What finishes hold up to holster wear the best.

[Mitch Rapp]

Anxiously awaiting my new triple crown holster, and am also trying to decide what all I want to do to my 1911. I know I want to re finish it, but not sure what to use. I would like to give it some color, but not at the cost of it looking horrible in 6 months.

So, compared to say, parkerizing and bluing, how do the various other finishes hold up to wear from a kydex holster? I don't care if the gun shows a bit of wear, or use, I just don't want it to look like it has been beat with an ugly stick. Maybe show me some pics of yall's guns, and tell me how it's held up to however many months of carry, use and shooting at matches etc.

I am new to the world of non-Glock pistols, so all I have to compare things too is how well the factory finish on my Glock 17 held up.

 

[Deathtrap]

Ionbond

 

[Dieseltech09]

Ionbond

I had my Colt done in Ionbond and while it is strong as nails and looks great while oiled, I dont think I would spend the money to have it done again. That and the 4 month turn around time sucks.

 

[dennishoddy]

Stainless steel. I realize that is not your question, but with the exception of my P3AT, I only buy stainless, for the same reason you have mentioned. I don't like to see holster wear on my guns.

My P3AT is parkerized, and has been in my pocket holster for 4 years now, and is just starting to show a little holster wear around the muzzle area.

 

[scooterj]

http://www.plate-tacular.com/

 

[bsdubois00]

Sending my M&P Slide to Plate-Tacular this week - promised a 3 day turn around - we shall see :-D

 

[Scott Hearn]

Mike Cyrwus did my limited gun in Ceracoat. It's showing some wear but it really surprised me, it's held up far better than I thought. You can always redo it anytime you want. Stainless in matte can be touched up easily. Beyond that hard chrome should wear well.

 

[honeybee]

Holster wear is akin to rubbing a gun against a fine grade of sandpaper, What finish holds up to constant rubbing against something abrasive?

ionbond only holds out for a few months under heavy use where as any finish will hold up if you never pull your gun out of the holster.

Others mentioned stainless steel because it can be buffed up, that should give you some ideas if holster wear will wear out the surface of hardened stainless steel.

The only defense against holster wear is the right holster. One with a soft clean lining inside that does not pick up abrasive grit or dust or else you keep it clean and brushed out inside.

A holster like a gun is a tool, use it the way you need it but if your desire is just to protect your gun then think soft leather for your holster then you can just keep the factory finish for life.

New kydex holsters are popular because they hold your gun in place and are Tacticool to look at but remember that although Kydex is plastic it is still abrasive when you rub against it enough.

 

[Chambers]

My ionbond looks the same as it did when I got it, and it has been used heavily.

I would go hard chrome or ionbond depending on what you want it to look like.

 

[Chambers]

New kydex holsters are popular because they hold your gun in place and are Tacticool to look at but remember that although Kydex is plastic it is still abrasive when you rub against it enough.

Kydex holsters are popular because they are fast and durable.

 

[honeybee]

Kydex holsters are popular because they are fast and durable.

Yes, I forgot to mention that.

 

[Pstmstr]

Certainly not STI bluing, quite possibly the worst handgun finish in the world. My 6 month old Sentinel looks like its been dragged behind a car on a gravel road.

 

[Sanjuro82]

Rust Blue will hold up the longest out of all the blued finishes, but it will still wear. Hard Chrome does great as a carry finish. EXO or some other similar Boron Nitride finish hold up to wear as well. The paint on finishes like CeraKote, GunKote, Moly Resin, wear a lot quicker. DuraCoat and some epoxy paints wear the quickest of the bunch.

 

[Mitch Rapp]

Rust Blue will hold up the longest out of all the blued finishes, but it will still wear. Hard Chrome does great as a carry finish. EXO or some other similar Boron Nitride finish hold up to wear as well. The paint on finishes like CeraKote, GunKote, Moly Resin, wear a lot quicker. DuraCoat and some epoxy paints wear the quickest of the bunch.

I am looking for a carry finish, but hard chrome is shiny right? call me funny but I can't stand shiny guns. Was really wanting to do a dark olive, or tan.

 

[KeithCross]

Just take a sharpie to it...they're supposed to be permanent, right?

 

[Sanjuro82]

Park or Aluminum-oxide blast then your pick of CeraKote, GunKote, or Moly Resin will hold up nicely. The key is to have it done properly. Definitely look at the NP3 (Nickel/Teflon) and Cera-Plate (Nickel/Boron Nitride) finishes. It is a superior finish to the paint-ons by a large margin. The color is a matte stainless look, with a touch of gold hue.

 

[Rick417]

Sending my M&P Slide to Plate-Tacular this week - promised a 3 day turn around - we shall see :-D

How did it turn out?

 

[aeropb]

exo

 

[mike cyrwus]

Certainly not STI bluing, quite possibly the worst handgun finish in the world. My 6 month old Sentinel looks like its been dragged behind a car on a gravel road.

I think what makes your guns wear out fast is the fact that they are in contact with the holster for 3-4 seconds during the draw.

 

[Wall]

I think what makes your guns wear out fast is the fact that they are in contact with the holster for 3-4 seconds during the draw.

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