Tactical 45 with Bear Coat
Just got this Tactical in and absolutely hate the finish on it. For some reason someone refinished it in Bear Coat including the slide, barrel, slide release and guide rod. The Bear Coat is really thick.
Notice Lazer Engraving can barely be seen:
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Same hear and look how the finish wear looks on barrel:
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The usual wear marks are on the barrel hood:
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and top and bottom of the barrel by the muzzle to mid barrel:
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Bottom of Barrel muzzle:
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Finally breach face:
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The problem is the color goes from Jet Black to Dark Grey to Light Grey then Brown and finally either HK HE finish or a blasted version of it in this order.
Does anybody know how to remove Bear Coat? It almost looks like you could bead blast if off, but thats just a guess.
Notice Lazer Engraving can barely be seen:
Same hear and look how the finish wear looks on barrel:
The usual wear marks are on the barrel hood:
and top and bottom of the barrel by the muzzle to mid barrel:
Bottom of Barrel muzzle:
Finally breach face:
The problem is the color goes from Jet Black to Dark Grey to Light Grey then Brown and finally either HK HE finish or a blasted version of it in this order.
Does anybody know how to remove Bear Coat? It almost looks like you could bead blast if off, but thats just a guess.
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I really like this Tactical but as you can see the finish is not good. This Tac will get refinished and be perfect again!
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Best way to remove finish is to send it to a refinisher, since it's included in the cost and you'll need to have it recoated in something else anyhow. Maybe Black-T it, hard chrome, NP3, CCR's ceramic coating, or send it to ARS. Oooor, you could have it blued, which I think would look nice.
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Send all parts to a re-finisher for your choice of finish, looks like the slide stop got the same treatment as slide and barrel - send that for finishing too. You will happy with a high quality finish on this, no matter what color you go with. The H&K proof marks and serial numbers wont show up any better tho, since they are very shallow to begin with.
As much as I dont really care for nickel, since its soft, and I tend to go with the harder finish like hard chrome. IonBond is beautiful, but expensive at $300 a gun...maybe less since this is a slide/barrel/slide stop. Ford's is now offering Black nickel finish. http://www.fordsguns.com
Melonite its super hard, just not excited about it since its applied at almost F 1000 degrees. Here is a pic of Melonite on a 1911. Drakes Guns Works did the Melonite, you would have to email the shop from his web site. http://www.drakesgunworks.com/
Let us see it after you refinish it ok!
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As much as I dont really care for nickel, since its soft, and I tend to go with the harder finish like hard chrome. IonBond is beautiful, but expensive at $300 a gun...maybe less since this is a slide/barrel/slide stop. Ford's is now offering Black nickel finish. http://www.fordsguns.com
Melonite its super hard, just not excited about it since its applied at almost F 1000 degrees. Here is a pic of Melonite on a 1911. Drakes Guns Works did the Melonite, you would have to email the shop from his web site. http://www.drakesgunworks.com/
Let us see it after you refinish it ok!
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176 Posts
Thanks for the info guys. I am not going to refinish it asap. I want to do a lot of research and such first. Kost, i really like your 40 with slide serrations! i might have to look into that. I also saw some posts with custom engraving that looked neat. If its got to be refinished might as well have some fun with it!
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Does anyone else have experience with Bear Coat? Pictures of wear? Is this normal wear in my pics?
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363 Posts
You should check out CCR when doing your 'refinishing homework' Brad does GREAT work, and it's really reasonably priced as well.
Robar does good work too, but it's more expensive.
Tripps and Ford are also a couple more places that people seem to be happy with.
Robar does good work too, but it's more expensive.
Tripps and Ford are also a couple more places that people seem to be happy with.
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176 Posts
Thanks Caddy!
I was wondering, Kost you probably know the answer, if this would be possible?
Since this is a Tac, finish all the external parts in Black Titanium CarboNitride (TiCN)
Finish all internal parts and internal slide with NP3
before you say yes; in detail, the outer part of the slide that you can see in TiCN and the inner with NP3, say starting at the slide rails? Basically there would be a line where the TiCN stops and the NP3 starts. Is this possible?
I was thinking the worst rubbing area is on the barrel. Finishing the whole barrel in NP3 would look weird, when the barrel hood is silver and the rest of the gun is black. I guess the barrel might have to be mixed also.
I was wondering, Kost you probably know the answer, if this would be possible?
Since this is a Tac, finish all the external parts in Black Titanium CarboNitride (TiCN)
Finish all internal parts and internal slide with NP3
before you say yes; in detail, the outer part of the slide that you can see in TiCN and the inner with NP3, say starting at the slide rails? Basically there would be a line where the TiCN stops and the NP3 starts. Is this possible?
I was thinking the worst rubbing area is on the barrel. Finishing the whole barrel in NP3 would look weird, when the barrel hood is silver and the rest of the gun is black. I guess the barrel might have to be mixed also.
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TiCN is alot harder than NP3 nickel, I would use that on the barrel too. No you cant really plate the outside of the slide with one thing, and inside the slide with another - do the whole slide in black TiCN or Melonite, both of those black finishes rock. IonBond is just as hard as the other black finishes, buts its pretty pricey at $300 for an entire all-steel gun like a Colt 1911, maybe the USP would be cheaper since the frame wont need finishing.
Here is a $4500 custom Colt done in IonBond. I think the Melonite looks better, its black as sin.
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Here is a $4500 custom Colt done in IonBond. I think the Melonite looks better, its black as sin.
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