Cerakote on Scope

[Ochoco]

I've got a Bausch & Lomb 32x varmint scope that I got on a great deal that I'm gonna mount on my VLS, but I'm doing a matte blue on the barrel and receiver, and new bottom metal from an undisclosed source...

The scope is a high-polish, which sucks for match up, so I'm wondering if any of you guys have had any dealing with applying the Cerakote to scopes?

I'm thinking the the graphite black is gonna be the closest match to matte blued from what I've seen before, but I'm worried about lens' of course, as well as the turrets getting damaged.

Who'd the go-to-guy for this and how much is the cost? I'm already aware of Doug Burch at Fit4Duty, which I might go with, but is there anyone else out there that would do this equally well or better for a reasonable cost?

 

[jds44]

CAS knows Cerakote. Not sure if he can do a scope or not.

 

[Painless]

wouldn't the heat fuck it up.........Blake

 

[CAS]

You have two options with Cerakote. The ambient cure product is not quite a abrasion resistant but presents no issues in applying an curing. The heat cured product is quite a bit more abrasion resistant, but the heat curing process can ruin the seals in the scope.

You can use the heat cured product on a scope, but you will need a couple weeks to get full cure at ambient temps.

Duracoat is a good option for scopes, as it doesn't require any heat to cure, and it holds up fairly well.

 

[Ochoco]

Can the finish be matched with Duracoat to what I'm after?

I'm wanting a matte finish, so glass bead blasting would be in order. Thoughts on that one??????

 

[CAS]

Duracoat can be matched pretty close to a matte blue. I can mix it from fairly "satiny" to about as flat as concrete. Typically I shoot it to come out about like the matte finish found on Leupold scopes.

Blasting with aluminum oxide is a requirement if you want durability. Masked properly, it poses no risk to the scope.

 

[Ochoco]

Duracoat can be matched pretty close to a matte blue. I can mix it from fairly "satiny" to about as flat as concrete. Typically I shoot it to come out about like the matte finish found on Leupold scopes.

So basically there's no need to bead blast correct???

That would be ideal if that's the case and what's the cost for a scope?

 

[Ochoco]

damn, I was too late and missed your edit....lol

 

[CAS]

Blasting isn't absolutely necessary, but I have found that the finish will likely peel over time if you don't.

I charge $75 for a scope, including return shipping. Turn time is about two weeks right now.

 

[Brad Arnett]

Don't want to get too far off track here CAS, but I duracoated a few rifles here awhile back and one of them isn't holding up worth a damn. Putting e'tape on the muzzle pulled off the duracoat, besides a shitty prep job is there anything else that would cause that?

 

[CAS]

Did you blast with some sort of abrasive before coating? I'm guessing that either there was some small amount of oil left on the substrate, or the metal was too smooth to allow good adhesion.

If you want to give her another go, I'd be happy to give you some tips on prep.

 

[Brad Arnett]

I'm all ears, it wasn't blasted. It's a CM rem barrel and I just roughed it up a bit and sprayed it. I did a stainless barrel that was blasted and it is holding up fine.

 

[CAS]

I would blast all the old Duracoat off with 120 grit aluminum oxide, degrease the living shit out of it, bake it at 400 or so for about an hour to me absolutely sure all the oil is off, then respray.

I know that Lauer says you can apply without blasting, but I have never seen a job so applied that held up worth a damn.

 

[Brad Arnett]

I'll do that, it pisses me off everytime I look at it. If I phuck it up again I will just send it you and have it done right....grin. Thanks for the help.

 

[Ochoco]

Funny thing happened CAS...pulled the scope out of my closet and realized that it was in fact a Burris Fullfield, rather than a B&L.

Now I know I'm gonna here it....LOL.

Still too good of a deal to pass up when I only had to lay down a $100.00 for it. 8-32x50MM with a fine plex and AO.

I'm gonna snap a pic of the project before I send it out to ya I think, so we can have a before and after.

 

[CAS]

Jeezus Christ, now I am going to have to sanitize all my equipment after touching that Burris POS

 

[jds44]

Hell CAS, I figured your standards were set higher than working on a Burris.

 

[pullit]

Jeezus Christ, now I am going to have to sanitize all my equipment after touching that Burris POS

sound like he is getting you ready for a price increase.....

 

[Ochoco]

Already dawned my flame suit, so you boys have at it.......

Tell ya what; I'll send you a burris and you send me back a Leuopold in the same specs....Then I won't bitch about how bad the finish looks.

 

[Steelhead]

You're gonna lose a star or two for that....

 

[Ochoco]

At least I overcame my urge to buy a Tasco in it's place......

 

[jds44]

At least I overcame my urge to buy a Tasco in it's place......

That might not have been a bad move...

 

[Painless]

CAS I might have a scope to send your way in the next couple of weeks..........Blake

 

[CAS]

At least I overcame my urge to buy a Tasco in it's place......

You'd REAAAAAAAAAAAALLY be pushing it to send em a Tasco.

About the only way I could fix that up would be to coat it in this:

 

[pullit]

laughin....

 

[Ochoco]

You'll be happy to know the burrass went out the door today with goodies.....
With the leupy exchange I'll be expecting some BC caps as well. If you can I really like to use the ones that I can see through though. That way I can get off a sound shot a little quicker when I'm in the brush running hot.

 

[Thread Killer]

TFF!

 

[CAS]

That sucks, I was going to get you the nice Leupold screw on lens covers to go on the brand new VXIII scope I was going to swap you for. But since you are being so goddamn demanding, I will probably just send the Burris back....

 

[Ochoco]

probaby just as well.....them damn Leupolds are nothing but trouble. You gotta dig deep to see anybody say anything good about em.

Ahh hell, just give me a Simmons 44mag and we're good.

 

[BrianW]

Just a crazy thought, which I haven't been able to back up with a Google search...

But is there any consideration given to the corrosive affects of blasting a CM or SS barrel with aluminum oxide?

I do know, that while in the USCG, and in charge of the aircraft maintenance shop, I had to order a separate sandlblaster for use on aluminum parts, to keep that process separate from the sandblaster used on steel parts (which was mostly used for personal ie. car/boat moral use.)

Naturally, given human nature, the very next day after we set it up, and despite giving everyone in the Engineering Dept a briefing on the differences, I found a freshly blasted steel sledge hammer head in the room that sandblaster was located. We changed out the media, and put a sign on the sandblaster so big it almost blacked the view through the viewing panel.

Calvin may remember that incident, if he's willing to own up to it. If not, I bet Stealhead or Thread Killer can relate!