Excellent Ceramic Base Paint for Refinishing Firearms

For anyone is looking to refinish a firearm this is an excellent way to do it.

The Dupli-Color ceramic added high heat engine paint is excellent to refinish shotgun barrels or receivers or any other firearm that you are looking to put a parkerized type finish on. It will withstand heat up to 1200 degrees. It is Tough cured finish that resists oil, gas grease, rust, salt, humidity, and solvents. I have used it on many firearms with very good factory looking results. It is tougher that Duracoat or Gun-Kote finish that cost three times more. It cost about $6 from your auto parts store. (Part # DH 1602 High Heat Black) gives a nice matte black parkerized looking finish. You have to prep the surface well like you do with Gun-Kote bake on finish. I heat the part to 100 degrees before I start. I usually put two light coats with 10 min wait between coats. The directions says to hold 10" -12" from surface but at the end of the 2nd coat I hold it out a little further to give it a dusting for that light rough parkerized looking finish. Then you let it dry for about 10 mins and bake it in the oven on 400 for 1.5 hours. I like it and trust it so well I plan to refinish the barrel on my new Mossberg SPX with it because the factory finish sucks. It is thin and wears easy.

The finish on the Choate mag tube extensions sucks also. It is also thin and wears easy. I have already refinished the Choate mag tube ext on my SPX with it with excellent results.

Get the Dupli-Color High Heat 1200 degree engine paint only, it is tough as nails.


Here is the Dupli-Color link so you will know what to look for:

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/engine.html


GC

 

interesting, any idea of how thick the coating is after baking?

 

I have used it. I "painted" an FAL carbine build I did. Looks good. The finish is thicker than say the Norrels Moly. I have no comparisons to other finishes, I haven't used them.
I will say that I think if you had two mating surfaces, and used this on both, you could have fit problems if they were a tight fit to start with- think pins in holes.

I did use the 500* Duplicolor though. I had heard that the 1200* black came out more purple sometimes. The 500* was great.

I also used the "Cast Iron" color on the stainless barrel of my M1A. From 5 feet away it matches the park on the reciever perfect. Up close, you can tell, if you know to look. A casual glance won't spot it.

Mr Fixit

 

I would not recommend it for two mating surfaces either. I disagree that the (Part # DH 1602 High Heat Black) comes out with a purple tint. I have never had that result. I say, get a can and test it out on metal surface, play with it, get familiar with it how it sprays and the type of coat thickest you want. There will be plenty left for your firearm project. You can hold the can back about 15" or more and give it dusting at the end of the second coat to give it a Parkerzied look. I haven't tried the 500 degree so I have no experience to draw from.


GC

 

I haven't used the 1200*, only reporting what I heard. I think the problem was found when it was "cooked" to cure for too long.

I have used the 500*, and had good experience with it. Sounds like either one would work fine, provided it is applied properly.

 

They are probably both good because they both have Ceramic. The 500 is an enamel with ceramic. The 1200 High Heat black is a matte gray black type finish after it has cured.

mr fixit You have experience with the 500, which one of the black colors on the 500 paint color chart have you used and which would you suggest for anyone wanting a matte black type finish.



GC

 

Thanks for the complete info. The other day some someone mentioned "the paint with ceramic added". Now I know what to look for.

Now I have a project to do!

Later,
WNTFW

 

You should only apply it in 70 degree temps and above. That might be a problem right now because it is cold most places.

Here is a picture of what the finish will look like with the Dupli-Color 1200 high heat black paint. The Mossberg SPX in the picture has had the mag tube extension refinished with it. The barrel hasn't. As you can see it very closely matches the factory finish on the barrel. It is hard to tell them apart in person. The tube in the pic has some of my finger print smudges on it. It is a very nice finish.






GC

 

Here is another picture of a mag tube ext I refinished with the Dupli-Color 1200 degree High Heat Black. This Magazine Tube Extension is on a H&R Excel Auto 5. By the way the Excel Auto 5 is an excellent low cost shotgun, very reliable.

This will give you a good idea on what your finish will look like after it has cured.





GC

 

I refinished a Ruger MKI pistol 3 yrs ago w/ 1200 deg., it's really durable but some solvents, brake cleaner, lacquer thinner makes it wrinkle and peel off

 

Hey, ya'll with the extensions, ya'll need some clamps on those if you can. Don't want your mag tube threads damaged if you bang into something with the unsupported extensions.

Anyway, I'll look into this as a lazy alternative to parkerizing. I'll probably try it out on my 870 Express...wish Remington would just go ahead and park the darn thing instead of fooling around with that matte blue crap...

 

Thanks moondog049 I didn't know that.

They only recommend clamps for 4 shot tubes or longer. I don't like the clamps because they have to be removed every time you have to remove the mag tube for cleaning. If you don't put it back in the same place and tighten it to the same torque your point of impact will change. The tubes on the shotguns in the picture have a lot of threaded tube space so they are very secure.

The Dupli Color is a more durable finish than a parkerized finish anyway. You don't have to worry about the outside of your gun rusting.


GC

 

Here is a link of people getting excellent results with the Ceramic paint.


Ceramic Finish Link:
http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=802258


GC

 

Just did a Kel-Tec

Duplicolor 1200 degree engine black on the slide. Dremel polished the back of the barrel, too. Came out GREAT. Looks totally factory. Pictures don't even do it justice. I've been staring at the thing all day.




Ignore the ugly improvised belt clip.

 

I have a stupid question. Does the backing at 400 degrees do anything to the metal hardness or tempering? I am not a metallurgist but i seem to recall that tempering of some metals is done at around 400 degrees.

 

dang, that thing looks nice, T3! not bad at all. glad it found a good home. hope you enjoy it

Bobby

 

I tried the duplicolor a few years ago cause I was looking for a durable finish as well, I contacted them directly and was advised of the particular paint and application to achieve what I desired.
As a test when dealing with bake on finishes, I coat a test piece and them hit it with many solvents........the final solvent I use is M.E.K. cause it will strip just about any kind of finish off.
The duplicolor didn't stand a chance against it, and in the end used gun coat.
The only down side to gun coat...other than the cost, is that the results are glossier than you would want, but I was after the protection from solvents,
The M.E.K. didn't phase the gun coat one bit.

 

I don't know how old this thread is but I found it doing a search on finishes with engine paint. I just finished doing my Sig P226 aluminum frame with Dupli-Color 500 degree engine black and then left her hang in the basement in front of a heater for 1hr and she looks beautiful. This is just a house gun that stays in a locked 3 digit combo box for the wife when I'm not home. I will post pictures when I get her back together.