A .223 built by Aquilla Custom Gun Works LLC for a coyote hunter. The tracks were stenciled on and the whole gun Cerakoted.
There are a wide variety of camo dips and cosmetic finishes that come standard with today’s firearms, but most are just cosmetic. A few run-ins with gun cleaning solution or adverse weather and you’re left with less protection than an average blued steel gun.
Aftermarket painting has been a popular aesthetic choice for years. Some go the spray paint route and touch it up as needed, but the color is all that changes, and that rarely for the better. Those looking for something to actually benefit their gun need to go beyond the cheap choice and have a serious paint applied.
Shooters can choose for a variety of methods. Some paints are baked onto the gun while others are sprayed and left to dry. Bluing does offers some protection to the gun, but paints that are properly applied can increase a gun’s ability to resist rust, water, and scratching. Some products allow a user to paint their own guns at home, but having an applicator handle the process offers the best results.
Here are just a few of the many offerings available.
DuraCoat
DuraCoat is the first level of aftermarket painting. It doesn’t require baking, preheating, or blasting to apply, and it comes in more than 250 standard colors—including clear. Those colors can then be blended for additional options.
Apply the paint and let it sit overnight. For the best effect, let the paint set for several weeks. Most gun cleaning products can be safely used on the paint without removing or ruining it.
Gun-Kote
Gun-Kote can be applied to a firearm following pre-heating and cleaning. It’s aerosolized and requires baking to cure.
The paint is suited for alloy and stainless steel, brass, properly prepared nickel, and aluminum. It protects against rust, scratching, and corrosion.
Aluma-Hyde II
Aluma-Hyde II is a hard-curing, epoxy-based paint. It’s aerosolized and dries within minutes. Full curing takes roughly one week, after which the applicator can paint over the first layer with any subsequent layers. It is rustproof and abrasion-resistant.
It comes in several matte and semi-gloss colors.
Cerakote
Cerakote is a ceramic coating that can be applied to metal, plastic, polymer, and wood. It is abrasion, wear, corrosion, and chemical resistant.
It must be baked on to ensure proper application. Pre-treatment of the metal is also necessary to ensure the paint adheres. Degreasing the gun, grit-blasting the surfaces, and pre-baking the gun to remove any chemicals or solvents are required.
Oven curing takes anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours, depending on the material being painted.
Colors are nearly limitless. It’s been used for everything from guns to cars to sunglasses.
Teflon-coating
Teflon-like substances are self-lubricating and don’t require gun oil to be applied to metal. It’s baked on and becomes virtually weatherproof. Heat and humidity don’t affect it, making it perfect for shooters in warmer climates or those around saltwater.
It must be sanded or blasted to treat the surface and baked to cure.
Cover image: Ryan Flynn, Aquilla Custom Gun Works LLC