Refinishing a Handgun?

F

Fahrenheit

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I have an old EAA witness that's looking long in the tooth. Like to refinish it but the easy stuff (duracoat) looks like it wont last to long. The frame is stainless and the slide is blued. Like to make the whole thing black. What are some options? Can I get something like Melonite in the aftermarket? If possible something a little more black then Melonite with a low shine would be great. Or even whatever SIG uses for there weapons. That satin finish is nice!


Thanks
 
Duracoat is fairly durable, and you might be surprised to know how many manufacturers use it as their factory finish (calling it by their own, proprietary name, of course).
 
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If you feel comfortable enough taking the gun apart (and putting it back together), and if you have the time and aren't in a huge hurry, then rust bluing sounds like it will fit your requirements.

It's really easy. Basically, you
1. strip the old finish
2. polish the metal to your specs (no more than 320).
3. degrease the heck out of the parts.
4. apply the 'rusting solution'.
5. let the parts rust.
6. boil the parts.
7. card the parts to remove the black, velvety black oxide
8. repeat 'till you're happy with the color (the more times you do it, the darker they get).
9. soak the parts in oil for 24 hrs.
10. put your gun back together.

I've done this twice now, one with some random parts (a tokarev magazine, and old but plate), and then an entire Swiss K31 rifle. Each time, I've been amazed at the results I've been able to achieve. It is somewhat labor intensive, but it's worth it. You end up with a beautiful blue job that is as durable (if not moreso) as a pro hot-bluing job.
 
Oops. I just noticed you said your frame was stainless. Obviously, rust bluing will work for the slide, but not the frame. In that case, if you want the gun all one color, some type of coating (as already mentioned) is probably your best bet.

Alternately, you could polish (or bead blast, if you want it more matte) the frame and rust-blue the slide.
 
I recommend CCR's NPII finish. It's an electroless finish like NP3 but is much cheaper. They have great customer service and all of my guns I've sent there had quick turnaround. They can do the whole gun or just slide/frame.

Here's a G30 with it and I have a 1911 done in it too.

IMAG0110.jpg
 
Farenheit, 10/16/11

I have two Witness .45's that started having pitting corrosion issues so I had them refinished in hard-chrome. Later both had metal fatigue issues where the slides and frames cracked at low round counts. I've had six other pistols (not Witnesses) and a rifle hard-chromed as well and none of these experienced the metal cracking like the EAA Witnesses. Assuming that EAA's "lifetime" warranty would repair or replace the defective parts I shipped them to EAA. I received a one sentence reply stating the metal parts had been hard-chromed and this voided all their warranties. Thus any refinishing of your pistol and subsequent failures in your pistol will not be fixed by EAA's "lifetime" warranty. Just a word of caution on your refinishing project.

One other point- for most EAA Witness pistols the metal is either blued or a "Wonder" finish that looks like stainless steel but is not stainless. I suspect your stainless frame is probably the "Wonder" finish as well.

best wishes- oldandslow
 
I don't know if this is accurate, but I've heard of the 'Wonder' finish described as a Matte Nickel finish. So it could very well be that the frame is not stainless, as oldandslow said.
 
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