Cerakote or Bead Blast for Final Finish - New Build

Here is my 270 WSM that is just getting finished up. Bead blasted the action and brake. I like the offset of the color. Same thing, can always change but they tried it to see how it looked. I'm happy with it
Looks great! Thanks for sharing. There certainly is a little "metallic" look to it, maybe more so than the factory finish?? And I'm assuming a soda blast would just be somewhat less "metallic" appearance??
 
I prefer spending my money on the inside not on looks! A good Bix n Andy trigger does more than a fancy finish!
Blast it and use it.
Well said. I think about this too. I also think about the old buy once cry once theory... rifle is at the smith now and I would rather not have to have it go back so I'm going to get it all done now, including the inside.
 
I'd describe a soda blasted surface as looking "Frosted" vs. "blasted". Both are dull and not reflective, but the soda surface is smoother where the grit/bead blasted surfaces are rougher.

I have Cerakote Midnight Blue on a couple pieces. I like it as it looks like blasted surface (mat finish) bluing. It is almost black in color and not at all shiny or reflective.
 
I have used Satin Mag color Cerakote on floorplates, and it matches blasted stainless VERY well. It's an easy way to make a black floorplate into a "stainless" one. If you wanted to make a stainless rifle appear stainless using Cerakote, it is the one I would choose.
Having said that, it's easy to touch up a bead blasted stainless rifle at any time.

When bead blasting in stainless, it is recommended to use very fine media (Brownells sells it), low pressure, and not have used the media with regular steel or you may get rusting. I find it less expensive to have a local gunsmith do it than to buy the media and go through the hassle of cleaning out my blast cabinet when I want to do stainless.

Of the 15+ Cerakote color samples I've looked at, Satin Mag color most closely resembles the barrel/action finish on a stock Remington 700 SS.
 
What color are you thinking of? To me tungsten is pretty sharp and I have that on a few rifles.
Right now in order I'm down to #1 Bull Shark Grey, #2 Satin Mag, and #3 Tungsten. My preferences changed a lot when I was viewing the color samples from inside to outside in natural light. I really liked the Tungsten inside, but it had a very slight tan/gold hue to it outside. Still a great color but my stock doesn't have any tan/brown in it at all. The Satin Mag most closely resembles the factory SS finish which I like. The Bull Shark Grey is more matte and does not have the metallic appearance the other two do. It had a very slight almost bluish grey hue inside but outside it was all grey. I might change my mind but like this one best right now... it'll match my stock well and gives it enough of a unique custom look but not too much. The Satin Mag is nice too but it'll look like a factory rifle.

I'm not sure but I saw some information that the Bull Shark Grey H-214 is the same at the old Smith & Wesson Grey H-214??
 
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I'd describe a soda blasted surface as looking "Frosted" vs. "blasted". Both are dull and not reflective, but the soda surface is smoother where the grit/bead blasted surfaces are rougher.

I have Cerakote Midnight Blue on a couple pieces. I like it as it looks like blasted surface (mat finish) bluing. It is almost black in color and not at all shiny or reflective.
I can see and feel the difference in some of the Cerakote colors as well... some are more smooth and matte where others have the metallic component which it a little rough to the touch. That's one reason I like the Bull Shark Grey, it's more smooth, matte, and non-metallic.
 
So I have to make the color decision by the end of the week. Does anybody have a good photo of a rifle done in Bull Shark Grey H-214 (same as Smith & Wesson Grey H-214)? That's my first choice right now. Anybody have any reason I shouldn't consider that color? It's a cooler medium matte grey color. Here's a couple examples.


 
So I have to make the color decision by the end of the week. Does anybody have a good photo of a rifle done in Bull Shark Grey H-214 (same as Smith & Wesson Grey H-214)? That's my first choice right now. Anybody have any reason I shouldn't consider that color? It's a cooler medium matte grey color. Here's a couple examples.


You can search by color on the Ceraote website....
 
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