Why aren't there more painted revolvers ... anyone have any painted revolver photos?

[MCMXI]

It occurred to me that painted revolvers aren't common. There are plenty of stainless or carbon steel painted 1911s available ... heck, I have two. Why not revolvers? The only painted revolvers I have are a pair of USFA Rodeos and I know that many don't like the finish. It's definitely functional and not completely hideous but on the other hand, it's not beautiful like a high-end bluing job. So I was thinking about the idea of painting a stainless GP100 to improve corrosion protection. This may be sacrilege to some, but don't get all bent out of shape just yet, I said I'd been "thinking" about it ... nothing more.

Any thoughts?

 

[CraigC]

Sacrilege, the Rodeo is not painted, it is matte blued. The Rodeo II is matte nickeled.

 

[sw282]

l painted my nickel Mod 29 44 Smith once. l was hunting and spooked something because of its reflection. At home l sprayed it w/black laquer. Used it like that for years killing several deer. To remove the paint l simply took acetone and brush. No ill effects. Still shoot it. .

 

[BCRider]

Revolver owners hold to a higher standard of beliefs. One of these beliefs is that properly polite firearms do not spit brass. Another is that proper firearms of good pedigree are blued, colour case hardened, plated or natural stainless. Paint is for rowdy semi auto pistols that cavort about willy nilly in low places......

 

[MCMXI]

Sacrilege, the Rodeo is not painted, it is matte blued. The Rodeo II is matte nickeled.

I'd forgotten about the Cowboy Action Matte Blue finish so thanks for the correction ... they do look like they're painted though.

BCRider, that's funny ... but I'm still thinking.

 

[MMCSRET]

I purchased a Colt Trooper 357 at a gun show earlier this year. It had spent 30 years in a leather holster in a drawer. The left side of the barrel about an inch back from the muzzle and the side of the cylinder were rust pitted so bad that that it could never be polished out and reblued. I stripped all the lock work out and firing pin and rear sight, had it done in a dark blue Lauer Duracote(sp). Let it cure for a month and then cleaned it and reassembled, doesn't look too bad, but not too good either. The gun was basically unfired and I like the Colt E/I frame 357s, so it makes an excellent packin' around gun and strong enough to take a steady diet of full power 357s and there are lots of coyotes around here.

 

[hunto]

So I was thinking about the idea of painting a stainless GP100 to improve corrosion protection.

How much corrosion protection do you really need? My stainless GP100 looks new after 23 years of life near the Gulf Coast (25 mi inland).
I guess I wouldn't mind a flat black 4" GP100, like S&Ws Nightguard series.

 

[Leathermarshmallow]

here is a recent issue Charter arms bulldog

 

[CraigC]

If I wanted real corrosion protection, I would opt for hard chrome, electroless nickel or somesuch variation of same.

 

[BCRider]

I also have to wonder how much more corrosion resistance you need than a gun in stainless? A regular wipe down with a lightly oiled rag and all should be good. Or as some have done a coat of good quality automotive paste wax and a buff and you've got yourself a durable anti corrosion coat. The only thing is that any gun cleaning solvent will strip the wax away pronto so you need to redo it each time. Oil is easier.

On the other hand if you want to get a new look then sure, why not. The joke post I gave above not withstanding. I suspect that if done with a classy looking color that it could look really nice. I'm sort of partial to a matt black with just a hint of a brownish green color added so it gives a hint of titanium colouring to the otherwise boring pure black. From there the trick would be applying it in a way that looks smooth and factory like.

And a super bonus is that if you're painting it that you could easily fill in the "dead sea scroll" of warning junk stamped on the side of the barrel. After painting some spots such as tight fitting cover plate joints would need to be cleaned of the coating. Or you'll need to lightly ease the joint fit with hand tools so that there's room for the coating. For a first time around I'd suggest just scrape the coating away. If you decide you like the painted gun and if you experience chipping due to breaking the coating integrity by removing it in the joints then redo it but this time ease the metal to allow fitting with the coating on it.

And of course you'd owe us pictures when it's done.

 

[MCMXI]

If I wanted real corrosion protection, I would opt for hard chrome, electroless nickel or somesuch variation of same.

Cerakote looks promising and is available in many colors. I've used GUN-KOTE which is good for protection against corrosion but it isn't as wear resistant.

http://nicindustries.com/firearm_coatings.php

I find it interesting that many people have no issue with rifles or semi-auto pistols being painted but are generally against the idea of a painted revolver. I much prefer stainless to carbon steel in a firearm, and prefer painted stainless such as Remington's TriNyte or Ed Brown's Gen III coatings to a natural finish. Not only do they reduce glare, they also increase resistance to corrosion.

BCRider, I'll post photos if I end up coating one of the GP100s.

 

[rcmodel]

So I was thinking about the idea of painting a stainless GP100 to improve corrosion protection.

Corrosion can form under the paint just as well.
And you won't even know it until it has already done the deed.

rc

 

[KosmicKrunch]

Isn't dura coat, cerakote as well as other spray n bake coatings just a form of paint?

I prefer traditional blue, parkerizing or stainless guns. Paint just seems to cheapen them up like an RG or FIE fame.

 

[Wil Terry]

YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING US....Right ??

 

[joed]

After owning lots of S&W blue revolvers I found myself asking the same question. I got tired of owning blue that wears away within a few years. I became so disgusted with the wear that now I only buy stainless revolvers.

But I look at my GLOCK and wonder why that wears so well? The finish on it will outlast anything S&W uses.

 

[CraigC]

Because revolver shooters, as a whole, are generally more traditional. You also have an issue with the thickness of the finish affecting fit and function of moving parts. IMHO, plating is just better all the way around and the result is much more pleasing. Some of the spray-on finishes work wonderfully but I don't think they belong on a revolver.

 

[BCRider]

Well.... at least not on a classic model of revolver. There's no lack of painted modern pocket and other snubnose revolvers that have matt finishes on them it seems.

 

[MCMXI]

Corrosion can form under the paint just as well.
And you won't even know it until it has already done the deed.

Any coating system has to be applied correctly to avoid the issue you describe. Some coating systems can wreak havoc on a substrate if there are voids in the coating. This is particularly true if the coating is conductive and noble compared to the substrate. For example, if you coat a copper and aluminum condenser (such as in an A/C system) with an epoxy containing stainless steel powder, any voids in the paint can create a real problem for the copper tube due to the very large cathodic area over the surface of the paint compared to the very small anodic region on the copper tube itself. This can result in tube failure at a much faster rate compared to a condenser that isn't coated at all. This type of coating system is currently in use in the application that I described.

As for "painted" revolvers, Ruger used to offer the Super Redhawk with a target gray finish over stainless which I liked, so unless that finish was applied via some form of oxidation, then it qualifies as a painted revolver. The fact that Ruger discontinued the target gray finish may be indicative of the problem many have with the idea of a painted revolver, or at least, one that looks painted. The USFA Rodeos fall into this category. I've read many posts in which people voiced disdain for the finish. I absolutely get the aesthetic appeal of a blued revolver although I don't own any.

Photo courtesy of http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15260659&postcount=2

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

like an old miltary webley?

 

[bayouboy]

A couple of my all time favorites

 

[TrakHack]

I agree with the sentiments if CraigC and BCRider.

Thinking of painting one of my revolvers is like thinking if dyeing my hair, which is not yet going grey and a very nice natural color. Maybe if I had something a bit beat up and wanted to experiment I would paint it, but otherwise I like them too much with traditional finishes.

 

[788Ham]

That Python I bought has the "exact" color of blue that I wanted! Royal Blue to be exact. If I'd have wanted any other color, I guess I could'a gone to the Ford garage and had one painted Pinto Green...... nah, I'll stick to original paint from Colt or S&W thank you!

 

[Hondo 60]

Revolver owners hold to a higher standard of beliefs. One of these beliefs is that properly polite firearms do not spit brass. Another is that proper firearms of good pedigree are blued, colour case hardened, plated or natural stainless. Paint is for rowdy semi auto pistols that cavort about willy nilly in low places......

Couldn't have said it better.
So... ditto... what he said

 

[CraigC]

Ruger's target gray was not a coating or "paint", it was a chemical surface treatment applied in the tumbler.

 

[MCMXI]

Ruger's target gray was not a coating or "paint", it was a chemical surface treatment applied in the tumbler.

I've read a few articles and posts on forums claiming that the surface is sealed with some form of coating after tumbling. I grit blasted one of my stainless AR barrels a few years back to remove the shine. When I apply oil to the barrel it looks like Ruger's target gray. Maybe grit blasting followed by Cerakote clear coat would achieve the same effect. Ruger produced a run of GP100s in target gray ... they're nice looking guns, and the target gray finish is supposedly very durable.