My recently cerakoted Ruger SP101 357 magnum
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beag_nut
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So, knowing a great deal about Stainless Steel, I wonder what the advantage is to cerakote a SS revolver? I understand the reasoning behind doing it to a blued/or otherwise poor finish antique, but what does one get with the cerakote? I couldn't find any actual claims on their website, just a bunch of videos and references to application people.
SS, properly passivated, is resistant to almost anything besides chlorine atoms. And those are easily removed during routine cleaning/wipedown. And passivation can occur in a deliberate process at the factory which made the parts, or "passively" in general use with time. If the cerakote process deposits a "ceramic" layer to protect against wear, so what? It would take eons to wear down a SS firearm to any point of danger. Scratches, to some, are a sign of history and use. On SS, scratches simply show normal wear and/or abnormal wear. And, where are the guarantees that the cerakote is applied in a manner to completely benefit from the hardness of ceramic?
I must conclude that the only reason, on a SS gun, is for appearance sake.
For blued/browned guns the application of cerakote is completely justified.
SS, properly passivated, is resistant to almost anything besides chlorine atoms. And those are easily removed during routine cleaning/wipedown. And passivation can occur in a deliberate process at the factory which made the parts, or "passively" in general use with time. If the cerakote process deposits a "ceramic" layer to protect against wear, so what? It would take eons to wear down a SS firearm to any point of danger. Scratches, to some, are a sign of history and use. On SS, scratches simply show normal wear and/or abnormal wear. And, where are the guarantees that the cerakote is applied in a manner to completely benefit from the hardness of ceramic?
I must conclude that the only reason, on a SS gun, is for appearance sake.
For blued/browned guns the application of cerakote is completely justified.
bearfoot
Member
Yabbut, it looks awesome! I like a black gun.
IdahoHk416
Member
I had my Ruger doen at Intacto Firearms here in Boise, Idaho. I had them cerakote my CZ 75B Compact, and they gave me a free cerakote job if I let them use photos of my CZ for advertising.
I have three XD pistols, and didn't want to cerakote them, so the Ruger was my choice since an all stainless look is not my favorite.
There really isn't any benefit to cerakoting a stainless gun other than aesthetics, which is all I did here. If the cerakote job wasn't free, I would have just left the Ruger as is.
Here is the CZ that they did for me. I ended up trading it so that I could get a Springfield XDm .45, which I have been wanting for a long time.
I have three XD pistols, and didn't want to cerakote them, so the Ruger was my choice since an all stainless look is not my favorite.
There really isn't any benefit to cerakoting a stainless gun other than aesthetics, which is all I did here. If the cerakote job wasn't free, I would have just left the Ruger as is.
Here is the CZ that they did for me. I ended up trading it so that I could get a Springfield XDm .45, which I have been wanting for a long time.
I agree with RealGun, it looks bad ass now, but show me in 6 months of shooting, if that coating didn't chip and crack. I hope it doesn't for your sake, but feel it will. Spraying anything over stainless is more likely to cause a problem than a more porous surface. I don't know what kind of prep work they did, so I am not 100% sure, but my head tells me down the road it could become problematic.
saturdaynightpolitics
Member
Couldn't you have just got an LCR?
Just kidding, it looks amazing though!
Just kidding, it looks amazing though!
I used to carry an SP101 and during the summer time, with my sweat on the gun, unless i was RELIGIOUS about wiping down and oiling, and even removing the grips every night, I would get little light freckling, especially under the grips. Stainless is not, in fact rust proof. It's also happened to my Sid P232SL, which, being stainless, shouldn't have that problem. It can be cured/slowed with religious maintenance, but is still a bother. Additionally if one were in one of those societal breakdown type of situations we don't discuss here on THR, maintenance becomes that much tougher, it might be a nice perk to have a gun that does not need so much attention. (This is not intended to derail the thread. If you to reply specifically to this point, please do so in PM.)
Cerakoting, or other finishes like hard-chrome, NP3, etc... on stainless make sense as a way of making a rust-resistant surface even tougher. It's the as Glock using Tennifer over their stainless, and S&W using Melonite on the M&P. Just because a material is tough doesn't mean that it can't be improved.
JJHACK
Member
Exactly right,
My backup stainless steel model 70 in 375HH went to robar to be coated. Working in SE Alaska guiding bear hunts on the coast was brutal to all steel. SS guns would get an orange fuzzy texture in only a couple weeks. During the season it was a tough environment on the guns.
Some hunters would actually have action rusting issues in their rifles in just a few days.
No downside to coating SS, and at least for me not a cosmetic choice. It's hard to hunt 16-18 hours including travel time, then handle camp duties, cater to clients and still make time to perfectly clean your ocean sprayed salty gun every single day.
My backup stainless steel model 70 in 375HH went to robar to be coated. Working in SE Alaska guiding bear hunts on the coast was brutal to all steel. SS guns would get an orange fuzzy texture in only a couple weeks. During the season it was a tough environment on the guns.
Some hunters would actually have action rusting issues in their rifles in just a few days.
No downside to coating SS, and at least for me not a cosmetic choice. It's hard to hunt 16-18 hours including travel time, then handle camp duties, cater to clients and still make time to perfectly clean your ocean sprayed salty gun every single day.
beag_nut
Member
So, cerakoting only applies to the exposed metal surfaces, correct? Not the internals, where dimension changes caused by the coating would matter a great deal.
To me, that's a slam-dunk:wipe down the outside each day. Keep the internals well-lubed. Coatings (on SS, by the way) a complete waste of time, UNLESS, one wants the appearance to be different than factory.
To me, that's a slam-dunk:wipe down the outside each day. Keep the internals well-lubed. Coatings (on SS, by the way) a complete waste of time, UNLESS, one wants the appearance to be different than factory.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I like the look, I like it a lot. That's why I gave my son my S&W M642 and bought a M442 when they were released without the lock. Very nice job...
anothernewb
Member
This is Waaaayyyy off topic, so I apologize for derailing things.
- but it is cerakote related. for those that know of the process - is it limited to just guns, or could it be used in other applications?
Had a recent kitchen remodel, and we went with some non-traditional materials. the sink is a dark gray granite composite - and we bought dark colored inserts for it, but it turns out they're simply painted stainless, and the paint is cheap and has peeled off - resulting in the crappy bright metal finish at the bottom of the sink. I was wondering if the basket inserts could be cerakoted instead of painted.
- but it is cerakote related. for those that know of the process - is it limited to just guns, or could it be used in other applications?
Had a recent kitchen remodel, and we went with some non-traditional materials. the sink is a dark gray granite composite - and we bought dark colored inserts for it, but it turns out they're simply painted stainless, and the paint is cheap and has peeled off - resulting in the crappy bright metal finish at the bottom of the sink. I was wondering if the basket inserts could be cerakoted instead of painted.
That may be obvious to you. But to many others, the answer is not as simple. Remember, nothing is life is black and white, and refinishing a gun is no different.
For a carry gun, not having to clean it up every day to avoid rust from sweat may be a big deal.
Similarly, for a hunting rifle that is getting the outside sprayed with salt water, not having to clean it up as meticulously is nice.
Just because one answer works for you, doesn't mean it works for everyone.
As it happens, these days I carry a blued gun and do the maintenance to both protect it from sweat in the first place, and avoid damage from what does get on it. BUT there are lots of right answers here and they all come down to personal choice.
Zaydok Allen
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Definitely not for me, but congrats to you! They did a good job and for those who like a black gun, that looks like a good option.
tnxdshooter
Member
tnxdshooter
Member
You do realize tennifer and melonite are the same right? I had read that tennifer and melonite are just nitro ferritic carborizing. All it really does is give metal a grayish appearance like park with corrosion resistance. I've read numerous places that Glock, S&W, and Springfield all do a black manganese park job over top of melonite/tennifer.
tnxdshooter
Member
J_McLeod
Member
That looks really good. Good enough that I'd consider doing it to my SP101.
Hokkmike
Member
May I ask what it cost you?
SunnySlopes
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He posted on another forum.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=537380&page=2
I wouldn't have done it anyway. To me there's nothing prettier than a stainless gun with contrasting grips. I have the exact same Ruger, btw. No way I'd do that to it. Maybe to a gun that had been abused, was blued and rusted.
snake eater 332
Member
All of my guns are utilitarian work guns and tools to be used and abused. I'm not a fan of shiny things (special operations background). Most of my guns are black, blued, Cerakote'd in FDE, or hydrodipped in a camo pattern.
I had a SP101 a few years back, but sold it to a buddy - a move I regret. It was a great gun, but didn't fit the role I needed it for at that time. I likely would've Cerakote'd my SP101 also - maybe a flat black or something dark and dull.
If it's gonna be a nice, shiny, pristine show piece and safe queen - good for you. Men serious about the business of self-defense don't care if their tools of the trade get a little banged and scratched up, so long as they function properly and without fail when needed.
I really like what you've done with this SP101! Like another poster said, it seems to soak up the light - all business!
I had a SP101 a few years back, but sold it to a buddy - a move I regret. It was a great gun, but didn't fit the role I needed it for at that time. I likely would've Cerakote'd my SP101 also - maybe a flat black or something dark and dull.
If it's gonna be a nice, shiny, pristine show piece and safe queen - good for you. Men serious about the business of self-defense don't care if their tools of the trade get a little banged and scratched up, so long as they function properly and without fail when needed.
I really like what you've done with this SP101! Like another poster said, it seems to soak up the light - all business!
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