I got my Cerakoted Colt back - pics

[thomis]

I posted a while back about getting my Colt Cerakoted. I really didn't have much of a choice, as my Colt was rusting rapidly. Its not like I wasn't taking care of it. I own a dozen other guns and I don't have this problem with any of them.
So, I got the call that it was ready and went to pick it up. I think it looks pretty good overall, but its not without flaws. Any pitting is amplified by the Cerakote finish. It just doesn't cover it up, it actually enhances it. Luckily most of the pitting was under the grips, so they cover it up. The real problem is with the function. Right away I could tell the slide was a little rough. It will take some time to smooth it out. The safety took some force to get it to engage all the way. Its a little more smooth now, that I've worked it a bit. I took it out to fire it and no go. After a dozen tries, it just wouldn't fire. The firing pin wasn't hitting the primer. I called the shop that did the work and they just wanted me to bring it in. They said it sounded like the firing pin channel was blocked by some of the finish and probably needed to be cleaned out. I'm not impressed with the shop. I just think they should have checked this before they let it walk out the door. There was no apology either. I'm going to take it apart and try to clean it to function myself before I put it back in their hands first. I personally wouldn't recommend that shop.
I only had one of the original mags Cerakoted so I could compare. I chose the Socom Blue as I was told it was the closest finish to the original factory blue.
Anyhow, I'll start with a before pic:















Thanks for looking. I'll update this post when I have a chance to take it apart, clean and fire it.

 

[malakili]

Sorry about the function issues. Looks beautiful though.

 

[Orion8472]

Quite classy looking!

 

[OneSevenDeuce]

I didn't think it would look good, but that's not bad. I'd still prefer a reflective blue if it were me, but I wouldn't throw that Colt out of bed. By the by, every gun that I've had crayoned took a while to break in again. There is no excuse if the firing pin is blocked, though.

 

[thomis]

I said I would post back when I got the non-firing issue resolved. I took it apart and back together a dozen times and couldn't figure it out. So I trekked back into town and let the guys at the gun shop where I had it Cerakoted look it over. Apparently there was a thin layer of ceramic from the coated that wasn't allowing the beaver tail safety mechanism do its thing. After a few minutes they had it back to firing. I brought it home and fired a few mags of my favorite handloads...



I won't recommend the shop to my friends. I really don't think it should have left their hands without being test fired. Also, while he was working on it he told me he replaced the recoil spring with a stiffer Wolf spring. I was puzzled and bothered and said why did you do that, we never discussed that?? He said he thought it was weak and was trying to help me out. I said I only had a few hundred rounds through it and it couldn't have needed replacing so early nd that I wanted my Colt factory spring back. He replied, its ay my house. Say what?? He promised to mail it to me. That's weird.

 

[19-3Ben]

He replied, its ay my house....That's weird.

Yes. Yes indeed it is. Not sure what the thought he was doing. Maybe he had a stiffer spring hanging around the shop and wanted a spring like yours for one of his own guns. So the cheap thing to do would be to give you the spring he had lying around anyway, take yours, and hope you wouldn't notice the difference. I mean really, how many people would really feel the difference between two springs. It takes a gunny, of which, I'm sure most of his regular clients are not.

 

[horsemen61]

It looks amazing I must say but their business practices have me a bit concerned

 

[Chocolate Bayou]

Cerakote Dealer

Did you check with Cerakote to see if the guy who did your job is an authorized deal/distributor. A little homework can save a lot of headaches. Also, if he is not authorized who is going to guarantee the work if it begins to flake or fade down the road?

 

[RustyShackelford]

Cerakote SOCOM blue.....

I like the SOCOM blue Cerakote style.
I would consider it for a left hand Remington 870 12ga or maybe a Ithaca home defense 12ga pump.

Rusty

 

[frankiestoys]

Looks good

 

[critter]

I bought a S&W model 10 with a 6" barrel. Mechanically it was perfect and it shot like it had eyes.

Unfortunately, some doofus had left it in a 'gun rug' of some sort with a lot of moisture and it was rusted and pitted pretty bad.

It was then bead blasted and coated. Looks is just so-so due to the pits, but it is a really great gun and great shooter.

For $200 I just couldn't pass up that ugly duckling. Finish is holding up quite well.

 

[bannockburn]

I think it looks good too. Like the color you selected.

 

[BSA1]

Reading your comments I don't see where the shop & gunsmith did a bad job.

Your comment about the Ceracoat not covering up the pitting is true for any type of finish. All bead blasting does is make the pits less noticeable but they are still there.

As far as the gun feeling a little rough I would expect this to be a result of the buildup of the Ceracoat. It will be interesting to see how quickly it smooths out.

Gun not firing. Well some customers are anal about their gun looking pristine. It seems to me that the shop was willing to stand behind their work and wanted you to bring it in so they could fix it. Sounds fair enough to me and your own comment states it was a simple fix and the gunsmith apparently fixed it without charging you any money.

As far as replacing the recoil spring did he do that free of charge? It is recommended that the recoil spring be replaced as often as 5,000 rds. Your gun definitely been badly neglected and you don't mention how many rounds (or how many you suspect) it has been fired. Again if he did it free of charge I don't see how it causes any harm.

It is unfortunate that the Ceracoat does not meet your expectations but I don't see where that is the shops fault and the issue of it failing to fire by own your comment is a quick, minor fix.

To me your gun looks very nice. All the parts are the same color and the finish is smooth and evenly applied. Your photographs are encouraging me to have a finish challenged surplus gun Ceracoated.

 

[Shipwreck]

Damn, that looks very nice! Very good work!