What's Your Favorite Gun Finish?

[John Wayne]

I know each finish has its own merit, and as such, its own place on particular firearms. If you had to pick just one finish though, what would you pick and why?

Don't say you want DuraCoat on your hunting rifles, nickel on your range guns, and xxx on your carry gun, that's cheating

Okay, since someone pointed out that Tennifer is apparently a surface hardening treatment, I will go ahead and rephrase the question to: "What is your favorite gun finish, coating, surface-hardening treatment, or preferred way of the exterior metal of a firearm being treated, polished, coated, finished, or altered into a permanent or semi-permanent state?

 

[postalnut25]

I went with the Tennifer. I have several guns in many different finishes, and I like them all. However, The tennifer is a "forget about it" finish. I like things that are hassle-free, and the Glocks with the Tennifer finish are pretty hassle-free.

 

[brandon_mcg]

ugh. this is a tough one. i have to vote on the high polished stainless though. whenever i am in a gun shop they just seem to catch my eye.

 

[CraigC]

Tenifer is not a finish, it's a surface hardening treatment.

I went with high polish bluing, for obvious reasons.

 

[medalguy]

I don't see "Smoking barrel and a bushel of brass and links on the ground"!

 

[Captcurt]

Old Timer.

I am from the old school and love a deep blue, highly polished bolt action complete with an all steel floorplate and triggerbow setting in a finely figured piece of walnut. Show me something like that with a satin finish and I am in my 7th heaven.

Don't get me wrong. I know that a synthetic or laminate stock is more stable and that stainless is more durable and less likely to rust. I own, have owned and will own more of the same. But it is mainly because fewer companies won't take the time, or have the skill to make a nice gun that is affordable. In todays world it is always the bottom line that counts.

There was a thread on here asking if the days of fine machining were gone? I think that there will always be fine craftsmanship in the gun trades. I doubt if the average blue collar will be able to afford them, though.

 

[Tommygunn]

While I have numerous modern firearms I have a special affection for 19th century cap 'n' ball guns -- so I voted for other, 'cause color case hardening wasn't listed. Not all modern CCH jobs are all that great but some are beautiful.
I just LIKE it! What can I say?

 

[smallbore]

I voted other. I like the look of Sig's Nitron finish.

 

[CZsp01]

I like the kimber eclipse finish, no idea what its called though.

 

[benEzra]

I voted Parkerized. FWIW, I believe Glocks are Parkerized after Tenifer treatment, to give the matte black finish; IIRC the Tenifer process is a method of nitride-hardening the metal before the final finish is applied. So you can wear off the black finish down to the metal and it still won't rust.

 

[Seraph]

Of those listed...

The one I like the best - Parkerized.

The one I think performs the best - Tenifer. (It's T-E-N-I-F-E-R, with one "N," not like Jennifer, which has two "N's."

 

[doc2rn]

I love my high gloss all weather on my Ruger 77/22

 

[atlctyslkr]

I liked blued in long guns stainless in handguns.

 

[yeti]

My favorite is High Polished Blue, but there are places where a more durable finish serves better, but a nice deep blue always makes me smile.

 

[forindooruseonly]

High polished blue. I don't mind taking care of my guns and when they do wear from use, they get character.

 

[USMC - Retired]

If I'm only allowed to pick one finish for ALL my firearms it would have to be Parkerized.

Most overall usefull to me. Plus, my Garand would look silly in stainless...

That being said, I also like case hard treatments and I love my Stainless Kimber Classic...

EDIT: It just occured to me that since Parkerizing has no effect on stainless my Kimber would stay just as it is.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Tenifer is not a finish, it is a metal treatment.
I do like a high gloss/deep blue revolver, and a matte black auto.

 

[Buck Snort]

High polished blue is beautiful to look at but I'm too much of a pragmatist to pass on hard chrome.

 

[Babarsac]

Hmm I don't see "plastic" for my Glock

 

[bannockburn]

While I love a high polished blued finish, a color case hardened job, or a mirror-like bright nickel plate finish, I would go with a quality hard chrome finish as my all time favorite. Looks like stainless, doesn't show any wear, and might just last forever.

 

[dagger dog]

I voted other, as in matte blue,bead blasted SS, parkerized.
I only have working guns.
I enjoy seeing the holster wear on the highly polished blue of my 3rd Model Colt Woodsman.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Gold plated pimp style!

 

[wrs840]

My favorite is High Polished Blue, but there are places where a more durable finish serves better, but a nice deep blue always makes me smile.

+1

I "like" a beautiful finish on a vehicle or a gun. ...But some are for babying and "ooh and aaah..." and some are for taking into the woods.

Different stuff for different missions.

Les

 

[bigfatdave]

Parkerizing is a great finish, if you use it as an oil-spnoge as intended. Not so hot alone, I think a lot of people misunderstand Parkerizing, probably because it gets applied on top of other finishes (Tennifer) as a cosmetic thing, not as an actual finish for the metal.

Good article on the Park:
http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2007/02/parkerizing-truth-vs-tales.html

 

[Just One Shot]

I don't see a choice for - ALL of them.