Cerakote
 

I am looking for everyone's input on the CERAKOTE on 1911's?

1) How long does it last?
2) Is there anything better?
3) Why did you pick it, instead of some other coating?

Clyde

Great question Clyde, I'm looking forward to seeing the responses also!

Seeing as how Dan Wesson's earlier Duty Coat was in fact Ceracote, anyone with one of those ought to be able to shed some light.

I have Norrell's on my Rock MS Bobtail and it has held up really well.

The gun is almost exclusively my EDC and carry it every day on the weekends and when I am home in Houston during the work week it sit on my hip.

The gun is in and out of my holster 6 to 7 times a day and I do not have any preservable ware on the front slide or dust cover. I do have some ware on the magwell and at the tip of the bearvertail.

I just got back from the range and shooting it and will be cleaning it tomorrow so I will post some close up picks of the critical areas.

Mike

What process is "Norrel's", Mike??

is it a nitrite bath??
(or however they do Glock's tenifer, Sig's Nitron or S&W's Melonite
which are all essentially the same as I understand it
And all very good from my experience

If I refinish one in a non DIY spray 'n bake finish, I plan to go that route

..L.T.A.

Here is a link to Norrell's site Cap.

From the above link the following is a partial description:

A note about the difference between a typical paint and coatings like Moly Resin. A typical paint is a formulation of pigments and other ingredients diluted with a solvent. When the solvent evaporates, the pigments harden and that hard residue is what is referred to as paint. Unfortunately, paint is susceptable and damaged easily and removed by many, if not most chemical solvents, acids, gun cleaners, bore cleaners, etc. A coating like Moly Resin thermally cured or air cure coatings are actual a complex mix of phenolics, polymers, etc. that are highly reactive to each other but kept from reacting by a catalyst mixed into the coating formula. The catalyst is activated by heat at a certain temperature or by oxygen as in the Air Dry Moly product. Once the catalyst is activated, a chemical reaction occurs between the various chemical to form a totally new substance. The new substance formed becomes very hard and resistant to the original solvents used to dissolve the original phenolics and other base resins, etc. This is why Moly Resin is not considered to be a paint.

He also puts molybdenum in the mix which is a lubricant so not only do you get a very resistant coating but a self lubricating coating at that.

You care for it just like you would parkerization -- clean it and oil it.

Im not to keen up on Cerakote. If its the rattle can stuff I dont think its that durable from reviews that I have read. I do know that Duracote is some pretty nice stuff. My cousin does Duracote and as long as you let it cure out it will hold up for a while

Anything spray on like Cerakote will wear with use just like park & bluing. The nitrite baths like Cap mentioned are tough as nails....but you are not likely to ever reverse it, so be sure you like it lol. Im going to give the nitrite treatment called Atranite a try on my build.

Norrell's you have to use an air brush to apply.

Here are some pic's of my ware.

Magwell

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...rellsWare1.jpg

beavertail

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...rellsWare2.jpg

rail left side

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...rellsWare3.jpg

rail right side

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...rellsWare4.jpg

More images

Dust shield

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...rellsWare5.jpg

Right side slide end

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...rellsWare6.jpg

Left side slide end

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...rellsWare7.jpg

Back side

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...ellsWare12.jpg