So I just picked up my new Canik TP9SF from my dealer today and I really like this gun. I've dry-fired it several times and love the trigger. It's no 1911, but for a $350 pistol...I'm happy.

So after looking at it closer, there seems to be some pretty significant wear on the top of the barrel hood for a new handgun. It''s down to the metal in a few spots, and not just on the edge of the hood. There's also a little bit of finish wear on the barrel itself which leads me to believe that many rounds were fired during the testing phase. Or the slide was just racked a bunch of times.

Is this normal for these guns? I'm concerned more so about the wear on the barrel hood.

Looks fine, just normal wear of any high spots as the slide glides over.  Lube, lube , lube!

Yep, know it's a normal right there but it's just weird that there is that much wear for a new firearm. Out of all the handguns I've purchased, only a Sig P220 had a little bit of wear on the side of the barrel hood from obviously being a display model and racked over and over again.

The finish really must be shit on these handguns. That's ok though. Knew that going into the purchase.  Love the ergonomics and the trigger, and can always get it refinished a ways down the road.

I've got the V2 and the SF.  Both of them are exactly like yours.

The top of the barrel hood slides back and forth with the underside of the slide.  Not sure on the finish but it looks like a spray on type.  If it bothers you, you could give it a brushed finish with a piece of glass and some fine wet sand paper.  Watch this Video

I'd use that wet or dry paper and water on a flat hard surface.

Not trying to be a dick, but I'm perfectly aware of why the top of the barrel hood finish wears down. Just strange that's it's already showing up like that on a brand new gun. I've only racked the slide maybe 3 times and it was like that prior to racking it at all. It doesn't really bother me as I knew the finish was the major weak spot going into this purchase, but just didn't expect it to be that bad. Oh well....

Interesting video, but not taking sandpaper to it...not yet at least.

I'll try to make it to the range soon and will update this thread with pics accordingly.

I have an early production SIG P320 that had wear marks just like that after the first range session. I was concerned at first but the wear didn't grow and it's 100% reliable. I doubt you have anything to worry about.

You may want to examine the slide for any burs that you could smooth out with sand paper.  For the price pint of the gun it's what I would expect.  If we were talking about a $2,000 STI...it would give me a moment of pause.

There is no finish in the world that will prevent that. Like your already mentioned, slide to barrel contact, two steel parts, with any coating in between, will make that coating disappear real quick.

I don't think it's any measure of the quality of the finish.

The gun hadn't been fired yet and was racked only a handful of times at that point. New guns with a good finish shouldn't look like that. I own Sigs, Glocks, and HKs, and none of them exhibited finish wear like that upon arrival. The Canik TP9SF is a nice handgun but the finish leaves a little to be desired. You can't have it all for a $350 gun.

I just bought a TP9SF, shot it for the first time yesterday, 300 rounds. The pistol itself seems like it will be a good one, maybe a great value for the money. The finish uses on the metal parts, especially what was put on the barrel, is kind of sub par. About a half inch back from the muzzle, on top the barrel, the barrel is nice and shiny after only 300 rounds. Not so on my M&Ps, or my glock, beretta, or CZ, all with lots more rounds down the barrel.

Not too worried about it as I keep my firearms cleaned and coated in a rust protective, and if I need to I can always get the top half cerrecoted.