Coin Finish: what is it?

[ArmedBear]

What is a coin finish on a receiver?

Do you know what metals are used, how they're applied, and how durable this finish is?

 

[oneounceload]

Found this on another forum site:

But color case wasn't the only prestigious finish. Way back in the day, an alternative was the coin finish. Now, to really be a true coin finish, it was just plain polished case hardened steel. They color case hardened those mild steel parts, then polished off the color to make a "coin finish". It was still hardened, and still somewhat resistant to rusting, but that's how they did it. Today they usually don't case harden the part anyway, so they use a silver nitride process, which actually does harden the surface, then polish it, just like in the old days. It's not a plating. The coin surface is still hardened steel, that's been polished.

Seems to make sense to me - SKB always had a good coin finish that lasted - IIRC, they were of the silver nitride finish

 

[chas08]

My Lanber has a "Coin Finnish" on the reciever. It has held up well. I gotta admit, I never really knew what it meant either, other than it was silver, like a coin. Thanks 1oz for clearing that up.

 

[Two Cold Soakers]

This is coin finish - Shiny, silver, high luster - like a brand new silver dollar.

This is case color - Rainbows and toning, varying degrees of reflectivity.

 

[huntsman]

Today they usually don't case harden the part anyway, so they use a silver nitride process, which actually does harden the surface, then polish it, just like in the old days. It's not a plating. The coin surface is still hardened steel, that's been polished.

I don't like it, first choice would always be case and I'll take a blued finish over silver nitride.

 

[oneounceload]

The only issue I have with CC is that, with excessive handling, rubbing, and perspiration, it wears off more quickly than other finishes. When done correctly, (like the way Doug Turnbull does it, bone and charcoal), it is exquisite to look at

 

[ArmedBear]

SKB has used just about every imaginable finish, AFAIK, including black chrome, blue, brushed stainless (receiver only), and electroless nickel.

Personally, I put a blued receiver at the bottom of the list. It looks like crap after a little real-world use. Old Brownings are some of the worst. I've seen too many of them that would be in 98% condition, but the worn-off blue makes them look like they're trashed. The coveted long-tang trigger guard (which my old Ithaca SKB has, also) is the first thing to look bad.

CCH would be as bad, or worse, but per an earlier thread and some looking around I've done since, CCH is often coated. Bluing isn't. OTOH blue doesn't fade in the sun, CC does.

Guerini coats both its CCH and coin finishes with urethane. That would imply that neither one of them is durable or rust-resistant by itself.

Personally, I'd love to see more stainless steel. The appeal of tradition went away for me when I spent some time bronze brushing a bunch of rust out of the engraving of an O/U's receiver, after I got some sweat on it and missed wiping off a few spots. Electroless nickel is all right, too. I guess urethane over the finish is all right, too, with one problem: I'm not sure how you tell if it's worn through.

I like stainless revolvers, too. Polished blue does look nicer -- as long as you plan to keep the gun in a sack-up in a safe, oil it frequently, and never actually carry it.

Thanks for the info!

 

[ArmedBear]

Two Cold Soakers:

I thought Beretta has used nickel for its silver-finished receivers. Do they do a polished-steel finish on the high-end stuff?

 

[Two Cold Soakers]

That's a good question.
Now that you mention it.

I don't know.
I pulled that photo from a google image search.