collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Painting barrels  (Read 10056 times)

Offline Coasthunterjay

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2007
  • Posts: 1749
Re: Painting barrels
« Reply #15 on: March 28, 2008, 09:12:22 PM »
Man, looks great....Might have to go with duracoat after all......

You said you can do it for how much?

Might be easier having someone who nows what there doing, do it, versus a newbie......

How hard is it to get a good even spray?

Does it come in a matte black? what about the tip of the barrel? the hole?

Offline Bscman

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 620
  • Location: Sedro Woolley
Re: Painting barrels
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2008, 11:29:06 PM »
You mentioned having an airbrush.
If you can spray cheap enamel and get a good finish, you can spray duracoat. Set 'er up about 40lbs and let it eat--don't try and "thin" it, just add the catalyst and go. It sprays like any other paint.

The big key is in the PREP.

I always blast the parts in the sandblaster before I spray. I will parkerize all the small parts I can (my tank is only 18", so that restricts most barrels!). Duracoat will adhere to a smooth surface, but likes a rougher surface (like most other coatings) to get a good "tooth."

Next step...DEGREASe...then do it again, just in case.
I start with something simple, like "Simple Green" for the parts cleaner. After than I like to heat the parts with a heat-gun, just enough to open up the pores of the metal just in case any oil is trapped. Then I'll wipe it down one last time with acetone.

Now, spray away.
Let it sit a few hours before handling it...and like I mentioned before, let it sit at least a week or two before assembly. It's designed to cure SLOWLY to stay somewhat pliable. This is why duracoat excels--it's not hard and brittle like most other firearm "paints."
It'll suck up dings and scuffs, rather than chip and flake like a lot of other finishes.

You can buy the complete kit to spray duracoat for ~$50, but it comes with compressed air in a can and a cheap single-action airbrush.
The tru-strip degreaser in the kit is nice, but a warm acetone bath won't leave any residue and works just as well (cheaper).
As mentioned, avoid reducer.

So all you're left with is the duracoat and hardener--which can be had for $16 per 4oz. That's enough to do two typical rifles (or three complete handguns, from my experience).
So if you already have the room, the airbrush, and some basic tools, the coating itself + degreaser is going to run you under $20 each if you coat two rifles.

Most "pro" finishers are asking ~$150-200 to completely do a typical rifle for you.
I left it better than I found it...did you?
I hunt animals because veggies are too easy to stalk.

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Bear behavior by dylan34_36
[Today at 08:51:28 AM]


Idaho Unit 31 Late Rifle! by Sliverslinger
[Today at 08:36:10 AM]


Getting back into dogs by brokentrail
[Today at 08:33:12 AM]


Bow mount trolling motors by GWP
[Today at 08:25:59 AM]


Idaho 2025 Controlled Hunts by Machias
[Today at 08:12:17 AM]


Stillaguamish 448 QD rifle tag by JakeLand
[Today at 08:07:31 AM]


Machias' 2025 Spring Bear/Northern Idaho by Machias
[Today at 07:52:44 AM]


Norway pass Elk by hunterednate
[Today at 07:44:13 AM]


Early controlled hunt rifle tag Lemhi Range by Shooter4
[Today at 07:29:56 AM]


FFL preferences or warnings in Olympia or south Sound area? by Sneaky
[Today at 05:43:56 AM]


Toutle Quality Bull - Rifle by RB
[Today at 03:13:07 AM]


Boat registration by Happy Gilmore
[Yesterday at 10:22:29 PM]


Norway Pass Archery Elk 2025 by Boss .300 winmag
[Yesterday at 09:14:45 PM]


Entiat Quality tag by WAcoueshunter
[Yesterday at 09:05:06 PM]


Palouse/Mica (GMU 127) Access for Trades Work by dr.derek
[Yesterday at 08:29:53 PM]


Pearygin Quality by MADMAX
[Yesterday at 07:55:09 PM]


Teanaway bull elk by Caveman123
[Yesterday at 07:43:44 PM]


Oregon results posted. by Caveman123
[Yesterday at 07:40:47 PM]


2025 Draw Results by Yeti419
[Yesterday at 07:27:32 PM]


Mudflow Archery by Yeti419
[Yesterday at 07:26:25 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal