1911 Finishes

[TheRoland]

I've recently built a 1911 in stainless, and it is easy to work with. It's got corrosion protection, it's an instant re-finish, it's consistently shaded, etc. My next build, though, will likely be a carry gun, and carry guns I think, should not be shiny.

So, what are the options for that? Do people often blacken stainless steel?

Is Cerakote or Duracote suitable for a tight stainless 1911? Is is durable enough for a carry gun?

Or do people just go traditional blued? Do blued guns have enough corrosion protection? Would having to re-blue (with cold blue) any fitted pieces become a liability for a carry gun?

What about the bizarre or proprietary finishes like ionbond? I don't think anyone local does this, and unless something is truly the most amazing finish ever, I'm not wild about the idea of a refinish costing $250+.

 

[M1911]

I just carry shiny stainless steel.

 

[TheRoland]

I just carry shiny stainless steel.

After doing some more research, that does seem to be the option that presents itself.

 

[Sir_Macadoo]

bluing/blackening does not add thickness. The paints and bake on finishes will add thickness so be careful around tight tolerance parts. I've done some cold-bluing at home - the results were OK, but not great - and no where near as good as hot blue done by a smith or finisher.

I'm about to finish a 1911 with gunkote - ill let you know how it goes. I hear duracoat is little better than spray paint - the baked on finishes are supposedly a little tougher, I do not have any first hand experience myself.

 

[Supermoto]

ION-bond

 

[Dnotarianni]

Leave it alone. It is a concealed weapon. Shiny is not an issue.

dave

 

[ScottS]

I disagree that shiny is not an issue with a concealed carry weapon. I think "shiny" finishes like nickle or stainless are easier to see in a "flash" look, and black guns seem to blend in more when concealed, i.e. if you do see "something" it's hard to make out the outlines and tell it's a gun (and not a cell phone, pager, Leatherman, etc.) Just my opinion.

My two favorite finishes are Melonite (Coal Creek Armory now calls it "Isonite QPQ" due to some trademark issues, but notice the link still calls it Melonite. S&W and Springfield both use Melonite on their guns, and the finish is hard as nails.) or CCR Refinishing's Cera-Hide, an advanced spray and bake that comes out flawlessly, and adds essentially no build-up. Also a very tough finish.

I'm not a big Duracoat fan, due to it being a relatively soft finsih compared to other spray-on finishes, and it's tendency to lots of build-up. Some Duracoated guns I've seen look like they were dipped in chocolate. Again, just my opinion and observations. Good luck.

 

[M1911]

I disagree that shiny is not an issue with a concealed carry weapon. I think "shiny" finishes like nickle or stainless are easier to see in a "flash" look, and black guns seem to blend in more when concealed, i.e. if you do see "something" it's hard to make out the outlines and tell it's a gun (and not a cell phone, pager, Leatherman, etc.) Just my opinion.

The bulk of the shiny part is the slide. The bulk of the slide is covered by the holster.

I used to worry about shiny versus black. After years of carrying both, I just don't worry anymore. YMMV.

 

[TheRoland]

And it's not like black kydex isn't going to cover the slide.

I'm beginning to think, given the cost of all these treatments, given how annoying it is to send it away to be refinished, etc etc, stainless is the way to go.

 

[jar]

I'm watching this thread with interest: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=105508
$150 + shipping and $25+shipping refinishes for the life of the gun.

 

[lsbbigdog]

Cerakote over Stainless.