Powder Coating a Shotgun

[lksmith]

I may be posting in the wrong forum, but I have a NEF Pardner Pump Defender (remington 870 clone) that I would like to powder coat the outside.
For some reason it has a bad habit of rusting even inside the house. It is the only gun that stays out of the safe, and while I try to keep it clean and oiled it still rusts on the side of the receiver and on the side of the barrel band. The best band aid I have found is Corrosion-x but that is temporary at best.
I am looking at using a toaster oven ($20 wally world special) that will be used for PC boolits afterwards. What I am looking at is leaving the mag tube as-is and coating the receiver, that's the easy part.
What I am wanting advise on is how to do the barrel. It is an 18.5" barrel, and I want to do the whole thing so it doesn't look like ****. Has anybody tried anything like that? Is a heat gun a viable option or do I just need to suck it up and ask a local guy that does powder coating if I can use his oven or have him powder coat that?

[bangerjim]

Good luck finding a toaster oven that will fit in!

You will need the ESPC it of course.....you cannot dry tumble that.

And make a custom rack to hold it and special plugs to fill in all the holes.

Powder coating is a standard industrial procedure used on many items, but is usually done in LARGE ovens. My patio furniture is powder coated.

I would never attempt getting even 400F heating with a heat gun.

Best take it to a pro powder shop.

bangerjim

[kencha]

I don't think you'll be too happy with a heat gun. Maybe if you had one with a variable speed fan set to its lowest. Otherwise, you'll end up blowing most of the powder off, and it will end up uneven and blotchy.

If you were determined to try it with a heat gun, I'd heat the barrel a bit just before applying the powder to help the powder stick, then evenly heat the coated barrel. You're looking at trying to evenly heat it, but not overheat it in any spot, for up to 30 minutes, depending upon the powder you use. I'm sure it could be done, but there's a lot of room for error.

I'd either use a bigger oven, like a standard kitchen oven or a bigger countertop oven ($$ for new), or have someone else do it for you.

Just using the local powder coater's oven may not work very well, as it sounds like then you'd be transporting an uncured powder coated barrel. You could end up arriving at the shop with most of the powder having fallen off of the barrel.

[AlaskanGuy]

What is wrong with using the kitchen oven??? Betcha it would fit in there... Just line it real good with foil or something that is easy to clean up after, and pick a day with the wife is gone for a few hours, and have at it.... Key words here are "when the wife is gone".... Take heed.... lol

[jmsj]

lksmith,
I agree with the others, it would be nearly impossible to heat cure with a heat gun. Transporting from your house to the coater's shop would be tough also.
There are other coatings specifically designed for firearms that are air cure. They do take a long time to cure though. I know Cerakote has a product and I think Durakote has one to. Check out Brownell's they should have something that will probably work for you.
I have used Brownell's teflon/moly coating and Cerakote (both heat cure) w/ great results. I also agree with the others, DON'T use your wife's oven when she is around. If you do need to it would be best if she will be gone for a long time and you have time air the house and oven out unless she is the really understanding type.
I picked up an old standard house electric oven for cheap and installed it in my workshop. it has come in handy for so many things other than heat curing coatings.
Good luck, jmsj

[KYShooter73]

Heat lamps are another possibility. Never done it or seen it done, but I have read about it.

[bangerjim]

What is wrong with using the kitchen oven??? Betcha it would fit in there... Just line it real good with foil or something that is easy to clean up after, and pick a day with the wife is gone for a few hours, and have at it.... Key words here are "when the wife is gone".... Take heed.... lol


The outgassing of the coating during the bake cycle could render your kitchen oven unusuable for food stuff. There is a contamination that takes place. My little oven became coated with a "fog" material the 1st use and gets thicker with each bake. I have to clean off the glass door about every 8 bakes with acetone and 0000 steelwool just so I can see in thru the baked-on fog!

Definitely something I would NEVER put in my kitchen food oven....wife or not.

banger

[lksmith]

Yeah I keep anything gun related out of appliances used for food, the only exception is the desiccant packs I use in my safe and ammo boxes

[Handloader109]

For one off, find an industrial Powder coater

[reed1911]

Just get some duracoat or ceramacote

[beezapilot]

I've got a BPS out for Cerracoat now- $100 picked up and delivered to my shop. I thought about doing it myself- but even the few pieces of equipment that I needed was a pretty good outlay... then would come the wrath of a woman who's oven had been violated.

[xacex]

I have a little block smoker that would fit into. Gas fired, and 18" square by 4 feet tall. Gets up to 500 F when cranked up all the way. Thought about getting the big block, and using this one just for powder coating bullets, and things like what you want to do. Sand in the water container above the burner gives it a nice even, dry heat. Got this one at walmart about 5 years ago for 120$ I believe. You just close the top vent, and remove the racks. Hang from the top.

edit: This one...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Outdoors-Smoky-Mountain-20-x-34-Gas-Smoker/12429510

[Bullshop Junior]

Get a junker house oven off craigslist. I see then pretty cheap if not free fairly often.

All the NEF guns I have are horrible about rusting. I rubbed mine down real good with some scotch bright, followed buy a sticky rag, followed by acetone. Then paint them flat black with high temp spray paint, like engine paint or stove paint, then put a high temp clear coat on it. I havnt rubbed it off of any of mine yet and it really prevents the rust, except for of corse in the barrel, which I wipe with a wet patch of MMO after I use it, and keep a oily empty in my shot guns. The rifles I just try to remember to brush them at least once a week...

[Ehaver]

Engine paint for flat black, or caliper paint for gloss. clean it very well first! it has to cure for a long time, but is very very durable. good up to 500 degrees and only $5 a can.

Looks good to.

I never used a clear coat...

[Bullshop Junior]

I like the clear coat. I like to think it makes it last longer.

[jmorris]

On another forum a guy made a "rifle oven", here is the thread.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/outdoor-sports-recreation/1505209-got-bored-made-baking-oven.html

I Know during dove season I have fired enough rounds, in a short amount of time to make one heck of a mess with a PC barrel. I would use a different product myself.

[Just Duke]

KG Coating Baked on finish is the only way to go.