# Blueing vs. Duracoat



## cabinetjedi

This may have been discussed in an earlier thread but I was wanting opinions on useing Duracoat or having a gun blued, what are the pros and cons of each?


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## VHinch

Depends on a couple of things.  What type of bluing are you talking about doing, and what use is the gun going to see?  If you have the gun professionally hot blued, it will look factory new, and be fairly durable. It is almost impossible to get cold bluing to look right, and it just doesn't hold up.  As far as Duracoat goes, it is extremely durable, but it is never going to look like a blued gun.  Duracoat is basically paint, and it's always going to look like it.  On a gun that's going to get carried, sweated on, etc., Duracoat is a great choice.  If it's going to be a safe queen and just be looked at, you can't beat a well done hot blue.

A good blue job is also going to be costly, whereas with a little practice you can do Duracoat yourself for virtually nothing.


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## Ga-Bullet

Like The Duracoat Myself. It'll Hold Up Much Better. Here's a Action That was  Done to Match  a S.S. Barrel.


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## Back2class

I do not like painted guns. I would not put duracoat on a rifle. It will offer more moisture protection but solvents can damage paint.


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## Ga-Bullet

Duracoats So Tuff a Monkey with a File Can't Cut it.It's Not Paint and You want Get it Off.


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## stevetarget

*Like it*



Ga-Bullet said:


> Like The Duracoat Myself. It'll Hold Up Much Better. Here's a Action That was  Done to Match  a S.S. Barrel.



 I like that silver over the bluing with the SS barrel.  +2


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## VHinch

Ga-Bullet said:


> Duracoats So Tuff a Monkey with a File Can't Cut it.It's Not Paint and You want Get it Off.



It is paint.  It's epoxy based paint, but it's still paint, and it will come off.  I've removed it with just brake cleaner and a little elbow grease.


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## BookHound

Am I the only rattle can guy on this board?  LOL.

Duracoat is a nice, tough paint.  More info on Duracoat here:

http://www.duracoat-firearm-finishes.com/

Good stuff, but I just hit my guns with Krylon and touch them up as needed.  That way I can also change colors or patterns depending on where I'm headed and what I'll be doing.  Plus, if I ever want to remove the paint it doesn't take a lot of scrubbing.

Mark


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## stevetarget

VHinch said:


> It is paint.  It's epoxy based paint, but it's still paint, and it will come off.  I've removed it with just brake cleaner and a little elbow grease.


you have some good brake cleaner or maybe a sorry paint job (not real duracoat)or maybe you had sandpaper in your elbow grease.
 seriously, dura coat has good chemical resistance, stops the metal from rusting and looks good.  I would not use brake cleaner on a gun anyway. There are many cleaners made for guns.


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## SnowHunter

BookHound said:


> Am I the only rattle can guy on this board?  LOL.
> 
> Duracoat is a nice, tough paint.  More info on Duracoat here:
> 
> http://www.duracoat-firearm-finishes.com/
> 
> Good stuff, but I just hit my guns with Krylon and touch them up as needed.  That way I can also change colors or patterns depending on where I'm headed and what I'll be doing.  Plus, if I ever want to remove the paint it doesn't take a lot of scrubbing.
> 
> Mark



yeah I like rattle can as its easy and quick. Easy to touch up and remove if necessary...

That bein said, I'll be using duracoat on the AR's, though not for a camo pattern, just a good protective coat


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## Nitro

Ga-Bullet said:


> Duracoats So Tuff a Monkey with a File Can't Cut it.It's Not Paint and You want Get it Off.



Ga-Bullet is referring to the applied film technologies process. 

It is tough- and available in most camo patterns. I much prefer it to rattle can paint jobs...


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## rustvyper

Depends on what look you want. Nothing can beat the look of a mirrored blue finish, then again, nothing can beat the durability of duracoat.
Don't listen to the folks who tell you cold bluing won't hold up & can't be done right. It's like the people who tell you their venison never tastes good - well, their t-bones don't taste good either, so I doubt it's the venison, it YOU!
prep is 90% of the battle with bluing. You can do a good cold bluing job at home in 20 minutes worth of bluing work...+ 3-6 hours worth of metal prep. Also, cold bluing is very durable, just apply a little car wax to help keep the shine, especially on a mirrored surface. I've had rifles that I cold blued years ago that have seen constant abuse & they still look pretty good.
I do both finishes. Personally, I think duracoat looks great (not as a good as a mirrored blue finish) but better than the factory ruffed ones you get now days. Plus it'll take a licking & keep on ticking & is super easy to apply.


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## jglenn

Vhinch said it best... Sortta depends upon what you want. For beauty...bluing


if you want a tough finish on a work gun... dura coat. If prepped right it is pretty much un-touchable by solvents..  aircraft stripper will take it off but that's some serious  paint remover.

Dura coat is great for caming stocks also

both can be easily removed as there are some great bluing removers these days


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## concrete

Where can someone pick up some Duracoat locally (Atlanta area)?
Thanks.


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## bighonkinjeep

Maybe nothing you've seen beats duracoat, but the Black T or Green T finish offered by Walter Birdsong is the cats pajamas when it comes to firearms finishes. Originally developed as a submarine coating for external parts there is no better protection.


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## jglenn

lot's of coatings better than duracoat but no many that you can apply yourself


Midwayusa.com     has duracoat.


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## Ga-Bullet

Black T is Good{Walters a Class act,His Buisness Is By word of Mouth. And He's Never Out of work}, Cerakote is good as well. But neither are  sold To The Public. Duracoat is. Out of the three I'd Take The Cerakote. If I wasn't Doing it Myself.


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## VHinch

> I would not use brake cleaner on a gun anyway. There are many cleaners made for guns.



Next time you're in Wal Mart pick up a can of Gun Scrubber from the sporting goods section, then go get a can of non-chlorinated brake cleaner from the automotive section.  Compare the ingredients, and guess what you find.  They are exactly the same. It's not a magic bullet, do all cleaner, but it is an excellent cleaner/degreaser and should be used as such.


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## Twenty five ought six

> Next time you're in Wal Mart pick up a can of Gun Scrubber from the sporting goods section, then go get a can of non-chlorinated brake cleaner from the automotive section. Compare the ingredients, and guess what you find. They are exactly the same. It's not a magic bullet, do all cleaner, but it is an excellent cleaner/degreaser and should be used as such.




Certainly you're not suggesting that the .99 cents a can generic stuff is as good as the $7.00 a can super-secret compound mixed by fairies in the light of the moon.

The next thing you're going to try to tell me is that Super Dooper Slick 'n Slide Gun Grease at $6.00 an ounce in the fancy syringe looks a whole lot like wheel bearing grease at $6.00 for a lifetime supply.

Seriously, if you don't pay a lot of money for it, how can it be any good ?


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## jimbob86

But first of all so you know Duracoat is a resin not a paint, little bit of a difference. and yea there are always goin to be ways to get stuff off but if i ever hunt in a forest of brake cleaners i will let you know until then i will keep using duracoat.


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