I know nothing about this stuff, other than
I want to put a good coating on a to be built
pretty quick rifle.
I wanted to go all stainless, but the action
I want to use doesn't come in stainless.
So, on a nonstainless action and stainless
barrel, what do you guys recommend?
Also, is Robar NP3 the same as Teflon? I noticed that they asterisked Teflon in the
chemical name on their website.
I appreciate any insight you guys can confer.

Thanks
Wes

I have a McMillan action that has the NP3 coating...it's a little expensive but well worth it. It is very "slick" and takes almost no maintenace...can't go wrong.

Teflon is not the same as NP3. I think the NP3 is bound with the steel at the molecular level, while the Black T that I have on my 458 (Birdsong & Associates) is sprayed and baked on. It looks fantastic, is self lubricating, and after 15 years the only places that don't look brand new is the bolt body, mag follower, and locking lugs. However, I do not think there is any protective coating left once the Teflon wears off. Everything I said about the Black T also applies to the NP3, except that if I am not mistaken, the NP3 is more durable and is a harder finish. It is self lubricating also. But, according to Birdsong, the Black T has lasted close to 2,000 hours in the salt spray test before the test was halted, it just wouldn't rust. Again, if I'm not mistaken, that is even longer than the NP3. Either will make a durable finish and will last forever with minimal care.

In short, the NP3 is a harder finish, but is less rust resistant than Teflon (like you are ever going to leave either finish exposed to salt spray for thousands of hours). The Teflon is more rust resistant, but more susceptible to wear. Once the surface of NP3 wears, you still have protection, once the Teflon wears you do not. Black T cannot be applied to the inside of the barrel, I am not sure about the NP3.

If anyone has different information that they are certain of please correct me. What I have said is based on my understanding of the differences between Teflon (namely Black T) and NP3.

I had NPS on the bolts of two Mini-mark X Mausers. The stuff flaked off badly. Maybe it is unfair to expect it to adhere well to a bolt, but I was disappointed because it would flake even where there was no rubbing or contact with other steel.

Another coating option is bead or sandblast, then phosphate the action and spray/bake on KG GunKote. The stuff is very durable and has good corrosion resistance.

Jordan

Hey DWS, I had two rifles Teflon coated about 12 years ago. It was done in Florida by a company called "Z-Coat". I've no idea if they are still around or not. But, they did an excellent job on both rifles.

Sold that 7mmRemMag to a buddy's nephew and it still looks like it just came back from Z-Coat.

The other one is a 350RemMag and I still have it. The wear I see on mine is on the locking lugs and bolt face where the cartridge head touches(same as Big Bore mentioned). I Partial-Full Length Resize causing my bolt to close with a slight bit of resistance. So those spots are under constant "shear pressure" as the bolt is worked.

Only other spot I see a thing is where the bottom of the bolt slids over the top Cartridge in the magazine. And, that has only "burnished" the Teflon without cutting through.

Oh yes, DEET does not phase the Teflon I have at all. And it gets to have plenty of it dripped onto it during our early hunts.

Just had a buddy get a stainless rifle "dip coated" with a camo pattern. It looks great, but when he went to pick it up, they told him not to get DEET on it. It made me mad and I wasn't even there. Seems like they should have mentioned that up front, but then I guess they would not have any folks that hunt during hot weather buy their coating.

So, be sure to ask if whatever you get is DEET proof.

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Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills, Hot Core

from what i have read about the bake on teflon finishes is that once the color wears off the corrosion resistance is still there, because during the baking the "pores" of the metal open up and the teflon inpregnates it and bonds itself with the metal. this is just what i've read so take it for what it's worth i have a gun with the bake on teflon, but it has not worn off and it is a stainless gun so i have no real world test.

I'm having Spradlin's Tef-Cote put on a chrome moly action with stainless barrel & Tally rings and bases. They're at www.spradlins.net.

The Holy Grail catalog of Brownell's markets a Teflon/Moly spray on then baked finish. Appears to be resonably tough and wear resistant. My first customers Mossberg 500 rides between the seats of his Blazer several months per year (on the carpet in the dirt not in a case). After 2 and a half years the major wear is where the fore end rubs on the reciever and that is not clear through the coating.

Sand and shape any pitting if it's a beater project than bead blast for a even matte finish. Baking ovens for BBL length items can be as simple as a length of stove pipe on two burners on your stove top.

May not be as tough as the big boys but a can of the stuff does two rifles.

Doug