Have used blue all my life and mostly rust blue, need to know what the most durable hi tech finish for a hunting rifle is...

I have used black teflon and Gun Kote. Both have been entirely satisfactory.

I've used high gloss blue, black ice teflon, Cerakote and Parkerizing. The most durable has been Parkerizing on a 1990 production Remington 700 custom shop rifle. Nothing else comes close IMO.

If you ask most of the rifle builders I am pretty sure the response these days is that the cerakote is the go to finish for hunting and tactical type rifles.

stainless steel with a rattle can of Krylon black.

Consider Black Nitride from H&M Metal Processing
http://blacknitride.com, had them treat one of my rifles, nice durable matte finish.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim@IMReps:
Consider Black Nitride from H&M Metal Processing
http://blacknitride.com, had them treat one of my rifles, nice durable matte finish.

I have this treatment on a 10mm/1911. Dropped it in the salt water in Alaska. The treated areas were unaffected versus untreated areas.

I also understand this is the same finish that Mauser uses on their M03 rifles, at least the actions. Not sure about the barrels, but I had zero rust come off my M03 action that I took to Alaska and got quiet wet as well (from rain and mist versus dropped in water!)

How about wear, I have seen some of these finishes that showed wear like a blued gun.

Rustoleum is cheap, readily available and easy to touch up. I don't think that there are any magical finishes that will not show signs of use and abuse.

I would love to see an environmental test lab perform a "Consumer Reports" style side-by-side comparison of test coupons put through the ringer to move this discussion away from opinion and random anecdotal evidence. Not discounting anyone's personal experience here, I'm just sayin"...

DLC coatings are pretty interesting.

Matte chrome from Accurate Plating and Weaponry!
If you want weather and wear protection there's simply nothing better! Period!
Zeke

For me, the most rust resistant finish has been a quality parkerizing coated by any of the baked on finished (I use Brownell's baking lacquer). This two step finish really seals out the elements.

Tony

Parkerizing has worked on military guns for decades. I've used it on builds and it looks great and will last forever. I sure give it high consideration.

BTW - I will tell you which finish has had the worse rust problems for me and all my friends - Tikka factory stainless steel. This sh#t rusts like the devil - mostly below the stock line.

Robar Industries has a finish called RoGuard 2. I have a .375 finished in the original Roguard. That finish is practically bulletproof, doesn't seem to scratch or thin and there is, according to Robar, no danger of rust ever again.

Tenefer on Glock's is pretty impressive. We used to test by rubbing a framing nail 3 1/2" vigorously on the inside of the barrel and the metal deposits were from the nail with zero damage to the barrel.
I also use Cerakote and highly recommend them. I have had them use Leupold's matt blue color on the barreled action perfectly matching the scope.

I posted a picture of my 460 G&A OM 70 for Gerhard if you want to look.

It is the titanium gray cera-kote. A rather attractive finish if I may say so.

I would say whatever is on glock slides and blaser barrels is pretty good shit. I have one rifle that is coated with Balzers and that seams to be extremely durable as well.

Robar makes a solid finish $450 for a bolt action rifle. I have a Ruger 35 Whelen that has that finish on it.

I am thinking about doing a m70 in that.

I would go black Teflon. Cerakote is HIGHLY dependent on who does the application. I have one that is as thick as paint and I had to scrape it off the bolt rails so I could run the bolt. Same with the bolt lugs.

The Teflon rifle I have has lasted wonderfully. It was done 15 years ago and is holding up great.

The best looking coating I have ever seen is Wayne's at AHR. he mixes his own color and it is the nicest, most "un-coated-looking" finish I've seen.