Bluing vs. CZ baked enamel corrosion factors?

[Ignition Override]

Is backed enamel on the CZ-82 more resistant to normal corrosion than my several blued handguns?
The Czechos. must have found it to be cheaper to produce.

All of these recent acquisitions were collectors and are in exc. condition with no mods. The CZ-82 had lost two small paint flecks under the trigger guard when I bought it in April.

 

[Drail]

Bluing offers zero protection from corrosion. It's only purpose is to provide a black finish (preferred by the military). Keeping the metal covered with oil is what protects the metal. Bluing is very very thin and will wear off if the gun is used or handled a lot. Baked enamel should protect fairly well as long as it doesn't crack and allow anything to get under it - but enamel is not going to be as durable and resistant to damage from impact. But it can be made in almost any color and will wear better than bluing unless you drop your gun on the gravel a lot. Given a choice I would pick bluing over almost any applied finish - except hard industrial chrome (which is unfortunately bright silver).

 

[atblis]

If you're referring to the latest CZ paint type finish called Polycoat, it's actually pretty durable and in my experience better than blueing. CZ has used other paint type finishes that are less durable than the current polycoat.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

CZ-82s aren't polycoated, they are painted.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

With moderate care, a pristine CZ-82 should stay that way. Keep it wiped down with CLP or something similar to keep areas that are exposed/chipped protected from corrosion and it should be okay.

My first CZ was a 75 (not a 75B), but it was also covered with an enamel finish that was badly chipped. I suspect it was similar to the finish on a CZ-82. I've since learned how to touch-up the later CZ polycoat, but I didn't know how to repair the enamel finish. My original 75 looked as though a Pit Bull had been chewing on it. (The later Polycoat used on the newer 75Bs is easily touched up with Dupli-Color (or a similar matte black) auto touch-up paint.)

With the 75, I stripped the enamel using a spray-on auto-body paint remover, polished it a bit, and then cold-blued it using Brownell's OXPHO-BLUE. It looked great (if you follow their instructions), and it only needed touch-ups on the front and back straps from time to time -- and that took a few minutes.

If I had a CZ-82 that was looking ratty, I'd have it reblued, do it myself with OXPHO-BLUE, or ship it off to someone who can do a good version of something like Duracoat.

 

[jhb]

the cz82's i own have a painted finish that will come off easily with certain solvents. ask me how i know this. be very careful cleaning them with solvent based cleaners.

i don't know the entire production line and if they ever changed it at some point, but every one that i have owned, still own and have seen personally all had a painted finish.

it's fine for what it is, but just be careful when cleaning.

 

[Drail]

Just use CLP and leave the brake and carb cleaner in the garage. Any solvent that will remove any type of paint is much more overkill than you need just to clean a firearm. Powder fouling doesn't need that kind of strong solvent action. I've used plain old CLP for 30 years and my guns are in perfect condition - even the blued ones.

 

[ritepath]

I really like the new nitrated slide on my p-09, inside and out it looks great as any other poly pistol out there. The finish on my 75 is "odd" IMHO the inside of the frame is bare from what I can tell. I was really close to buying a blued 75 back in the fall but it was in 40 or it'd be in my safe now.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

It looks as though CZ, tired of hearing everyone complaining about the presence of machining marks, has begun doing a bit of bead blasting as they finish things up. If that's what they're doing, its a very smart step.

 

[Ignition Override]

Thanks very much. The gun began production around '82, as usually us the case with designations.
So far I've only cleaned all handguns (and recently rifles) with a type of oil called Hilco Lube, used by some military units, reportedly similar to CLP. The only other product is B. Casey Gun Grease.

Will carefully avoid using anything harsh such as Hoppe's #9 etc in the 82's bore or anywhere else, just in case.
Over at CZ Forums they discuss the real problem guns sometimes being stripped and blued.

Just as contrasting info to avoid possible confusion out there, the CZ-83 (mostly in .380 Auto) as their commercial export version was blued (rifled bores, not polygonal). Many of these are now available as "returns" from the Israeli police and corrections.

 

[4thPointOfContact]

Dupe

 

[Ignition Override]

4thPointOfContact: painted with black enamel.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Just as contrasting info to avoid possible confusion out there, the CZ-83 (mostly in .380 Auto) as their commercial export version was blued (rifled bores, not polygonal). Many of these are now available as "returns" from the Israeli police and corrections.

Only the 9x18 versions of the CZ-83 used polygonal barrels. The .32 and .380 versions used standard land and groove rifling. The .32 versions are rare here in the U.S., and command a high price. They are all handsome guns.

I think I've seen as many 9x18 CZ-83 as .380s -- and I've only HEARD (or read) about the .32 a.c.p. versions. If you have a 9x18 or .390 version, and can find a barrel, you can change to the other caliber; the mags are the same. (It apparently takes a barrel press to install the next barrel, and I don't know how hard it is to get the old barrel out/off.)