# Duracoat



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Does any one have experience applying this to their rifles? I am looking at trying it, and have read as much info as I can find. Would like to hear some personal experiences. Thanks!

Laite


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## HOTWING (Jul 3, 2007)

I used duracoat on a mossberg 500. They say you can scrub the gun down with steel wool or the green scrubs, but for the best result find somebody with a sand blaster to remove the old fininsh and also to "rough up" the metal. After that was done clean the metal with some of the degreaser they give you. So far the duracoat is holding up well. The only problem I 'm having with it is along the action bars. Mainly because there is so much metal on metal contact. 
If you're fixing up an old beater, i'd use it. But if you got a gun thats in good shape and the bluing is ok, i'd avoid it. Send me a PM with your email, and i'll send ya some pics.


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## Brad from ND (Jan 23, 2007)

I've done a couple of custom rifles with it and it is awesome. If the gun is blued with no rust, just degrease and spray. It will etch itself into the blueing. If it is rusty, have someone blast it. It has to be blasted with aluminum oxide, not bead blasted. Bead blasting actually leaves a semi-smooth finish on the metal. I can send you pics too. The last one I did was on my custom 257 STW. It's painted exactly the same as the rifle in the opening scene in the movie The Shooter. As far as durability goes, it's tough to beat, but it will rub off on the bolt due to the metal on metal contact. Send me your email and I'll send pics. I don't know how to post pics on here.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I am going to try it on a .17hmr with a laminate stock. Will I need to go over the finish of the stock with sand paper first to rough it up a bit?


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## HOTWING (Jul 3, 2007)

Yeah, sanding it would help alot. Also remember to take down all parts of the rifle and paint them piece by piece. When I ordered from Duracoat, I ordered the kit, that came with the color, the hardner, and the airbrush. I didnt have any drips or problems and it was my first time using an airbrush.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Hotwing, thanks for the advice, and the pix, looked pretty good. I think I might be a little over my head on this one. I bought the multi color camo pack(just had to be the one with the most colors for the camo), and I have never used an airbrush either. Did you use the can of propellant or did you have a compressor?


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## HOTWING (Jul 3, 2007)

I went over to WalMart and bought a cheap $40.00 compressor that worked really well. The can they give you does not last very long. You're going to want to check your airbrush often to make sure the right amount of paint is coming out. Just keep a piece of wood around to test the brush on. 
Before you start painting, make sure you have somewhere to put all the parts for drying. I just used metal clothes hangers and hung them from the rafters, for the smaller parts I bought some modeling clay and stuck them in that. 
Did you get stencils for the camo pattern you wanted? Also what other colors did you get? 
I really want to see you try it out, but if you cant find the nerve to do it, I understand. If you decide not to do it, and you want to get rid of the kit,The next time youre around Cando give me a call.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Hotwing, don't worry, I am definately going to give it a shot. That compressor idea might not be too bad. I bought my nephew a paint kit for his model cars that has a small compressor and airbrush(almost exactly like the duracoat kit) so I might try that before spending any more money on the deal. I got the ez camo kit with all the paint, templates and all. It is the multi color camo kit.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Here is my trial run (I only used 3 of the 6 colors) on the dura coat. I am glad I did this before hitting the rifle. I learned a lot about the limitations of the cheap airbrush that comes with the kit. I bought a 2 gal compressor, and the kit says average psi should be around 35, I had to have it on 85 to get the paint to come out, but didn't use any reducer so that may have been the cause. Over all it seems pretty easy to use. I can't wait to get started on my rifle now!


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I think it looks ok so far. It takes way too damn long to spray the whole rifle so I am going to mask and use the female templates for the next colors.[/img]


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## HOTWING (Jul 3, 2007)

Looks good Chris. Did you end up sand blasting it? Once you get the air flow right its pretty fun and easy to do. The only problem i had, was once i was done, i started looking for other things to Duracoat. I finally had to just get rid of my paint so i wouldnt be tempted. At what ratio did you mix the hardner? Keep up the good work.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks!! I did not blast it, just sanded the stock with 800grit. I think my compressor is junk. I set it at say 80psi, but when the tank pressure gets low(right before the compressor automatically kicks in) the psi drops at the nozzle. Any idea how to prevent this? Also the very first half second blast of air is much more powerful than the rest of the spray every time I push the button down. The paint has a tendency to splatter when this happens. I think I am going to buy a better airbrush and see if that helps. The ratio I used was the 12-1. I am using 1 tbl spoon duracoat to 1/4 tsp uv hardener.


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## HOTWING (Jul 3, 2007)

It sounds like you have the same compressor i do. Forty bucks at Wally world, i think its made by campbell hausfield(sp?). I ran paint thinner through the air brush after each color, and after using it. The brush they give you is the same set up you can order from northern tool for like four bucks, so yeah its probly not the best. But from the pics it looks good, did you have any trouble with runs or drips while using the Fininsh?


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## Brad from ND (Jan 23, 2007)

Did you order up any clear with your kit? I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that before. It really does help to even the finish between all of the colors like they say. Problem is, if you order it now, you only have so long to spray it before you have to sand everything down again and you might not get it in time. Looks good so far.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Hotwing, yup, I got a campbell hausfeld, but I think I got screwed. I paid $75. I have not had any runs, but a few times when the pressure dropped I had a few drips off the end of the airbrush. These didn't land on the rifle though.

BassnMan, I did order a 2oz bottle of matte clear. I am kinda screwed on my time line though. I only have 2 of 6 colors on since I didn't get to do any tonight, then friday I leave for state softball tourny, so I may have to cut down to 4 colors. Is the 5 day window from the time you put on the last color or the first? I don't see how it would matter from the first color because the last color you put on still wouldn't be cured all the way. Any ideas??


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## Brad from ND (Jan 23, 2007)

I would say 5 days start to finish but if your last colors pretty much cover the whole gun, then I would think you could go 5 days from then. That's a damn good question. I have called Duracoat with questions and the customer service answered them without hesitation. You could always call them up and see what they say.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I finished up colors tonight, and will spray clear coat tomorrow then let it hang all weekend. I have to say either the product isn't as good as the instructions or the instructions are not as good as the product. I cleaned the rifle twice, then sprayed it with the tru strip twice, and have had the first and second coats come off in a few spots when I peeled the templates off. I am not happy about that. I masked off a few areas tonight with blue painters tape to "touch up" the areas that came off. I pulled the tape off thinking there would be no problem since it had been 4 days since coat 1 and 3 since coat 2. The tape took off chunks of both coats on my barrel. I am too pressed for time to worry about it and am going to just clear coat over it in the morning. I really need to work on my camo patterns. It looks horrible!!!! I should have used the pic from the website to go off of. Will post pix when I return on Sunday.


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## Brad from ND (Jan 23, 2007)

Did you wear rubber gloves while handling the rifle? The oil from your skin is enough to make the duracoat not stick.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

While touching up a few of the spots where the duracoat came off before clear coating, the hook I had the rifle hanging from decided to bend out. I was holding on to the very end of the barrel, so all the weight of the rifle came down on the very end of the stock breaking the stock completely through at the pistol grip. [/img]


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## Brad from ND (Jan 23, 2007)

All that work, just to have the damn thing break in the end. That sucks. You should be able to run a long screw threw it since it isn't a high recoiling caliber. Try pilot drilling it out, run in a long threaded bolt and then cutting the bolt head flush with the bottom of the stock. It's about the only way to save the stock and all the work you just did to it. A little acraglass in the crack would definitely help to hide the crack. Sand that smooth and touch up the paint as needed. Hope that helps. Just trying to save all that work by making more work!!!!! Good luck.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I guess that would be cheaper than spending $150 for a new evolution stock and repainting. I will give it a shot. Thanks!!!


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## ndshooter (Dec 21, 2008)

anyone in or near Fargo do this as a service? I bought a DPMS Arctic Panther and if I decide not to sell it, I think I want to have the white coated.


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## Brad from ND (Jan 23, 2007)

I could do it for you, but it wouldn't be until spring. It is definitely not something you want to spray indoors. Give me a call at 701-361-5167.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

It is actually very easy to do. Especially if you are only doing a solid color. Make sure you use gloves while applying the tru strip though.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I had to give it another go after the .17HMR fiasco, I think this one turned out alright. The clear coat definately adds some thing so it doesn't look like a guy spray painted the rifle in 3 hours. This is MY version of the Advanced AmStripe using colors I mixed from leftovers and matte black.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

That looks pretty crazy, it makes my eyes go crazy like it doesn't want to focus on one spot. looks pretty nice. how did the 17 ever turn out?

xdeano


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I ended up making the origional stock worse when I drilled it, so I threw it away and bought a new one. Now I need to either coat the stock to match the barrel and scope, or coat the whole thing. I am leaning toward the second choice.


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## Brad from ND (Jan 23, 2007)

The AR looks good. If you do decide to do the whole 17 over again, remember to rough up the old Duracoat.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks for the tip! I will definately be wearing gloves the whole time when I recoat the .17, it made ahuge difference on the AR!!!


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