Painting a Stainless Barrel

[joed]

Been thinking about doing something with the stainless barrel on a rifle I own. To me it looks weird with a blue receiver and stainless barrel. Don't think paint would hold up and was thinking about duracoat.

Is there anything else out there?

 

[desidog]

Get a magnet and see if it is attracted to the barrel. Many SS bbls are magnetic, ie not "true" stainless....if that's the case, you can get your self some bluing or browning solution and have at it. I'd do a test spot on the barrel where it wouldn't be seen under the stock first to verify the color outcome with your particular barrel.

 

[crushbup]

A clean bead blasted barrel will do well with Moly-Resin or Duracoat over it.

 

[WYcoyote]

I have not tried this, it is just a thought. A guy could try this on a scrap piece of SS first.
Degrease the barrel and wipe with a cloth soaked with sulfuric (battery) acid.
It might put a dull camo type stain on that may work for hunting.
I guess I should try it to see what happens.

 

[MCMXI]

Get a magnet and see if it is attracted to the barrel. Many SS bbls are magnetic, ie not "true" stainless...

416 series stainless is magnetic (Krieger barrels) whereas 304 and 316 are not magnetic. They're both stainless steel though due to the amount of chromium in the alloy (> 11% by wt.) so not sure what your definition of "true" stainless is. Whether or not a series of stainless steel is magnetic is related to the phase e.g. austenitic or martensitic but both are "true" stainless steels.

I painted a Krieger barrel and Remington action (both stainless) using GUN-KOTE 2400 ... it's GOOD stuff but you do need to bake the barrel in an oven for up to 2-1/2 hours at 325F. Ideally you'll need to grit blast the surface to get a good key for the paint to stick too. The finished product is excellent though.

 

[rskent]

You might want to check out Alum-a-Hyde (spelling) from Brownells. It works pretty well.
Steve

 

[joed]

This is a Krieger barrel so I guess it's magnetic. I don't think I want to fool around baking a barrel for 2 1/2 hours. Think I'll contact the smith that did the work for me.

 

[NCsmitty]

I recommend using Duracoat as you planned, as there are a few different blue coatings listed at their site, that may do the job for you.
Here's a link to the gun blue color. I have that color myself but am waiting for warmer weather to apply. It's a tough coating that gets better over time, and no baking. I've used Duracoat on several rifles with complete satisfaction. You do need to sand blast the barrel first, and get the barrel super clean, to end up with a well adhered coating applied with an air brush in light coats.

www.lauerweaponry.com/item-detail-c...ry=220&colorchoice=dcr_63.jpg&colortype=stock

I'd like to add that a good cold blue may do the job, but you need to test it on a spot hidden by the stock first.



NCsmitty

 

[joed]

I guess it's Duracoat but I'm going to have to find someone to do this for me. I'm not wild about heating the barrel and wouldn't want to mess up the finish.

 

[Eyesac]

You could do one of those salt baths...
http://accurateshooter.wordpress.co...t-mmi-trutec-salt-bath-nitriding-for-barrels/

 

[KevinR]

Get a magnet and see if it is attracted to the barrel. Many SS bbls are magnetic, ie not "true" stainless....if that's the case, you can get your self some bluing or browning solution and have at it. I'd do a test spot on the barrel where it wouldn't be seen under the stock first to verify the color outcome with your particular barrel.

What is true stainless there are only about 20 different kinds I know of.

 

[desidog]

so not sure what your definition of "true" stainless is.

What is true stainless there are only about 20 different kinds I know of.

Connoisseurs of Stainless, apologies for having offended your metal.
I put it in quotes because some people (myself not included) think that it isn't the real deal if it's magnetic... it is my understanding that the same iron that makes it magnetic is the stuff that rusts...and one form of rust is bluing.

My point was that the barrel can be blued; so the OP shouldn't feel forced to paint to change the current aesthetics.

 

[dmazur]

I had a couple of Ruger #1's rebarreled with stainless barrels (on blued actions), and I solved the problem with a black Gun-Kote.

To make sure it matched, I asked the gunsmith to Gun-Kote everything, including the receiver. It turned out great.

Fingerprints and water drops don't do anything to a Gun-Kote surface. You still have to take care of things like springs to prevent rust, but otherwise I believe it makes a nice, weatherproof surface.

 

[joed]

Now another choice. I'll have to see what gun-kote is.

OK, I can't take it anymore. I know heat is a barrels enemy. Now about heating the barrel at 450 for 8 hours or whatever for these finishes. It can't possibly be good for the barrel.

 

[MCMXI]

joed, you only have to bake the barrel at 325˚F for about an hour. KG Coatings does suggest that you bake it for longer for a REALLY hard finish but it's optional. I bake all painted parts for 2-1/2 hours (recommended by KG) but 325˚F isn't that hot and it certainly isn't hot enough to be detrimental to the barrel. My painted Krieger barrel is very, very accurate so don't worry about it. I use K-Phos (also from KG Coatings) as a "primer". It's optional but so far I'm very pleased with the final product so I'm not going to change the way I've been doing it.

https://www.kgcoatings.com/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=26

 

[Joemyxplyx]

Now about heating the barrel at 450 for 8 hours or whatever for these finishes. It can't possibly be good for the barrel.

The temperatures for the K-G 2400 coating are 275-350F from their data sheet:

Bake temperature is 300 to 325F. Timing starts after part has reached curing temperature. Coating will dry to the touch within a few minutes. Temperatures can vary with longer in oven times for example 275 degrees for two hours

350F is the usual temp for baking muffins and bread. It isn't real hot. 458F is the temperature at which paper burns. 400F won't light paper afire.

I fired at a human torso target at 175 meters with an M1 enough to start the rear hand guard smoking. It took 6-8 clips to do that. Anyway, that had to be hotter than 458F. It didn't damage the barrel in any way that I could tell. I hit the silhouette target every time, pausing long enough between shots for the target to fall and come back. FWIW, the human silhouette target is just as wide as a front sight blade of an M1 at 175 meters. And, of course, that was 50 years ago. Meters seem to have gotten much longer than they were then.

Anyway, I don't think 350 or 450F temps are going to do anything adverse to a barrel or action.

 

[joed]

OK, I guess I need to find someone near me that can do this. I guess this means the barrel has to come off.

 

[MCMXI]

Since you're only painting the barrel, it'd be easier for whoever does the work if the barrel and receiver were separated but it really depends on the skill of that person and your expectation of the final result. You could mask off the receiver for grit-blasting and painting but in this case it's probably not the best way to go. If it were me, I'd paint the barrel and receiver with GUN-KOTE. Blueing when done well looks nice but it's no panacea in terms of protection from the elements or other abuse.