Revolver finishes

I am looking into getting a new finish on my revolver. [maybe revolvers] Most likely a stainless revolver, something such as hardchrome etc. What do you have experience with and why do you like it?

While I no longer have this revolver, it had a hard chrome finish on it. This finish is as tough as nails and I understand it is even more weather resistant than stainless steel.

Cerekote is the strongest I've come across. A few guys I used to duck hunt with in Oklahoma had it, and I was pretty impressed. You can't scratch that stuff if ya try.

I'm not trying to talk you out of a new finish, but plating a stainless gun with hard chrome is a bit redundant. It does resist corrosion slightly better but not enough to matter unless you're really exposing the gun to a tough environment.

I've had half a dozen handguns HC plated but they were all originally blue and I wanted something more durable.

I've also had a few handguns Cerakoted and it's the best of the "applied" finishes IMO, plus you have your choice of many colors.

Two sources I can recommend should you not already have someone in mind:

http://www.apwcogan.com/ (all types)
http://www.carolinafirearmcoatings.com/ (Cerakote only)

Has anyone ever done melonite on a wheel gun?

Many years ago, a friend had a Colt Python which had been given the Armoloy treatment. Armoloy is a chromium treatment similar to hard chrome, claimed to get into the pores of the steel. The Python was a beautiful gun with a very tough surface. He used to demonstrate that you couldn't scratch it with a standard file.

Hard chrome is tough but can add build up on dimensionally critical areas if not done right. Any place specializing in plating guns should be OK. Need to be careful about hydrogen embrittlement of the steel.

Cerakote looks like a very good finish. Undoubtedly there are people on this site with lots of experience in how well it stands up to use on a revolver. Normally I see it on autos and rifles. Don't know if you'd get wear lines on the cylinder.

All of the coatings/platings have a downside in that they may make future modifications or repairs more troublesome (stripping the finish etc). Again this may never happen to you.

I've seen several stainless revolvers which have been bead blasted. Gives a very practical finish for a hunting gun. Finish can be chosen between satin through to matt.

Thanks for the info guys. I am looking into the cerakote finishes because they seem to be the most durable.

That is one pretty piece of equipment my friend!!!

After doing a small amount of research I was told cerakote does not stand up on the front of the cylinder. The last bit of advise I got said go with Black Nitrite or Hard Chrome. Do any of you concur with these findings?

Hard Chrome is fantastic and hard to beat. That is the route I would go personally.

Thank you sir!

To use color as a relative comparison, HC is white and nitrite is black. Those two colors are totally opposite in appearance so it just depends on what you want.

If you like a bright finish that resembles stainless, HC will give you good service.

If your desire is to change the gun's appearance to something more traditional (black) then your choices are limited.

Regardless of type, most of the "black" finishes will show cosmetic wear quicker than HC - all things being equal.

Lastly, there are a lot of folks in the refinishing business out there and they are NOT all created equal. Choose wisely.

I had this Colt Python and mount done in Robar's NP3. It's been on the gun for about 10 years and looks brand new. The NP3 is more rust resistant than stainless steel and much slicker. The internals were also done. I had the gun refinished after hunting and holster wear removed much of the blue finish.

Don't think you can go wrong with stainless. Not a fan of chrome to shiny. Cerakote I've only seen but looked nice