Want to replicate Sig two-tone look, please recommend refinisher

[matt33]

I would like to have my Sig P228 refinished to replicate the factory two-tone look (It is currently Nitron). This will include having the slide, hammer, trigger, decocker, mag release, takedown latch, and so on plated. Judging by pictures I’ve seen, it looks like everything is plated in satin nickel other than the frame.

Eabco’s French Gray, Mac's Shootin' Irons, and Robar all seem to offer what I’m looking for, but I am not very familiar with plating. Does anyone know who does Sig’s satin nickel work? I’ve noticed they offer the service on their website, but the $300 they are asking seems a little steep.

Please feel free to suggest anyone who does quality satin nickel work. I’ve looked at NP3, but in pictures it appears a little too dark. Hard Chrome looks the opposite to me, too "white". Thanks in advance.

 

[Wildalaska]

Every consumer has a favorite and not so favorite refinisher....generally if a consumer had his gun done by someone and likes it, that refinisher is the greatest..if he doenst like it, or he has some problems with the person doing the finishing, or if he gets advice from the net where a whole bunch of guys may not like the refinisher (even when they ahve had no contact with the refinisher), then that refinisher is the worst.

OEM guys, like us, have different experiences or expectations..and also act as quality control inpsectors for the finishers.

You can get a finish cheap....and it may not be right....or you can take tghe gun to your gunsmith, pay a bit more, and it should be done perfectly when you get it back.

That being said, send it to SIG...

WildthefinisherAlaska

 

[matt33]

Alaska,
I agree with what you are saying, but, I've been told by people I've asked that Sig subcontracts the plating work. I called Sig and asked the customer service rep if she could enlighten me as to who they use, but she was not at liberty to say who the plater was/is.

If I have to send it to Sig I will, but the cost seems to be about twice as high (at least) as to what anyone else charges. That being said, I'd rather pay Sig $300 and be happy than to pay a third party $150 and be disappointed with the results. I understand not all refinishers are equal, but if anyone knows of a plater that can do an excellent job (on par with factory satin nickel), I'd like to hear about them.

In general terms, who are some of the most reputable nickel platers in the firearms business?

 

[mmike87]

Check out CCR Refinishing:

http://www.ccr-refinishing.com/hg.htm

The folks over at SIG Forum speak the world of him, and he's a regular there and directly answers a lot of questions. I know he completely disassembles the gun, degreases and cleans as necessary, applies a phospate coating first and then the KG Gun Kote over that.

It's not truly nickle, but he has a variety of colors, including many that have a nickle or hard chrome look. The finish is supposedly VERY durable. Search for CCR on SIGForum.com - there are entire threads of people showing off their CCR jobs.

I plan on getting my 228 done with black/OD Green two tone later this year.

 

[matt33]

CCR does have an excellent online rep over at sigforum, but he doesn't do nickel plating. I would prefer the real thing.