Powder coating rifle parts instead of cerakote?

[kritch]

I know cerakote is the favourite coating for rifles, but...

I have a couple of mates who work at a powder coating place... They'd do the work for me for a case of beer which is obviously a lot cheaper than paying someone to do a cerakote for me

They normally do wheels and stuff though, nothing to do with firearms so couldn't say if there would be an issues with powder coating one...

Anyone done powder coating before instead of cerakote on any of their shooters?

Cheers...

[Bourt]

I was under the impression cerakote was require because of it's heat resistance?

Regular power coatings not design to take the kind of heat a rifle barrel can generate I thought...

[VICHunter]

I was under the impression cerakote was require because of it's heat resistance?

Regular power coatings not design to take the kind of heat a rifle barrel can generate I thought...

Pretty sure powder coating can still take a few hundred degrees? It's heated to that as part of the coating process if I recall correctly.

[Monty]

I was under the impression cerakote was require because of it's heat resistance?

Regular power coatings not design to take the kind of heat a rifle barrel can generate I thought...

There are higher heat resistance versions of powder coating for special purposes...

Off to top of my head I think regular powder coating can still take up to about 200c max, and you'd possibly get some discolouration or flaking around this point.

Cerakote is something like 600c and can stay at this level for brief periods without damage.

[Monty]

In addition to heat, thickness of the coating is going to be the main problem.

While cerakote can be done too thick, ideally a .001" thick layer is applied.

A regular hot dip of powder coating is nearly always thicker than this. The extra width could/would cause problems with seating your action if it's bedded, running the bolt, etc. etc.

Not something you want obviously...

[RealNick]

I know cerakote is the favourite coating for rifles, but...

It's the favourite for a reason.

Rifles aren't cheap. It would be a shame to muck yours up trying to save a few bucks on powder coating instead of paying someone a few hundred bucks to do it properly for you and cerakote it.

[Vati]

And cerakote comes in pretty colours

[kram]

Ive got a few sets of bike rims powder coated mate and it looks good and is quite durable. They just used masking tape to blank out the areas that didn't need to be coated. However, I'd wait till I had the readies to ceracoat as I don't recon the powder coat finnish would suit a rifle, and you would be quickly dissappointed if it got knocked around a bit as little bumps and scrapes will be visible as little dents or worse in the coating.

[kritch]

Thanks all for the feedback.

Powdercoating was just on the cards because I could get it done basically for free. Doesn't sound like a viable option though.

Will have to save some more pennies for cerakote.

[Oldboy 7mm Dakota]

Powder coating is a wrap product I believe. So if you chip it, it will in time keep getting larger as it dose not key to the job.
Plus the coating would be 2 thick for some applications on the action. While cerakote is a product that keys to the surface as the surface is blasted before product being applied which gives it its key , and it can be touched up if need be.
Powder coating has to be stripped and redone completely .
Cerakote for me any day.
Oldboy 7mm Dakota

[disko]

Powder coating is a wrap product I believe. So if you chip it, it will in time keep getting larger as it dose not key to the job.

I reckon your right. You see it on powder coated rims heaps, there is one clear spot where someone rubbed the gutter and then inches of exposed rim where the powder coating has vibrated off over time (or whatever) and is creeping further up the wheel.

[brand]

Plus the coating would be 2 thick for some applications on the action. While cerakote is a product that keys to the surface as the surface is blasted before product being applied which gives it its key , and it can be touched up if need be.

Yer, you can't PC a bolt because it won't fit in the action, right?