CERAKOTE
CERAKOTE Your Firearm Today!
Why CERAKOTE for Firearms?
- Superior Corrosion, Wear, Impact, Scratch and Chemical Resistance
- Maximum Hardness, Durability, Flexibility and Adhesion
- Excellent Sprayability, Coverage and Consistency
Over 100 Colors
How Firearm CERAKOTE Compares to Other Finishes
Most modern firearms come with a Nitride or Anodized finishes. Both of which are chemically induced on the surface of the metals to form a protective layer against wear and corrosion . So how does CERAKOTE compare?
Environmental
CERAKOTE
- Cerakote does not contain any heavy metals and is VOC compliant in all 50 states. Cerakote is a REACH, ROHS, and prop 65 compliant coating.
Nitride
- Ammonia as nitriding medium – though not especially toxic it is harmful when inhaled at a high concentration. Also, care must be taken when heating in the presence of oxygen to reduce the risk of explosion
- The salts used are highly toxic – Disposal of salts are controlled by stringent environmental laws in western countries and has increased the costs involved in using salt baths. This is one of the most significant reasons the process has fallen out of favor in recent decades.
Anodize
- The chromic acid anodizing process releases hexavalent chromium, a powerful carcinogen, into the environment. As a result, the use of hexavalent chromium is becoming increasingly restricted by regulations.
Corrosion
CERAKOTE vs Nitride (1st test)
Cerakote tested two barrels from two leading firearm manufacturers. Both barrels were placed inside a salt chamber which was set to 95˚F with a 5% salt concentration per ASTM B117 test standards. Just 8 hours into the test, the barrel treated with Black Nitride showed signs of corrosion. Cerakote showed first signs of corrosion at 1,206 hours.
CERAKOTE vs Nitride (2nd test)
Cerakote conducted a test with two identical bolt-action rifles and left them in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. Just 8 hours into the test, the barrel treated with Black Nitride showed signs of corrosion. Even after over 15 months of being exposed to the elements, the rifle that’s been finished with Cerakote ceramic coatings had shown no signs of corrosion, while the traditional factory blued barrel had shown significant sign of corrosion.
Aluminum Alloys
Cerakote
Cerakote does NOT detrimentally affect the fatigue properties of aluminum alloys.
Anodize
The anodizing process creates a brittle and porous oxide layer and tensile residual stress, which detrimentally affects the fatigue properties of aluminum alloys. This fatigue has been widely reported and documented.