Hydro dipping or Cerakote

A

AtControlFreak

Inactive
Trying to protect an 870 express 12ga pump that was my Dad's before he passed. The bluing is very thin and the Houston humidity is not doing it any favors. There are a few places that need to be cleaned around the rib that has small surface rust starting. Once that is accomplished, I want to have it treated so that it will be protected. Hydro dipping seems like a cool option as I would have the entire gun dipped in a camo pattern. Just don't know how durable it will be. Cerakote on the metal parts would be the other option. Price isn't very different on either. The gun itself isn't worth more than $300, but the sentimental value to me is priceless.

Any opinions?
 
hydrodipping itself is not durable at all, you can scrap it off with your finger nail. The only reason it is durable is because of the clear coat on top of it. So your hydrodipping will only be as good as the clear coat that is used.

Between the two, I would choose cerakote. It is a ceramic coating that is baked on and is very durable.

However, if I were you I would get it reblued.
 
+1 on the rebluing.

As your shotgun is working to become an heirloom, I would be my opinion that a blued firearm looks better as such.

Dull (parkerized/whatever crap finish Remington puts on their Expresses these days) and camo finishes are more utilitarian.
 
My, this OP brings back memories of my earliest days at TFL, asking old George about refinishing my 870 express. I did refinish my 870 express and don't regret at all the choice I made. I had it parkerized. Looks a lot better than the original blue on the coarse media blasted surface. The park protects it superbly, and the light media blasting prior to parking actually attenuates the original factory rough blasting/bluing, giving a much classier sheen. Wish I had kept the original wood furniture...
 
Thanks for the responses. I'm not looking for an heirloom at the end of this. My Dad wouldn't have wanted that. He would want me to drag this thing into the woods and use it for it's intended purpose. That being said, after some thought I agree that the hydro dipping, while cool looking, wouldn't give me the protection I'm looking for. I think I'm going to go the Cerakote route. The protection it provides should be more than a match for the high humidity area that I live in. I just took it out and shot a few rounds through it - first time it's been shot since I got it 8 years ago. I noticed what appears to be rub lines on the magazine bluing where the fore-end slides. Hopefully this will not pose a problem for the Cerakote.
 
Another option is Black-T from Birdsong. Google it and read up on it. I have an Auto-5 Stalker that is done in Black-T and it has handled the wear beautifully.
 
Color? Choices?....

Many TFLers pitch Metalife, a well engineered nickel-grey color that could do very well.
Robar's NP3+ is also highly rated. I've owned 02 Beretta 96D .40 pistols with NP3 & have 0 complaints.
Some members say Ford's is also good for custom work but may be hard to contact.
CeraKote, www.APWcogan.com isn't bad if you want a non glare or tactical type color with low maintenance.

Swanson's Armory does a lot of gunsmith work & Duracoat colors. It's run by a ex-cop & 2A supporter.

Clyde
www.robarguns.com
 
Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but I'd just have it park'd. Nope, not as fancy, nor probably as durable as the newer finishes, but I like 'em that way.
 
Spats, the other beautiful thing about parkerizing is that it is so much more forgiving...the 870 express in particular is a fairly rough forging, not finished (ground, polished, etc,) just blasted with lord knows what media. It's a pretty ugly thing overall. Parking suits it, and makes it look like what it should, in the process minimizing the rough appearance of the 870 express receiver...I imagine that a paint or coating like cerakote would enhance the roughness. Maybe I'm wrong.
 
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