Is hard crome durable and does it stop rust?

[The Real Hawkeye]

My regular carry gun is plain blued. I like the look fine, but it tends to rust under the left grip if I am not constantly on top of it. Been thinking of hard crome. How durable is it, and does it really stop rust from developing?

 

[Wildalaska]

Yes

WildlaconicAlaska

 

[1911Tuner]

Hard Chrome

Is it durable?? Ya can't cut it with a file...

 

[Badger Arms]

WildleftsomethingoutthatsveryimportantAlaska:

If it's properly applied, that is. Seen quite a few flaked Chrome jobs. Be careful what you are getting into. Quality establishments will do a great job, certain strip-mall gunsmiths might ruin your gun.

Hard chrome does make a firearm look awful Ghetto though.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

If it's properly applied, that is. Seen quite a few flaked Chrome jobs. Be careful what you are getting into. Quality establishments will do a great job, certain strip-mall gunsmiths might ruin your gun.

I was going to have Yost send it to his guy. I'm sure he only uses skilled people.

Hard chrome does make a firearm look awful Ghetto though.

I tend to agree. I prefer blue, myself. Might just remove the rust spots and spot blue as needed. Still thinking it over.

 

[HSMITH]

Hardchrome is everything you are looking for and more. When applied properly by a good plater it is harder than woodpecker lips and will NOT come off. It is also vitually impervious to corrosion from ambient moisture and sweat.

 

[Wildalaska]

If it's properly applied, that is. Seen quite a few flaked Chrome jobs. Be careful what you are getting into.

Well Badg, when ya start patronizing true custom gun shops, ya wont see any flaking hard chrome...

WildmetalfinishAlaska

PS...APW reccomended

 

[stans]

Yep, proper metal prep and application are extremely important, but that is true of all finishes. I don't think hard chrome needs to be ghetto in appearance. A bead blasted matte finish looks very similar to bead blasted stainless steel. A highly polished finish would look "bling bling"!

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

Yep, proper metal prep and application are extremely important, but that is true of all finishes. I don't think hard chrome needs to be ghetto in appearance. A bead blasted matte finish looks very similar to bead blasted stainless steel. A highly polished finish would look "bling bling"!

Yeah, I think he assumed I was going to have it with a mirror finish like they used to do in the old days on car fenders, but when I say hard chrome finish, what I am referring to is the one that looks like bead blasted stainless steel. I still prefer the look of basic blue, but bead blasted stainless certainly doesn't look ghetto or bling bling. Still thinking it over. I think Yost would have it done right. He has a great rep.

I have another question: Does hard chrome add any significant thickness so as to effect the function of the weapon?

 

[HSMITH]

Hard chrome can add enough material to be a consideration, but I have never seen it on a stock or semi-stock gun. For most guns you might need a couple hundred rounds to 'break-in" when you get it back but no more than when it was new. You just have to get everything used to working together again. If you have having a super tight bullet hose target gun built the smith will need to know that plating is part of the deal before he starts. For less than the ultimate in tightness and accuracy the plating will not add enough material to matter for function, and often tightens up slide to frame fit just a bit. It is also so very hard that it will slide nicely with very little clearance and needs miniscule lubrication.

 

[Badger Arms]

My chrome gun be good for bustin caps n sh$%.

Now somebody show me a picture of a 'good' chrome gun!

of course I'm kidding and my carry gun happens to be satin chromed

 

[stans]

Yo, that jank is swee!

 

[Sean Smith]

When people talk about "chrome" flaking off guns, they are almost always really talking about older nickel finishes, not hard chrome.