I'm tired of an all Black 1911.  After spray painting my AR the seal has been broken and the 1911 is next.  I love the two tone look with the bright silver/hard chrome lower and black upper.

I did a quick Google search of Silver spray paint and most off them look dark, unlike what is in the pic below.



Besides spending the money on Cerakote or Hard Chrome what are my spray paint options?  Has anyone spray painted their 1911 lower and what have you used?

Thanks for the feedback.

I did some digging around and found Duracoat Titanium.  It looks like it will work well.  However, I'm concerned about the plunger tube.  Will a coating like Duracoat or spray paint clog it up?  When I do paint the lower it will be stripped and the small parts painted seperate.  I was going to leave the plunger tube assembly on.

I hope this thread doesn't turn into me talking to myself

Edit: Meant to say the plunger detent and spring would come out but plunger would stay on.

I haven't done it yet, but I've got a work horse Norinco that would look fine rattle canned.

duplicolor engine paint in cast alloy is the paint you seek.  Duplicolor nozzles toss out a super fine mist that is perfect for super light coats.  Ceramic in the engine paint helps with chemical resistance too.  Do it.

paint

That looks like it may be the one.  Have you used it?  Is it glossy or more of a matte finish?  The pics look matte but pics on the internet can be deceiving.  Thanks for the link.

I had this duracoated last year.  They sprayed everything Magpul FDE and the small parts a flat black.  I took some drill bits and chased the plunger tube and all the other pin holes by hand before putting it back together.  It went together fine after that and I haven't had a problem with anything sticking.  

On a different note,  I spray painted a beat up RIA a few years ago to try out the two tone look.  I got paint on the feed ramp in the frame and turned an otherwise reliable pistol into a brick until I cleaned the over spray off with acetone.  Just FYI,  David

I'm gong to be taping off the rails and putting some foam or something in the mag well to keep paint off.  Right now i'm just trying to decide on the Duracoat or the Duplicolor.  I think I'll get some Duplicolor Aluminum and spray something to see how the color looks.  I'll be changing out the rear sight as well which I here can be a real pain in the ass to get out.

I had to cut my rear sight in half with a saw to get it out.  The screw came out easy but a combination of some epoxy type substance and rust wouuld not let it move.  I heated it with a torch, froze it in the freezer and soaked it for a week in PB blaster.  It just wouldn't budge.  It was the first RIA sight of probably 5 I have owned that would not move.  Hopefully yours will go easier.  Good luck.  David

Yeah, I've read posts on here and 1911 forums of people having to cut the rear sight on the Kimber.  

It should be a learning experience.  Hopefully not the hard way.

I decided to go with Duracoat Titanium instead of spray paint.  However, when I received it today it was a much darker color than I had seen in pictures.  

I spoke with a gentleman at Lauer Custom Weaponry and he confirmed that the Titanium is dark, contrary to their website.

This is the color I saw on the net and the color I was going for.  The image is from Plate-Tacular and is described as Duracoat Titanium.  All other pics I saw were the same.


This is the color I received.


Lauer recommended going with the Stainless Steel color and are shipping it out to me at no charge even though it was my mistake.  

Now, looking at their website and other pics on the net the SS looks like it has a blue tint to it.  Not what I am looking for.  Has anyone sprayed, or knows someone who has sprayed, anything in either Titanium or SS and can you confirm the color?  

On a side note the rear sight came out with no issues.

Bump for help.

should've duplicolored first dude...

Yep.  I seem to have an aversion to doing things the cheap easy way first.  I'm going to spay the lower the Titanium I have as it has stared to grow on me.

The Stainless Steel color Lauer sent burst open in the bag so that color is a no go.

Or maybe just spend another six bucks and get some Duplicolor first.

Haven't sprayed either of those colors, but the colors do tend to lighten up a good bit after being sprayed and drying.

I emailed Jim's Gun Supply as they do a lot of Duracoat and was told that once the matte clear goes on the color will lighten up.  We shall see.  I'm still debating on wether or not I want to checker the front strap myself or not.

How durable is duplicolor? I've never used it. I use krylon on rifles, but I wouldn't trust it on a handgun that will be holstered.