What do you think about this, feed back please.

[Glocker]

I have been hearing about XD's rusting. I have been thinking about sending my slide ( not rusted ) to a guy that does this thing call " Dura coat " It is a re-finishing process. It's supposed to be pretty good stuff and it will not let your gun rust due to the process en-beds it's self into the metel. Has anyone heard of this process and has anyone done this? They can do colors, I've been thinking my XD is black and I'm thinking of doing the slide in O.D. green, I've seen green frames with black slides but what about black frames with a green slide ????

 

[HSMITH]

If I was worried about it I would do something permanent and lasting rather than one of the paint based processes. I would send the slide to Tripp Research and have it hard chromed.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

I have not gotten my SA XD pistol yet, I get to pick it up tomorrow...

However it seems to me if you wipe it down after every use, like you do with normal blued guns, I dont think rust should be a problem. Unless you live in a very humid area, and you store you gun withought cleaning for long periods.

 

[pauli]

i'd be inclined towards shipping all the metal bits off to be hard chromed. it's relatively cheap (relative to all steel guns), last i saw the math, since the frame stays with you - saves on process costs and ffl transfers.

 

[Glocker]

what is this hard chromed process and about how much am i looking at?

 

[jc2]

i'd be inclined towards shipping all the metal bits off to be hard chromed. it's relatively cheap (relative to all steel guns), last i saw the math, since the frame stays with you - saves on process costs and ffl transfers.

Most of the refinishers are FFLs, and there are no FFL transfer fees (but if you don't send the frame, it's not a firearm, and there are no shipping restrictions).

what is this hard chromed process and about how much am i looking at?

http://www.trippresearch.com/

 

[Bobby Lee]

If you are having rust problems with your XD, and you WILL if you carry it instead of leaving it in the safe, you need to call SA INC and complain.

They will refinish your XD in their new armory coat finish which is much better than the origional finish. It even comes in OD green if that is what you like and it is FREE.

 

[mattw]

that rusting stuff is BS, just take care of it like you would any other blued gun. sure the finish may be weak and come off more easily than say, a good parkerizing job, but if it starts to rust... thats just your fault. the key words here are "preventive mantinance."

 

[albanian]

The blued XDs do seem to have a weak finish and I have seen some that were not that old look old and rusty. The finish wears off faster than a Glock for instance and it will rust. That is why I just bought the SS XD. I pick it up on Wed and if it rusts, I will NOT be happy. If the SS rusts, which it won't, then you must really be hard on your gun's finish.

P.S., I can't wait to pick up my new XD-9! After being in the market for a about 6 months for a medium sized plastic hi-cap, I chose the XD because it fit me better than the other guns I was considering. In the running were the famed Glock 19, I never took to that overly large grip and the trigger never impressed me either. The Walther P-99 fit well but from what I have read online, QC is a little spotty compared to the XD and G-19. H&Ks are too expensive for what you get IMHO and they don't feel any better than a Ruger p-95 in my hands. The Styer seems like a good deal but I have not seen one in person and I am worried about the availabilty of hi-caps. I checked out a few other and it seemed like the Glocks and the XDs are the top of the heap in terms of reliabilty. It boiled down to comfort and the fact that the XD is made in the USA as opposed to another country. Buying American feels good when you can do it without a compromise. I don't feel the XD gives up anything to the Glock in quality or reliabilty so why not buy it? Even in SS, the XD is cheaper than the Glock.

 

[Bobby Lee]

that rusting stuff is BS, just take care of it like you would any other blued gun. sure the finish may be weak and come off more easily than say, a good parkerizing job, but if it starts to rust... thats just your fault. the key words here are "preventive mantinance."

Just in case you are not aware there are people that carry guns everyday.

Those of us that do carry their gun do not wish to have to keep it soaked in oil just to keep it from rusting.

Also those of us that work for a living generaly have other things to do than constantly maintain a gun.

 

[RRTX]

Duracoat is some good stuff, here is a Glock slide I did for a friend.

 

[.40-.45]

also those of us that work for a living generaly have other things to do than constantly maintain a gun.

at the dealership I work at our techs are very busy and their tools never rust

a weapon is a tool if you don't maintain it then.......

 

[pauli]

what is this hard chromed process and about how much am i looking at?

my understanding of the matter:

hard chrome is *the* most durable finish there is (at least so far as guns are concerned). a layer of, well, hard chrome (different from soft chrome on bumpers and such) is deposited over the piece (sometimes requiring a substrate), which is extremely hard. it's not perfect, and it does have a few vulnerabilities, but everything's a tradeoff. it's the same stuff you'll find in a chrome lined bore, as i understand it.

as for price... i seem to recall $155 being tossed around a year or so ago for getting an xd done up nicely with, iirc, a matte finish. hard chrome can be polished, as well. that's a bit flashy

 

[middy]

It boiled down to comfort and the fact that the XD is made in the USA as opposed to another country.

Comfort is an important factor, but I think the XDs are still made in Europe.

 

[Bobby Lee]

SA does not make the XD. They only import it.

They had NOTHING to do with it's design or it's development.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I'd certainly wait until I was sure I had a problem, before I started planning to spend money to fix that problem.

Perhaps the "problem" gun was one that had some sort of QC issue.

Make sure its "broke" before you set out to fix it.

 

[PCRCCW]

I'd leave it in a mud puddle, let it rust and send it back to SA for refinishing
Ok...Im kidding...but if it does rust, then Id do it. Just me...........
Shoot well........

 

[mattw]

Just in case you are not aware there are people that carry guns everyday.

someone is alittle bitter

have any of your pistols rusted by any chance? judging by your reaction so my suggestion of just keeping up with the finish, i might think so.

i don't see too much rust on any of my guns that i've carried and sweated on while working in the yard (live in the woods, lots of snakes).. that includes an XD that got sweat soaked, covered in brush-hog discharge, and sweated on some more in the mississippi heat and humidity.

if you carry a gun every day you have to go home some time or have a few minutes of privacy every once in a while. I always take a small patch of silicon impregnated cloth with me and wipe the metal parts down when i get nervous about the finish. I haven't seen a pistol that developed rust in just a fraction of a day.. (you do not carry it 24/7).

bottom line: if your gun rusts it is due to your own negligance, don't be afraid to admit your mistakes.

 

[Bobby Lee]

have any of your pistols rusted by any chance? judging by your reaction so my suggestion of just keeping up with the finish, i might think so.

I don't carry a gun that tends to rust. I have not carried one of those since my days with the Sig in the 80's.

I do own an XD with the old origional finish and if you own one also and carry the gun you know it does tend to rust unless you keep it well maintained. Their finish is not as good as some other guns and it does tend to rust quickly.

I will not carry a gun that requires any type of daily maintainence because there could come a time when this maintainence could not be done. A carry gun that has to have a certain amount of lube to be reliable and to keep the rust away is just a major pain in the ass for those of us that carry everyday.

My XD is my IDPA gun and to me it is only a toy.