Powder coating mags

[AZ Med18]

I have a Springfield XD 9mm. I like it alot but the mags are stainless steal and I don't like the look of the spare mags alongside a black gun.

So I wanted to know has anyone powder coated any xd mags (or any stainless steel ones) before or any advice on how to make them another color?

Is powder coating the best route?

[Bill DeShivs]

Leave them alone. Any paint will wear off, anyway.

[hockeysew]

The biggest problem you will find with powder coating or any type of paint is that it will add dimension (Thickness). Mags are one place you dont want to mess with dimensions. Brownells makes a product for blackening stainless similar to blueing, but I have heard that it wears off very easily.

[Mac's!]

What hockeysew said is exactly correct but there's another problem too. Powder coat will not burnish and will actually increase friction on moving parts.

We regularly use powder coating on certain parts of firearms...like on barrels, bolt handles, bipod legs, etc. but never on any part that has to move against another part or any close tolerance part.

powder coat is a great finish...for certain applications. I wouldn't use it on a pistol mag but I have used it on the exposed parts of long mags, like AK's or AR's.

If you want to remove the shine on your mags, you can have them abrasive blasted. You can also have them finished with a thermally cured finish in a variety of colors but remember that mags take a beating...dropped, banging around in your pocket with your car keys, etc. Keep yer powder dry, Mac.

(That's my signature, not any referance to powder coating!)
Mac's Shootin' Irons
Tuff-Gun Finishes. The Name Says It All
http://www.shootiniron.com

[AZ Med18]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm thinking I might try it on one and see how it works.

[hockeysew]

Little off subject but Mac's!:
Your website is priceless!
Everybody needs to check it out.
Just check choice #2

Sorry for the shameless plug but it is great!

[Bill DeShivs]

After you try it, will you let us know it didn't work, so we can say, "We told you so!" ?

[hockeysew]

After you try it, will you let us know it didn't work, so we can say, "We told you so!" ?

+1

[Slopemeno]

As noted above, Brownells sells a bluing salt for stainless, and it works. It's not soemthing for the kitchen table gunsmith, but if you do a search I bet you can find someone who blues stainless with it. Try "Robar" in Arizona.

[WESHOOT2]

Increasing the opportunity for failure of a firearm in the name of "looks" suggests one is not yet ready to own said firearm.

Not kidding.........

[grymster2007]

Leave them alone. Any paint will wear off, anyway.

Yes, eventually any paint will wear off. Powder coating will also wear, but it is not the same as ordinary paint and is vastly more durable. The biggest problem is the thickness. A light dusting, just enough to add color would probably go .001" thick, but would wear fairly quickly. For real durability it would probably go .003" - .004" thick per side, making for .006" - .008" total and that may represent an appreciable portion of the clearance between the mag and the well.

I'd leave them alone.

[drail]

Shooting Star by Chip McCormick in blue.

[Bob Hostetter]

Stainless steel, such as the material used in the XD magazines, can be given a blued looking finish with Black Oxide. We do a lot of it on Stainless and it works well. Depending on base material finish you can go with either a glossy or matt finish.

[oldcspsarge]

Just had some done for my 45XD and for my XDM..work better than ever and feeding very well....and not longer shinny stainless !

www.bearcoat.com Matte Black Teflon-S finish $ 20 first mag and $ 10 each additional.

Nice finish and very fast service.

[Swampghost]

GunKote?