HHPD56 Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I'm trying to decide what finish would be best for my STI Tactical... Hard Chrome or IonBond DLC? The pistol is used hard daily and is consistently exposed to the elements, ranging from snow to heat & humidity. I guess my question is does either offer advantages over the other and if so what's more advantageous for hard use? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hitman_usmc Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I've had guns with both finishes. The Ionbond looked good and was almost scratch proof. The problem comes with rust. Even with the nice climate here in SoCal, the gun constantly had to be wiped down. I don't know if this was normal or not. The finish was applied by a well known gunsmith/shop. I never had any issues with hard chrome. I ordered a STI Tactical with a hard chrome finish as well. Should be here in November. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I carried hard chromed pistols in East Texas and never had any issues with rust. But, i have had carbon steel pistols with ionbond type coatings that rusted through the coating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjs375 Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I have an STI Tactical that I had hard chromed a few years ago, haven't had any issues yet, carry it everyday in all weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I have custom pistols with both finishes. Hard chrome will be on all guns I build in the future..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike l m Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Have a Colt Combat Commander that is hard chromed and carry alot in South Texas, Rust is not a problem. Carried it since 2007. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HHPD56 Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 Thanks for the advice, you guys have helped narrow the decision. Hope to see ya'll on the range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Hard chrome is all I'll ever use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue edge Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Hard chrome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gng4life Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 On the hardness scale, they are similar but Ionbond is a little higher I believe. However, with mine, I have noticed holster wear with the Ionbond and none with the chrome pistols I have. I have not put either of them through really tough wear-and-tear but I am sure the chrome would do better. Also, on this topic, I have carried Glocks and various stainless pistols on an every day status and carried the Glock through just about everything and it was one on the only ones that stood out. So I am a believer in the Tennifer/Melonite finished but this is a case hardening process, not just a finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HHPD56 Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Thanks fellas, looks like hard chrome gets the nod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a matt Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I really like the H/C but I got a Cameron's that had the isonite finish. It has got to be the tuffest coating I have ever messed with. 7000 plus rounds and the barrel is still mat black, it has some wear, it is still on the barrel after 7000 rounds! Very solid coating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 This is what I recall. Hard Chrome is around 1000 on the RC hardness scale. Ionbond is around 2000. However, hard chrome may make a better seal around the surface metal than DLC coatings.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croomrider Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 This is what I recall. Hard Chrome is around 1000 on the RC hardness scale. Ionbond is around 2000. However, hard chrome may make a better seal around the surface metal than DLC coatings.... Rockwell-C scale tops out at 100 which is the harness of diamond. None of the coatings are as hard as diamond. Something in the 60-70 range would be very hard for a coating! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 This is what I recall. Hard Chrome is around 1000 on the RC hardness scale. Ionbond is around 2000. However, hard chrome may make a better seal around the surface metal than DLC coatings.... Rockwell-C scale tops out at 100 which is the harness of diamond. None of the coatings are as hard as diamond. Something in the 60-70 range would be very hard for a coating! Mike My bad on which scale it was, I really don't remember. However, the numbers are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie j Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 This is what I recall. Hard Chrome is around 1000 on the RC hardness scale. Ionbond is around 2000. However, hard chrome may make a better seal around the surface metal than DLC coatings.... Rockwell-C scale tops out at 100 which is the harness of diamond. None of the coatings are as hard as diamond. Something in the 60-70 range would be very hard for a coating! Mike My bad on which scale it was, I really don't remember. However, the numbers are correct. Wow that's 1000 more it must be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) This is what I recall. Hard Chrome is around 1000 on the RC hardness scale. Ionbond is around 2000. However, hard chrome may make a better seal around the surface metal than DLC coatings.... Rockwell-C scale tops out at 100 which is the harness of diamond. None of the coatings are as hard as diamond. Something in the 60-70 range would be very hard for a coating! Mike My bad on which scale it was, I really don't remember. However, the numbers are correct. Wow that's 1000 more it must be good. Sorry it was the microhardness of the coating. TiN is 2300, DLC is 2000 and the new coating on my 9mm Sight Tracker is 1500. Edited September 11, 2012 by SV-COP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie j Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 It looks like micro-hardness is a testing method with results expressed on different scales ie vickers or knoop or rockwell. Do you know what scale those numbers are associated with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 It looks like micro-hardness is a testing method with results expressed on different scales ie vickers or knoop or rockwell. Do you know what scale those numbers are associated with? No Sir, that is way above my pay grade! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie j Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) So we could replace those numbers with "not soft" "really not soft" and "defiantly harder than ceracote" Edited September 11, 2012 by Ronnie j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hany Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 I have had both...and while I have not had rust isses (yet) with the Ionbond, I prefer Hard chrome. If you NEED to have a dark finish on your pistol, Ionbond is probably better than anything else...if not, then very few finishes beat hard chrome. I have a buddy that carried a SIG 228 for 20 years (on his vest! no less) and swears by Robar NP3, but I have no personal experience with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kildar Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 My competition guns are hardchromed and my SD guns have NP3 coatings. All look and perform like new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apriav Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 OK who dose the best job and turn time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeD Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 http://originalmetaloy.com/ for hard chrome. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunracer38 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Metaloy has been chroming my open guns for 15 years. No problem ever. They always look new.I have seen other chrome and it looks like gray paint. My guns all look like stainless steel. But not flashly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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