What kind of finish?

B

baddarryl

New member
Will a black matte like on the Smith J frames wear as well as Stainless? I am still looking for a carry gun and work outside in the south, so my weapon could likely be drenched with sweat, slime and grime. I am leaning J frame now for a pocket or IWB gun or maybe a Sig P238, or a .45 or a 9! Lol who knows at this point! This really is about the finish though. Thank you.
 
I would think a stainless finish would be your best option, but keep in mind even they will rust. How you carry the gun may actually have a greater impact than the material; for instance if it is in constant contact with your skin then rust could be an issue. However, if it was in a pouch, tool belt, bag etc. it would probably hold up better.
 
cosmetics, looks, wear...

In general, it's mostly an issue of looks or the cosmetic value of a firearm.
For DA revolvers, I'd take in the factor of the burn marks or residue on the cylinder face. :(
Stainless or nickel wheelguns may look slick but blue steel or black revolvers may conceal the wear marks better.
Another option is a treatment of black oxide, Black T, NIC or Bearcoat on a snub revolver. :)
these Teflon based coatings may prevent rust, protect the base metal or aid in fast cleaning. The $ spent could be worth it for a carry or duty revolver.

Clyde
www.Black-T.com www.Bearcoat.com
 
Robar and CCR both apply nickel-teflon finishes that are extremely durable. I have the CCR CPII on my G30 and a 1911 and they are awesome finishes. They are bonded at the mollecular level and neither of mine show any wear marks. I carry both in the southeast daily and have for 9+ years.
 
Different Spin on Protecting the Finish

For a good finish the recommendations by Clydefrog and Plouffedaddy are first class.

As an --- 'outside the box/holster/finish' -- answer, consider getting two carry weapons (duplicates) and duplicate holsters.


When you leave the house:
  1. I'll assume you carry at all times including hot, humid conditions.
  2. When you return home, pull the hoster and weapon and rinse them in hot water to wash off salt/sweat/moisture etc.
  3. Put them in a safe dry place to drain completely and to finish drying.
  4. Put on the second holster/weapon.
Repeat as necessary.

Obviously this assumes you:
  • choose to afford the option
  • that your weapon has at least some type of a rust resistant finish but that you want to go to 'another level' of protections
  • and your holster isn't leather.
.
 
Hard Chrome has worked best for me, along with kydex holsters. Before those two, rust was always an issue, especially in the summer.
 
Of the two factory finishes you asked about, I believe that the stainless steel should hold up the best. Stainless should be less effected by any cleaning components you may need to use. I keep a thin coat of Johnson's paste wax on my stainless guns as well as my blued guns.

Hope this helps with your decision.
 
Hard to beat stainless. It isn't fool proof and it can certainly rust, but with a little care, it will do very well for you.
 
I hope all of you know that "stainless" is not a finish but the material the gun is made from. Some of the posts sound like that isn't widely understood.

Dave
 
My Smith 36 (vintage 1970) with recent Smith factory brushed nickel finish. A good choice for hot weather carry compared to my old blue finish.

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after market coatings; carry-duty sidearms...

Depending on the carry methods(concealed, pocket, open-uniform, field), weather and some other factors, a high quality durable after market treatment is worth it for a handgun.
Well made CLPs like LPX, Eezox, Weaponshield etc help a lot too.
Sweat, marine environments(salt water), rain-snow, etc can wear or rust nearly any custom plate, coating or metal format after time.
As posted, regular stainless metal will hold up well but I'd get blue steel or black type revolvers, mostly for the look or appearance.
 
There are a lot of good coating finishes out there but nothing will wear as well as stainless steel, black and blued finishes are not even close. And as Dave said, stainless is not a coating or a plating, it is the material so it can not wear off.
 
NP3 is the robar finish I was talking about above. It's awesome stuff. If you do any research into the Glock EXO line, it's the same stuff essentially. CCR also has a very similar product.
 
If you take reasonable care, then any finish can work. The stainless finishes are just a little easier to keep rust free. But there is no such thing as completely rust free.

If you like a black matte finish then go with that finish. Just keep it lubed and inspect often in hot damp climates.
 
"Hi, my name is webfoot2"

NP3 is a proprietary finish orginally intended for aerospace applications.
It is electroless nickel impregnated with Teflon particles.
Electroless nickel is a very hard (near hardchrome) finish all by itself, and offers rust resistance superior to hardchrome.
The Teflon particles are suspended in its substrate, acting like wee ball bearings that are constantly being exposed as wear occurs.

NP3 is very hard.
And durable.
And rust resistant.
And self-lubricating.
It also reduces cleaning time, because dirt and soot wipe off.
It can be applied to most evey part in the gun, and having much of the ignition system finished means reduced trigger weight.

It remains my favorite finish.

You can find out more at the website: www.RobarGuns.com
 
The "stainless" finish on the lightweight j frames is matte silver, basically "paint". The frame is "painted" aluminum alloy. The barrel and frame are stainless steel. Over the past few years there have been numerous complaints about the matte silver finish not wearing well.
 
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