870 tactical finish

[fishinbill85]

Hi all,

I bought a Remington 870 tactical on cinco de mayo (that's how I indulge) and it has a finish on I have never seen on a firearm.

It's like a gray enamel and it looks like the hammer finish spray paint that can be bought in wally world. The salesman said "industrial enamel, very durable". Yea right, I get home and start oiling the gun barrel and innards and it starts to chip around the extraction port toward the rear at first then towards the front (no impacts mind you). I also notice that evertime I shuck the slide I get little pieces of this "finish" coming from the nooks and crannies. The finish under seems to be the regular black oxide or blue finish that plagues the "cheaper" 870's. I have done some research online and I believe that remington call this their gray power coated finish, if that's so then its crap, I mean even more so than if they would have just left it bare metal!

I would like to know if anybody even knows the finish I'm talking about and if so, how do I go about getting this stuff off. I want to strip it off of the barrel and reciever (the only parts that were coated in this "finish") and either duracoat it or get it parkerized. I would rather it be parkerized if I can find somebody that does it well in central florida. (I'm in Lakeland)

thoughts, comments, ideas......thanks

 

[dogtown tom]

Read this thread at AR15.com:


http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=1&t=277179

Apparently it is already parkerized.







.

 

[Badger Arms]

Coolest picture ever. I'd do what these guys have done. Take the old finish off. Repaint it with DuraCoat if you like the color.

 

[MAKster]

I don't think it is parkerized underneath. Parkerizing is a superior finish that is used on the high priced Police models. Why would they hide a more expensive finish underneath this pealing cheap paint? I'm sure its the same bead blast black finish on all the Expresses.

 

[fishinbill85]

That's exactly what I was thinking, why would they cover up good stuff with this cheap enamel posing as powder coat. I called remington and they told me to send the shotgun to them for inspection. I asked about the turnaround and she replied," If they refinished it then it will be 6-8 weeks due to the complexity of the finish (B.S.!), and if the they decide to replace it, 3-4 weeks".

I don't know about anybody else on here, but I'm not really inclined to ship my firearm (that I've had for TWO DAYS!!!!) back to the factory for another botched finish that will just have to be sent back again (on my f-ing dime!!). No, I think I will just handle this myself and save UPS some gas! Can anybody recommend someone who does parkerizing in the Tampa/Lakeland area...somebody good, no hacks please...



Remington: thumbs down for that crap finish!

 

[Badger Arms]

Parkerizing is NOT a superior finish in terms of cost. It's actually cheaper and easier to apply than bluing and is the go-to finish prior to painting. Just make sure you don't apply any oil after the park is done. It is likely that your gun is parkerized under the paint.

It really sucks that the paint is peeling off these guns. Remington spends tons of money making worthless "J" safeties for their guns then sprays them with Krylon and calls them tactical.

 

[MAKster]

Parkerizing is less expensive than the high gloss blueing on guns like the wingmasters which require more labor to create a smooth metal surface, but the finish on the Express isn't real blueing.

 

[Badger Arms]

For the record, the finish on the following guns is as follows:

Wingmasters: high gloss blue
Police: Gloss blue or Parkerizing
Express: grit-blasted then blued (yes, real bluing)
Marine: electroless nickel plating

Not confirmed yet, but I believe the tactical models are Express models that have been parkerized and painted over.

 

[fishinbill85]

Well, I don't believe that it is parkerizing. Period. It is typical cheap remington 870 express black oxide bluing. I stripped the "finish" off with gasket remover. I didn't have to wait 30 min either, on most of the gun, as soon as the spray hit it, it started to bubble off. Kinda reminded me of a burnt campfire marshmallow (when the skin comes off).


I have called around locally and I think I have decided to have it parkerized and then dura-coated. For what I'll be using it for it will probably last a long long time. I would have considered just leaving it alone with the underlying finish, however, remington's prep left something to be desired and there are faint rust stains in the metal on the reciever and the "BLUEING" on the barrel and reciever in some spots are thin and inconsistant at best.

Like I said before, REMINGTON: THUMBS DOWN on the finish of these awesome shotguns!!!!

 

[AZAviator]

This is interesting to read considering my present decision of Mossberg vs Remington. I've heard from others that the Remington finishes, especially on lower cost models is crap.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Marine = Nickel Finished against salt water corrosion.

Nickel is a wonderful metal; easy clean.

 

[fishinbill85]

I'm just saying the painted finish is crap. The regular black oxide blueing finish is decent with proper maintanence. Keep them oiled nicely and they are fine. MY finish under the paint was crap because they knew they were going to paint it. Other than REMINGTON'S bright idea about painting them the guns are still top notch in my book