid contamination. It's all part of the reason it is expensive.....there's a lot of steps to a good job.

Thanks for all the contributions! Quite enlightening.

So, bottom line: would Winchester be considered a “dedicated Cerakote applicator”?

John,

Here's the CZ 550 9.3x62 I purchased 20 years ago from a local store, then shortly thereafter had Serengeti Rifles (now Kilimanjaro Rifles) in Kalispell restock with one of their fancy laminated pieces of walnut, and Cerakote. Since then it has been hunted in several states and countries from Alaska to Africa, riding in saddle scabbards, on float planes, boats and safari cars, and been carried through stuff from thornbush to mixed conifers and rocks. Along the way it's taken a bunch of big game, of probably a couple dozen species.

The photos show the extent of the wear on the Cerakote, which include scratches through the coating on the bolt-handle and trigger guard, and wear around the muzzle.





Once in Tanzania did encounter an idiot PH who claimed the rifle was rusting after a day of driving around a very dusty plain. I said, "No, that's just dust." (Like a lot of Africa, the soil was a red-brick color.) He disagreed, quite firmly, so I grabbed one of the water bottles in the cooler, and poured some on the barrel, which immediately turned blue-black again. He didn't say anything.

I agree witH MD. The quality of the application with Cerakote makes a big difference. I have a rifle tHat was cerakoted some years ago and it has proven to be exceptionally tough and weather resistant. I had it done by a professional company that does industrial cerakoting and was already cerakoting aerospace parts for our company.

Cerakote has proven to be a very good solution for me, if properly done.

Might also mention that I had two other rifles which were properly Cerakoted, a custom 7x57 from Serengeti, and a custom .338 Winchester, which was Cerakoted by another company. I sold both rifles in the past couple of years, but the 7x57 was hunted even more than the 9.3x62, and held up similarly.

JB,

I am not saying Cerakote is "bad".

I am saying that KG Gun-Kote is much better and more durable.

I have extensivley used both from a end user prospective and as a rifle builder.

If you have an example from 20 years of hard use, would like to see it.

LOL.

If your happy with Cerakote then rock on.

Many poster's in this thread have found Cerakote to be less durable than expected.

Having used both Cerakote and Gun-Kote I much prefer the KG product because it's better.

If you want an example I have sand paper, Gun-Koted guns, gas, and time to meet to test durability of both coatings.

Let me know.

KG is on the list to try out. I have seen elsewhere it's said to be equivalent in durability. Don't see why not, however, not being a catalyzed coating, can't imagine it being also as chemical resistant as Cerakote H or E series. Interesting that it's applied to pre-warmed parts. Carry-on.

John,

Have done considerable research, both among gunsmith friends and on the Internet, and the general consensus is that the heat-cured version of Cerakote (which is what my rifles have been done with), applied by somebody who knows what they're doing, is tougher than KG Gun-Kote. Though they also say KG is good stuff.

Many also noted that quite a few Cerakote applications are done by people who don't know what they're doing, and just spray it on like Krylon--whereupon it works about as well as Krylon.

Tell us about the Cerakote. Who did it?

This has been a good read and interesting as I've painted a lot of rifle and shotgun stocks over the past several years with Duracoat. I have only painted a few actions and barrels, and don't like doing metal with it, tolerances are tight and if you don't mask properly you're screwed. Duracoat is a 2 part paint and hardener that doesn't require baking. Like concrete it will be hard enough to handle in 24 hours or so, but to reach full hardness takes at least 2 weeks. Bump it firmly during this time and it will mar the finish.

Just like cerakote PREP IS KEY! Any oil left will cause the duracoat to peel. Like high_country said, black oxide or garnet on the stock first. Gloves only from here on, no finger oils. Scrub it with acetone or the duracoat degreaser. Then really scrub it again. Seriously, scrub it!! From Make sure its warm and not 50 degrees either. Give it time to flash off and look it over to make sure its clean. Now start the coating process.

Bottom line, those that know what they're doing aren't cheap and typically don't have very short turn around times for good reason. Done right with proper prep many of these coatings will serve their purpose for years. Skimp on the prep and it'll show in short order.