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Posted: 5/1/2008 9:11:03 PM EDT
| What is everyones opinion on spraying duracoat on a rifle. is it hard to make the patterns? will it last against solvents like Hoppies? |
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It's SUPPOSED to be just about the hardest-to-remove finish available. My only experience, however is with a 1911 frame and slide that was duracoated, but not properly degreased(friend painted it and used automotive degreaser even though their instructions specifically say don't). Normal sliding of the slide on the frame rails took it right off, and steel wool took it off the main surfaces. Done properly I'm sure it would be a very different story. As far as pattern difficulty, if I read their instructions right, it's as simple as degrease, spray base color, apply stencils and change colors till done, then spray clear to even out the finish. As long as you degrease correctly, use the stencils and actually know how to use an airbrush(practice with cheap everyday paint) you should be fine. I've looked at a couple duracoat rifles that were done right, they looked quite good. One Mosin I saw looked exactly like the chrome ones Classic Arms offers. The finish is supposed to hold up against solvents better than the film dip camo, but who knows? |
| duracoat is good stuff, just realize after all the hype it is basically a good paint.it goes on superbly with the correct tools(good airbrush and compressor,forget the little cans of propellant).ive done two shotguns and a full recumbent bicycle in duracoat and all three came out excellent,and this was my first airbrush in my hands ever.i'd use it more, but the ridiculous shipping charges keep me from trying different colors!it's not as resistant to scratches as much as i'd have thought,but it is ,afterall, paint.but man does it go on great! |
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From my personal experience... (warning long post) I've refinished dozens of guns, parts and barrels. Both for myself and paying customers. I've used about every type coating imagineable: Duracoat, Norrel's Moly Resin, Brownells Alumahyde II, and KG GunKote. My favorite, by far, and the one I keep coming back to is KG GunKote. When Applied correctly it is TOUGH, TOUGH, and has a very nice even finish. Here is my process, others, I'm sure, do it differently. 1.) Sandblast. I use 80-120 grit aluminum oxide. Helps the coating "grip" and gives a nice even finish. 2.) Clean thoroughly with purple power. THOROUGHLY. Have to get all the blasting media off/ out and get all the grease, oil off/out. I then use an air compressor to blow off/out the excess purple power. 3.) Final rinse/ cleaning with acetone. Gets any traces of the purple power out, plus any last grease, plus evaporates quickly with no film. At this point I try not to handle the piece with bare hands, to avoid getting oils on it. 4.) At this point, if the part is ferrous (i.e. carbon steel) I warm it up a little with a heat gun, to make sure all acetone is evaporated, and then I coat it with a layer of KG GunKote K-Phos. This is a phosphoric acid based rust preventative/ pre-treat that protects the metal and gives the GunKote excellent purchase. I have had great results using this as a pre-treat. It is applied with an airbrush or I use a small HVLP gun. NOTE: In Houston, where I am, or other humid areas it is VERY important to use a water trap and additional in-line, disposible dessicant cartridge when painting. Water in your air line, and subsequently in your paint is bad juju. 5.) Let the K-phos dry, couple hours is fine. 6.) Pre-heat part in the oven to 150 deg. Now that I don't do this commercially anymore, I no longer have a big oven  . I use a small toaster oven on my bench for small parts, and the kitchen oven for barreled actions up to about 30" long. Anything longer I use Duracoat (my second choice).7.) While still warm, I paint the object with KG GunKote using light fog passes with my HVLP finishing gun. 8.) Allow to dry overnight. Don't be in too much of a hurry to handle a part. 9.) Bake in oven at 300 - 325 degrees for 1-1.5 hours. I use a candy thermometer I got at Walmart to check the oven temp... You'd be surprised how inaccurate oven thermostats can be. 10.) Take the part out and allow it to COOL COMPLETELY. Do no try to oil a still warm/ hot part. You can mess up the finish. Once cool, you are good to go. I've been meaning to post some pics of some stuff I've done. Most recently a custom rebarreled .35 Whelen I did in brushed stainless... I'll have to post. Thanks, - AG |
| I had some AR-15 magazines refinished by Lauer several years ago. I am satisfied with the wear. I would not finish a gun with it. I have used Norrells moly resin on mags and I think it wears harder and tougher than dura coat. I used moly resin on some gun parts and it wore like Iron. |
I've used it on two AR-15 lowers and one 1911 Aluminum frame, and it's held up fine. Follow the instructions precisely, and it helps to hang the parts over your furnace/water heater so they can cure at an even temperature. |
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