Custom Firearm Finishes

Author: Lauer Custom

Gun owners looking to make their firearms unique can opt for custom finishes. Custom firearms finishes are put on guns for a variety of ways. While they are often used for aesthetic reasons, they can also be taken advantage of to improve a firearm's grip or durability. Usually, the process of applying a custom finish to a firearm involves first carefully sand blasting and hand preparing the firearms. This might involve parkerizing, which is a method of protecting a steel item from corrosion and improving the item's durability. Parkerizing is also often called bonderizing, phosphatizing, or phosphating.

After parkerizing, the firearm is then sprayed with some type of coating. After the coating is sprayed, the firearm will often be thermally cured and re-assembled.

The following are some different ways how having a custom firearm finish can improve a firearm:

  • Appearance- Finishes enhance the appearance of a firearm only by offering a non-reflective surface. Firearm owners have many different options regarding appearance when they have a custom finish put on a gun. They may choose to have certain patterns or colors applied onto their guns to achieve a particular look or design.
  • Corrosion resistance- Custom finishes will usually protect a firearm against the development of rust. This means that a firearm owner does not have to be so concerned about exposure to salt or other substances that can lead to corrosion.
  • Custom Firearm Finishes
  • Thermal stability- Thermal curing is often a part of the process of putting a custom finish on a firearm. This will make the firearm more stable in temperature extremes. Not only does thermal curing improve thermal stability, but the finish coating can also make a firearm more resistant to damage from heat extremes as well.
  • Thickness- Some firearms are subject to wear at certain parts, such as at the fronstrap or pistol grip safety. Coatings can protect these parts of a gun by offering increased thickness in high-wear areas.
  • Fluid resistance- Some coatings that are applied to firearms that are given custom finishes will protect firearms in certain fluids. This improves the overall durability of the firearm and protects it from certain hazards it may be subject to when it is carried by the owner.
  • Lubricity- Friction that results from high contact surfaces on firearms can be cumbersome. A custom finish offers increased lubricity that facilitates handling.