I've been doing a lot of reading about different kinds of coatings, like these https://www.wingtactical.com/common-gun-coatings/, and I wanted to see what everyone here uses, or if it really matters that much.

Let me hear your thoughts!

Doesn't matter much, I put a good coating of Aervoe paint on top of it for a cool custom paint job.



Then I take a great deal of pleasure in trying to wear it off by hard use. I've been successful.

cera coat or norrels moly resin. those 2 have held up pretty good for me.
I like gun coatings that stay on and look professionally done. for years.

My barrels are either nitride, QPQ, or 416 uncoated stainless.  My BCGs are either phosphate, nitride, or nickel-boron.

My AR receivers, upper and lower are anodized aluminum.  They are otherwise uncoated black.

Most of my bolt guns and other firearms are traditional iron oxide blued, ranging from soft satin to high polished deep mirror bluing.

I don't like paint on firearms.  I'm not fighting bad guys in the jungle or desert that might be shooting back.  Any hostile encounter will be in my home, probably at night.  Black will be perfect.

My barrels are either nitride, QPQ, or 416 uncoated stainless.  My BCGs are either phosphate, nitride, or nickel-boron.

My AR receivers, upper and lower are anodized aluminum.  They are otherwise uncoated black.

Most of my bolt guns and other firearms are traditional black iron oxide blued, ranging from soft satin to high polished deep mirror bluing.  I have a couple parkerized older military rifles.

I don't like paint on firearms.  I'm not fighting bad guys in the jungle or desert that might be shooting back.  Any hostile encounter will be in my home, probably at night.  Black will be perfect.

A handful of my firearms are cerakoted.  I prefer that one to all others since it is very resilient, and also self-lubricating.

Entry level- Duracoat,  Intermediate- KG Gunkote, Advanced or Professional grade- Cerakote.

Field expedient-  anything- rattle can, camo stick, mud, etc.

+1

Aervoe paint has proven MUCH MORE DURABLE (for me) than other brands of "camo" rattle can paint.  In fact, Aervoe offers some resistance to Acetone and other chemical strippers that will absolutely destroy Krylon and Rustoleum.

I've also owned rifles with factory applied Duracoat (DSA FALs) and Cerakote (LWRC and DD).

Duracoat sucks.
Cerakote is pretty decent.

The last gun I had with a factory applied "finish" was a DD in their "Milspec" color.  It was a nice durable finish.  I sold it, because for my application those "high performance finishes" offer nothing over home applied spray paint.