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6/9/2016 12:57:26 PM EDT
GF has mentioned wanting a rifle, I am in the process of pricing out building an AR so she can shoot/hunt with me.

But she likes colors... not strawberry shake pink or Muddygirl camo though like the common "girl colors" availabe.  There was a Beretta shotgun at Sheels with a blue anodized receiver, she liked that color.  So I was going propose trimming it in that color.  I can find a few things but they are by no name companies.  In my research I have also noticed some rumblings about color anodizing not being as good as black anodizing (for hardness)  It the difference splitting hairs or is it a big deal?

I think a blue buffer tube (w/ adjustable stock) and blue charging handle would dress up an otherwise black gun nicely.  

But I haven't been able to turn up much.  R Guns doesn't have very good reviews and PC Armament as far as I can tell has none.  PC does show some production process on their facebook page which is encouraging.

Is it dead end venture?  Anyone know of anyone else that makes this kind of stuff?

She isn't taking it to war (I hope) but I don't want it to break in the middle of a hunt either...

Flat out I know she will shoot down a black or earth tone rifle.
6/9/2016 5:42:24 PM EDT
[#1]
The big thing is that outside of large and expensive runs, pretty much all colored anodizing is type 2.  It is not as hard and nowhere near as thick as type 3, averaging .002" vs. .0006"

Personally I'd look at getting the parts coated in the colors you want over a T3 anodizing.  A good coat should look great but not be thick enough to affect function any.  Barring that, it'll cost an arm and a leg to either recoat or find parts already done up in the same shade you want.
6/9/2016 5:46:32 PM EDT
[#2]
Rise Armament does Red. Their pro shooter Dillen Easley has examples of Orange, Blue etc that I believe he had custom done from them. He's super friendly and I'm sure he would help or you can contact Rise directly.

F1 Firearms also does custom colored anodizing (page 28 of their online catalog) as well as a couple other coatings like Nickel Boron and some even shinier examples.

As with anything custom, you've got to pay to play. But I've seen examples from both companies in person and they were very well done.
6/9/2016 8:36:16 PM EDT
[#3]


Quoted:



GF has mentioned wanting a rifle, I am in the process of pricing out building an AR so she can shoot/hunt with me.





But she likes colors... not strawberry shake pink or Muddygirl camo though like the common "girl colors" availabe.  There was a Beretta shotgun at Sheels with a blue anodized receiver, she liked that color.  So I was going propose trimming it in that color.  I can find a few things but they are by no name companies.  In my research I have also noticed some rumblings about color anodizing not being as good as black anodizing (for hardness)  It the difference splitting hairs or is it a big deal?





I think a blue buffer tube (w/ adjustable stock) and blue charging handle would dress up an otherwise black gun nicely.  





But I haven't been able to turn up much.  R Guns doesn't have very good reviews and PC Armament as far as I can tell has none.  PC does show some production process on their facebook page which is encouraging.





Is it dead end venture?  Anyone know of anyone else that makes this kind of stuff?





She isn't taking it to war (I hope) but I don't want it to break in the middle of a hunt either...





Flat out I know she will shoot down a black or earth tone rifle.
View Quote





 
RGuns will be fine for what you're looking for.  Just call in the order if you want to try and get any break on the shipping.  Otherwise it's $15 flat rate.


 



As for the anodizing, someone please correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the colors just dyes added to the anodizing process to give it the desired look?  
6/10/2016 3:22:20 AM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
GF has mentioned wanting a rifle, I am in the process of pricing out building an AR so she can shoot/hunt with me.

But she likes colors... not strawberry shake pink or Muddygirl camo though like the common "girl colors" availabe.  There was a Beretta shotgun at Sheels with a blue anodized receiver, she liked that color.  So I was going propose trimming it in that color.  I can find a few things but they are by no name companies.  In my research I have also noticed some rumblings about color anodizing not being as good as black anodizing (for hardness)  It the difference splitting hairs or is it a big deal?

I think a blue buffer tube (w/ adjustable stock) and blue charging handle would dress up an otherwise black gun nicely.  

But I haven't been able to turn up much.  R Guns doesn't have very good reviews and PC Armament as far as I can tell has none.  PC does show some production process on their facebook page which is encouraging.

Is it dead end venture?  Anyone know of anyone else that makes this kind of stuff?

She isn't taking it to war (I hope) but I don't want it to break in the middle of a hunt either...

Flat out I know she will shoot down a black or earth tone rifle.
View Quote


Buy whatever parts you can in raw aluminum.
Go to google maps for your area.
Type "anodize" or "anodizer".
Then you look up the business website and see what they offer
Then you call them and ask when you can drop off your parts to be anodized whatever color they offer.

Or google "gun anodizing" and ship your parts there.

FWIW....Any black type 3 ano will have to be bead blasted clean.

This will leave a more subdued satin/flat finish....raw aluminum is shiny/bright finish after color ano.


6/10/2016 2:49:58 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote History
Quoted:   RGuns will be fine for what you're looking for.  Just call in the order if you want to try and get any break on the shipping.  Otherwise it's $15 flat rate.
 

As for the anodizing, someone please correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the colors just dyes added to the anodizing process to give it the desired look?  
View Quote


RGuns good to deal with and have decent stuff?
6/10/2016 3:01:46 PM EDT
[#6]

Quote History
Quoted:
RGuns good to deal with and have decent stuff?
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:



Quoted:   RGuns will be fine for what you're looking for.  Just call in the order if you want to try and get any break on the shipping.  Otherwise it's $15 flat rate.

 



As for the anodizing, someone please correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the colors just dyes added to the anodizing process to give it the desired look?  





RGuns good to deal with and have decent stuff?
RGuns is fine to deal with. I've liked what I've seen from them first hand.

 



I mean, you're also just looking at getting a charging handle and a buffer tube.  
6/10/2016 3:45:48 PM EDT
[#7]
Check out Sun Devil MFG, matched sets in Purdy colors!
6/10/2016 4:30:11 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote History
Quoted:]RGuns is fine to deal with. I've liked what I've seen from them first hand.    

I mean, you're also just looking at getting a charging handle and a buffer tube.  
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:]RGuns is fine to deal with. I've liked what I've seen from them first hand.    

I mean, you're also just looking at getting a charging handle and a buffer tube.  


Thanks

Yeah both are pretty low stress parts as far as a firearm parts go but if they bend easily or something it would still kinda take the fun out of things.


Quoted:
Check out Sun Devil MFG, matched sets in Purdy colors!


That they do.
6/10/2016 5:01:53 PM EDT
[#9]
blue furniture instead?

Just may look like a "blue gun."
6/11/2016 11:24:36 AM EDT
[#10]
Krylon is your friend.

If it dulls, fades, chips or whatnot just repaint whenever you like whatever color SHE likes.
6/11/2016 11:36:49 AM EDT
[#11]
Cerakote works wonders.  With that said, I would pay more than I should to get a buffer tube and rail anodized like the San Tan blue.
6/11/2016 12:53:59 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote History
Quoted:
Krylon is your friend.

If it dulls, fades, chips or whatnot just repaint whenever you like whatever color SHE likes.
View Quote

A little more expensive, but a much better wearing paint is dura-coat...

As to anodizing, color matching is rarely guaranteed even in the same batch.....
6/11/2016 3:01:39 PM EDT
[#13]
You can always have a standard black receiver finished in any color of Duracoat you want, even Chamaeleon that changes color when viewed from different angles.
link
6/12/2016 1:41:07 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote History
Quoted:
You can always have a standard black receiver finished in any color of Duracoat you want, even Chamaeleon that changes color when viewed from different angles.
link
View Quote


She likes the metallic sheen of annodized though, Duracoat and Ceracoat both come across as more of a paint.  Colored receivers she thought were too much.

Good to hear about Rguns, to the spreadsheet it goes.

I want to finish my current build first, if it is still possible after that (and it is approved) hopefully I can get going on it.
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