How Durable is the HE Finish on the USP45?
- Thread starter Kestrel
- Start date
Charmedlyfe
Moderator
Bull. Had both, the USP finish was MUCH more durable. The guy probably had aftermarket night sights on it that rusted.
The various rust-resistant finishes (HK's Hostile Environment, SIG's K-cote, Beretta's Bruniton and Glock's Tenifer) seem to have very little to choose from between them in my experience. They all seem to work fine.
Anybody who wants to get worked into a lather about why theirs is infinitely superior to the other guy's should read this thread carefully.
Anybody who wants to get worked into a lather about why theirs is infinitely superior to the other guy's should read this thread carefully.
Mo_Zam_Beek
New member
Have HE and SS in HK, also have glock.
HK HE is 3 yrs older, has seen much more holster time than the glock and has held up much better.
HK HE is 3 yrs older, has seen much more holster time than the glock and has held up much better.
If I am not mistaken, the black coating on the HK is the HE finish. The matte black finish on a Glock slide is just a phosphate finish on top of the Tenifer-treated steel.
Yes, cosmetically, the HE finish will show less holster wear. Holster wear can damage the looks of the gun. If you are concerned about the looks of the gun, you probably shouldn't buy a Glock in the first place.
Both finishes are pretty much equal in imperviousness to the thing that really matters: rust.
IME, the HE coating from HK sucks.
My stainless HK rusted from my sweat (and yes, it had the HE coating on it according to HK).
My Glocks on the other hand NEVER EVER rust. I don't think there is such thing as a more rust resistant finish than Glock's. They are even used in ocean diving, and even hours of direct salt water does not rust them. One was found on the bottom of the ocean after like two month and only had a little rust on select spots. It does not get any better than that.
Glock's tennifer coating does not rub off. Even when the dark grey phosphate finish rubs off, the white tennifer finish underneath stays put.
This is not a HK versus Glock thing (I own multiple of both) but that is just my experience.
My stainless HK rusted from my sweat (and yes, it had the HE coating on it according to HK).
My Glocks on the other hand NEVER EVER rust. I don't think there is such thing as a more rust resistant finish than Glock's. They are even used in ocean diving, and even hours of direct salt water does not rust them. One was found on the bottom of the ocean after like two month and only had a little rust on select spots. It does not get any better than that.
Glock's tennifer coating does not rub off. Even when the dark grey phosphate finish rubs off, the white tennifer finish underneath stays put.
This is not a HK versus Glock thing (I own multiple of both) but that is just my experience.
The stainless is silver color and the HE is matte black. No both, like you see in Sigs. Sig P226 for instance is stainless but can come in black stainless, black color nitron or copperish silver colored two tone nickel finish.
Another important factor to remember is the sweat on your hands. Do you have sweaty hands? And how acidic is your sweat? A pH test maybe recommended. I have seen people with acidic hands who use stainless guns cause minor discoloration on their silver colored gun due to their sweat.
Another important factor to remember is the sweat on your hands. Do you have sweaty hands? And how acidic is your sweat? A pH test maybe recommended. I have seen people with acidic hands who use stainless guns cause minor discoloration on their silver colored gun due to their sweat.
HK's HE finish is not the mat black coting. This is just the finish on the outside of the HE coat. The HE finish is under this and is a dull gray/silver color. The HK's will show holster wear (the mat black wearing off), but underneath is the HE finish which will still protect against moisture.
ETorbin.
ETorbin.
I don't know which part is the HE or not, but the black is holding up very well to holster wear. I don't know how many thousands of presentations mine has seen, but there is no sign of burnishing of the surfaces and edges on my slide or frame. The black finish on my HK is worn in one spot (unrelated to holster wear), but it does not show, nor has it ever shown, any corrosion. As a matter of fact, it is as shiny as my stainless Beretta, which wouldn't be the case with bare steel. This leads me to believe that the HK, like the GLOCK, is finished underneath and then coated with black.
Mo_Zam_Beek
New member
"If I am not mistaken, the black coating on the HK is the HE finish. The matte black finish on a Glock slide is just a phosphate finish on top of the Tenifer-treated steel. "
HK's HE finish is not the mat black coting. This is just the finish on the outside of the HE coat. The HE finish is under this and is a dull gray/silver color. The HK's will show holster wear (the mat black wearing off), but underneath is the HE finish which will still protect against moisture.
Allow me to rephrase - Neither my one year Glock or my 4 yr old .45F have any rust. Although, the phosphate finish on my glock is obviously wearing thin.
The .45F is not only older, it has hit the pavement 3 or 4 times (dont ask), and has substantially more holster time as it is the weapon I shoot IDPA with.
FWIW - my SS .45C blows in comparision to both as far rust is concerned.
HK's HE finish is not the mat black coting. This is just the finish on the outside of the HE coat. The HE finish is under this and is a dull gray/silver color. The HK's will show holster wear (the mat black wearing off), but underneath is the HE finish which will still protect against moisture.
Allow me to rephrase - Neither my one year Glock or my 4 yr old .45F have any rust. Although, the phosphate finish on my glock is obviously wearing thin.
The .45F is not only older, it has hit the pavement 3 or 4 times (dont ask), and has substantially more holster time as it is the weapon I shoot IDPA with.
FWIW - my SS .45C blows in comparision to both as far rust is concerned.
Cavè Canem
New member
Shake
The ocean thing was a test done on a G17 by a editor for Handguns Magazine. (Thats where I read it) They put one in the ocean off the coast of Hawaii and left it there for 2 months. When they came back it had limited pitting is select places. He rinsed it off with fresh water, loaded it up and fired 100 rounds through it with no problems.
The ocean thing was a test done on a G17 by a editor for Handguns Magazine. (Thats where I read it) They put one in the ocean off the coast of Hawaii and left it there for 2 months. When they came back it had limited pitting is select places. He rinsed it off with fresh water, loaded it up and fired 100 rounds through it with no problems.