Cerakote vs Stainless

[passinggas33]

I will be up front and I’m looking for opinions particularly from those with personal experience. I’ve spent a ton of time researching this topic and just need some advice. So as part of my dilemma, let me explain. I recently returned fron Alaskan moose hunt where my gun performed great. It is a relatively inexpensive Savage Trophy Hunter, but I feel like I have it pretty well dialed in. The trouble is, physically it took a pretty good beating. Even with wiping it down and off every night it still developed rust spots, particularly on the bolt and barrel. Now that I am back I am debating on selling it and buying a more weather resistant gun, for example one with stainless. I do plan to return to Alaska again, and hopefully within the next year or two. But I’m having a hard time wanting to start over, especially since I have a gun I really like. The question I have for you guys is, what is your opinion of Cerikote in relationship to holding up to weather? I know what the gunsmith is telling me, but I want real world experience. Would I be better off to just do Cerakoting to the gun I have, or start over from scratch with a gun with predominantly stainless components? And yes, I do understand stainless still requires maintenance. Just think it may do a little better in these harsh conditions. Anyway, thanks in advance for any thoughts or opinions on the matter!

 

[Painless]

I personally like cerakote, I have several rifles and a few pistols that have been coated over the years. I also have a few rifles that are stainless with no coating. My Kimber Montana 7WSM took a beating on my last trip to AK and it has a couple of rust spots and the bolt handle was black when I got it back home. I cleaned it up but it looks far from new. I also had an incident will on my way to a deer hunting spot where the boat sunk in about 9' of water (freshwater not salt) and I had to leave it overnight and come back the next day and drag it up. It is no worse than before it took a swim. Coating has held up well on that one. If you like the rifle coat it, if you have the itch for a new rifle get one in stainless, either way working up loads is fun.........

 

[Matt W.]

A previous debate on the subject can be found here:
Stainless vs Cerakote

And the final post references this:
Cerakote Coatings: Why Stainless Isn't Always Stainless

I think if I could choose I'd go both! : )

 

[wind gypsy]

Easy choice. The important part of your gun (the bore) isn't going to get cerakoted, so stainless. Both is nice.

 

[Formidilosus]

Cerakote nor any other topical coating does anything for what actually matters- the bore. Who gives a flying ape about some marks on the outside of a barrel. Rust on the inside is an actual problem.


Either a stainless barrel or a nitride barrel.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

bore protection is most important. Also note that if your gun is already getting beat up, chances are you may damage the coating, opening up the chance for corrosion, which can actually become accelerated in the localized location.

If you're looking to get a dedicated bad-weather gun, stainless with a synthetic stock.


I noticed that cerakote uses a 'pencil' test to test the hardness of coating. Last time I checked granite is much harder than the lead of a pencil....

Anyways,if possible, both would be the best option!


Stainless still need attention, wipe downs, oiling, etc.

 

[wind gypsy]

Who gives a flying ape about some marks on the outside of a barrel.

People who start posts about the different hues of Kifaru Ranger Green.

 

[MattB]

 

[N2TRKYS]

Who gives a flying ape about some marks on the outside of a barrel.

I do. I like to take care of my stuff.

 

[Formidilosus]

People who start posts about the different hues of Kifaru Ranger Green.

Grin.

I do. I like to take care of my stuff.

I do too, but in real use I’ve never been able to keep the outside looking new, or even close to it. You strap a rifle to the outside of a pack and hike up through a blowdown hellhole that rifle is getting scratched. Go up and down enough ridges with effort- you’re going to slip and fall. Again, that rifle is getting hit.

Unless it’s a range queen that goes from the padded safe, to the padded case, to the padded backseat, to the padded deer blind, I’ve never seen someone that actually uses a rifle seriously keep it without scratches and worn spots.

 

[gbflyer]

I like Cerakote, but really the only bulletproof coating I’ve seen is the Roguard/NP3 treatment from Robar. My dads guide gun lived in a salt water environment and a Gun Boat for over a decade. It got the occasional wipe down throughout the season, but mostly thrived on neglect. Pre-64 Model 70 action (definitely not stainless) and stainless Lilja barrel. There isn’t a spec of rust anywhere on it.

Stuff is the bomb. Expensive, probably cost more than a new Savage.

 

[left hunter]

I would recommend salt bath nitride over either option. Then you won’t have to worry about rust inside or out. As an added bonus barrel life should be prolonged as well. I have 2 rifles I have had this done too and they require no maintenance other than Cleaning of the bores when accuracy starts suffering from fouling build up.

 

[snowcamoman]

I have stainless and cerakoted rifles as well as several that I've rattle canned with Krylon. Honestly, I don't see much difference in terms of corrosion resistance and I use many of my rifles around salt and in the winter snow and slush a lot. I wipe them down and let everything dry out as much as possible on a hunt. The thing that kills me for corrosion is the rust that always gets on the heads of the scope ring cap screws. I've painted them and it still always seems like corrosion gets into those. I've pondered just packing some wax over them, but haven't done that yet. Finding stainless screws for them is really tough too it seems. Anyone else solve this issue? Sorry to get side tracked on this thread...a

 

[Matt W.]

I put little RIG grease on those screws and it helps reduce the rust. Just gotta remember to do it after I clean the rifle and sometimes I forget. : )

 

[Randyinseville]

People who start posts about the different hues of Kifaru Ranger Green.

Bwahahaha

 

[N2TRKYS]

Grin.








I do too, but in real use I’ve never been able to keep the outside looking new, or even close to it. You strap a rifle to the outside of a pack and hike up through a blowdown hellhole that rifle is getting scratched. Go up and down enough ridges with effort- you’re going to slip and fall. Again, that rifle is getting hit.

Unless it’s a range queen that goes from the padded safe, to the padded case, to the padded backseat, to the padded deer blind, I’ve never seen someone that actually uses a rifle seriously keep it without scratches and worn spots.

My rifles are definitely not safe queens. It does take some thought to strapping it down to a pack to not scratch it up, but luckily I've been able to do it. To me it's harder to keep it from getting scratched up in my pirogue, but luckily I've been able to do that too.

I've seen a lot of guns for sale with "light handling marks" in the description but they look like they've been used as a bush ax. Lol

 

[KJH]

I have many rifles that are stainless, as well as some cerakoted rifles and pistols. No issues with the cerakote in prolonged wet AK hunting.

I also have my "go-to" waterfowl guns that are "black ice" coated instead of cerakoting. These guns a heavily used and abused. Black Ice is not just protective, but the gun never needs any lubrication or any type... ever. Its super tough resilient Teflon type stuff. I'd look into this I were you. In my opinion its far superior to cerakote for the harshest conditions. Home - Black Ice Coatings (R)

But neither black ice or cerakote protect the bore.

 

[tarheelpwr]

Cerakote nor any other topical coating does anything for what actually matters- the bore. Who gives a flying ape about some marks on the outside of a barrel. Rust on the inside is an actual problem.


Either a stainless barrel or a nitride barrel.

Have you had experience with the DynaBore Coat material? Pros / Cons? Is it snake oil?

 

[Formidilosus]

Have you had experience with the DynaBore Coat material? Pros / Cons? Is it snake oil?

I bit. It works for reducing cleaning time.


However, as I don’t see the need to clean bores generally, it doesn’t do much for me.

 

[tarheelpwr]

Thanks. I’ve heard it helps with rust in the bore as well.