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Why Cerakote Your Gun and Should You Do It?

If you have looked up information about guns and their durability, then you might have heard of a product called cerakote.

It is a coating that goes on the gun to help protect the metal and moving parts. On top of this it also comes in a variety of colors, so you can have a more custom feel for your firearm that gives it a look that is personal to you. Read on to learn more in-depth information on what Cerakote is and its benefits.

Cerakote Pistol. source: killercoating

What is Cerakote?

For many years their was only a few ways to protect your gun from the elements. Guns have always been made of metal and some times the steel was blued. This was a heating process to help protect it from pitting and corrosion. Since guns are used outside a lot, they are easily exposed to the weather. Things such as water could easily cause the metal to rust which could lead to the gun not functioning correctly.

On older guns parts of them, such as the handle or butt, were also made of wood. Wood also would break down over time and wear. As time when on people started using pearl grips and things to help protect the parts of the gun that were exposed to wear and the weather more often. Today there is a new product that can protect your gun.

This new product to help your gun last as long as possible is Cerakote. It is a ceramic type material with a polymer mixed into it to help it attach to all kinds of material. Now that guns have a lot more moving parts, it is even more important to keep your gun protected from the elements.

How is Cerakote Applied?

Cerakote is applied in a very skilled way because a small amount of thickness change in a gun can cause it to not function right. The first thing is the gun is completely disassembled, not just field-stripped. It is then degreased and blasted with garnet sand to remove any oils. After the coating is put on in a smooth and even way using an HVLP spray gun. Lastly the metal parts are cured at 250 degrees and the plastic and polymer parts are cured at 150-180 degrees.

Benefits of Cerakote?

So now that you know what Cerakote is and how it is applied, what are the benefits to it? Well like has been mentioned guns have a lot of moving parts now a days, and any wear on these parts can cause the gun to stop functioning correctly. A lot of things can cause wear to a gun from normal use to mishandling.

Normal wear occurs because you have oils on your hands that can eat into the metal parts over time. Also, the slide part of the gun is moving back and forth which causes friction. If your gun does not have a slide but is instead a hammer, the hammer hitting still causes wear. The bullet also coming out of the chamber causes wear over time to the inside of the barrel. Also, the small explosion on the inside each time to propel the bullet out causes wear.

Some of these wear causing things can be slowed down with proper care. If you clean your gun and oil it regularly, then it reduces the effects of the friction. Also, some of the smaller parts can be replaced easily and this will help your gun last longer, but some mishandling things or accidents can't be prevented or protected against in other ways.

Carrying the gun can lead to it getting scratches and things just from it bumping into things. These cosmetic issues don't really affect the function, but if you are spending a lot on a gun you probably want it to stay looking good for as long as possible as well. Also, a drop could cause cosmetic damage and functioning damage, but if you have a coating on the gun these damages can be reduced.

Cerakote puts a layer on the outside of the gun that is hard and protective. The ceramic in the Cerakote keeps the gun from getting scratched if it bumps into different things or gets dropped. The thin layer also protects the moving parts from wear. This keeps the gun in the proper specifications for longer so you don't have to replace parts and it keeps functioning correctly. Lastly it protects the gun from the elements, such as water, so the metal does not rust or pit.

The other benefits are that Cerakota comes in over a hundred colors. This means you can get your gun to look however you want. You can even have different parts of the gun be different colors, so the possibilities are endless. Some might think that customizing the color is just for aesthetics, but doesn't add any real benefits. While this is mostly true, it isn't completely true. If you are wanting to hide your gun, then you can get it in a color that is more easily concealed. That is one reason why getting a custom color can add more benefits than just making you happy.

Should you get Cerakote?

So you still may be wondering should you do it to your firearm.

My answer would be yes.

It is an added cost, but it will keep your gun functioning correctly for a lot longer. The added protection for your gun and then the fact you can make your gun your own, out weights any cost. The technique used now makes it so getting Cerakote on your gun will not do any harm to it.

You should have the best handgun safe to protect your Cerakote pistol.

Conclusion

Cerakote adds a lot of benefits to your gun at no risk besides the cost of having it down. While there are a few other options on the market, Cerakote is the tested method that a lot of people love. If you are looking for a way to protect your firearm, or to make the gun your own, then Cerakote is a great option for you.

What is Rust on a Gun and How to Remove Rust from a Firearm

Most modern firearms are treated with some type of exterior coating above the metal to reduce the chance of the metal underneath rusting.

However, this is not to say that it is impossible for a modern firearm to rust. Rusting is most common in older firearms. Looking to fix up one of grandpa’s old guns? Wondering how to get the rust off?

Look no further. We will go over the best way to take rust off a firearm, and some things to avoid doing.

It is worth noting that this will only help in removing surface rust off a firearm. If your gun has fully rusted through, it is going to take significantly more work than what we are recommending here.

What is Rust?

Rust forms when iron reacts with oxygen.

This process is referred to as oxidization. The process is generally really slow, but can be significantly sped up when the metal is introduced to salt or water.

This is the reason that one day in the rain can cause surface rust to form on a firearm.

How to Remove Rust

Removing rust is not a hard process.

You will have to essentially scrape it off, using a metal that isn’t as hard as the metal of the firearm.

You can use a harder metal, but it will ruin the finish of the firearm.

For this reason, your best bet to remove the rust off the firearm is going to be copper products. To successfully remove the surface rust, you’re going to want:

Copper wool. You can use copper wool to scrape the whole outside
Copper brush. The copper brush will help you get into the more tight spaces, and a caliber specific size will allow you to clean the barrel
Dry rags. Rags will help to wipe the scraped off rust off the surface of the firearm

Removing the rust is pretty easy. You just need to scratch it off using the copper products already mentioned.

It really is that simple. There is not an easier way to do it safely. It’s just going to take some elbow grease to get the rust off.

How Not to Remove Rust

There are quite a few rust removal products available on the market.

While these may work for other metals, I would strongly recommend against using these chemicals on a firearm.

Since you don’t know what the surface of the firearm was treated with and what else might have been added to the metal, you have no idea how the chemicals will react with the metal of the firearm.

The result could inadvertently ruin your weapon. I have heard of some people using Evapo-Rust as a worst-case scenario rust remover, but would still recommend against that, if at all avoidable.

You should store gun with best gun safe and dehumidifier, it will help your gun cleaner.

Conclusion

That’s it. It really is that simple to remove the rust off of a firearm.

Unless it is completely rusted through, using some copper wool, a copper brush, and some good old-fashioned elbow grease will take care of the surface rust on a firearm.

There are some commercially available rust removal chemicals, but I would strongly recommend against using these.

What is the First Step in Cleaning a Firearm?

Perhaps your firearm has been on a good adventure with you, or maybe you just bought it and want to make sure it is ready for the field. So what is the first step in cleaning a firearm?

You’ll want to make sure the process is done correctly so as not to damage the weapon or cause rust. It took me several cleaning processes before I really felt comfortable with cleaning my firearm. Today, I’ll show you my process and the best practices for keeping that gun clean.

Buy a cleaning kit.

These can be pretty simple. You’ll want to make sure that you have these items:

Bore brush
Oil
Rag
Cotton swabs
Ample lighting in the leaning area
Patch holder with patches

Have a good commercial solvent

Basically, a solvent is a substance that has the ability to dissolve something else. This is incredibly important when cleaning a firearm. Unlike washing dishes or cleaning most other things, a simple rub down with some soap isn’t going to cut it here.

Use a garage or other area with open doors/windows to keep fresh air flowing in.
Clean all metal parts of the firearm thoroughly with the commercial solvent. Make sure the barrel is getting a good clean as well.
Clean the bore up through the breech end, wherever possible. Spend ample time here making sure that the bore is as clean as the barrel and rest of the metal parts on the weapon.
Run the dry patch through to double check for cleanliness. Let the area dry before proceeding.

Stick an oily patch into the barrel

The goal here is to get it nice and lubed up. Apply a liberal dose of oil onto the patch and slide it back and forth in the barrel of the gun, ensuring the entire area is reached. Any parts of the gun that are metal should receive a light coating of oil. Here is a great video on how to clean a firearm. It should go without saying, but always make sure your gun is unloaded before starting this process:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHQKm-Z9x2E

This is when you use the patches inside the barrel to get it clean

Store the firearm in a horizontal position

This will help it dry and keep the oil on all parts that need it. If storing firearm horizontally is a challenge, face the muzzle down so that any run-age will come out of the barrel instead of clogging the back end. If you have a gun rack, I always suggest designating a specific place for firearms that have just been cleaned. The best gun safe is my recommendation.

Do not leave the weapon laying on its side on a table or counter.
Do not store vertically with the butt of the gun facing down.

Prior to firing the gun, run a clean patch through the barrel

This removes any excess oil or dirt. It makes sure that everything will go smoothly when firing, and that there aren’t any clogs or backlogs within the barrel. Here are a few tips I have for streamlining your firearm cleaning process:

Keep oil on hand at all times. Have it designated as only for cleaning your firearms, that way you won’t use it for anything else. Storing it in the gun safe or in the same general area as your guns will make sure that you always know where it is, and no one else is using it for other purposes.
Get into the habit of cleaning your firearms regularly. When starting the first step in cleaning a firearm, always follow the same procedure. There shouldn’t be any variations when cleaning the same gun. Consistency is key!
Dedicate a rag for the task. Always keep it on hand with the oil.

There you have it. If someone asks you what is the first step in cleaning a firearm, you can point them to this article.

I hope you found this informative. If so, we’d appreciate it if you shared on social media. If you have any tips for cleaning a firearm that we didn’t mention here, feel free to leave a comment. Let’s get a discussion going.

Featured Image by Ben Branam