What do you think about NP3 finish on handguns?

[TrailerparkTrash]

I was thinking of getting a revolver hardchromed until I learned that it is not a good idea on revolvers (According to Bolsa Gunsmiths).

So then I thought about sending it to the company in AZ that uses that NP3 finish. (I believe the name of the company is "Robar")

I've read alot about it and from what other readers/customers have said, it's a heck of alot better than hardchroming.

HOWEVER!!!!! It costs almost as much as I paid for my little Colt Detective Special!

The price is outa -control for a NP3 finish. What do you all think?

****DON'T FORGET,,,,I'D ALSO HAVE TO PAY ABOUT $50.00 EACH WAY FOR SHIPPING WITH UPS/FEDeX.... So add the additional money to the price too and I don't think it's worth it.***

[TrailerparkTrash]

I was thinking of getting a revolver hardchromed until I learned that it is not a good idea on revolvers (According to Bolsa Gunsmiths).

So then I thought about sending it to the company in AZ that uses that NP3 finish. (I believe the name of the company is "Robar")

I've read alot about it and from what other readers/customers have said, it's a heck of alot better than hardchroming.

HOWEVER!!!!! It costs almost as much as I paid for my little Colt Detective Special!

The price is outa -control for a NP3 finish. What do you all think?

****DON'T FORGET,,,,I'D ALSO HAVE TO PAY ABOUT $50.00 EACH WAY FOR SHIPPING WITH UPS/FEDeX.... So add the additional money to the price too and I don't think it's worth it.***

[Guest]

Whatever you do, stay away from these people. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=86336
I read the whole story and couldn't believe what I was reading, have to agree. Worst service ever!

[50 Freak]

I have a 1911 I also want refinished and have been considering the NP3 coating. But crap, $100 bucks for shipping is kinda killing it for me. Wonder if there is anyone here in Cali that does a good job.

[jared@barringtons.com]

I do my own matt refinishing. These are some of the handguns I have done:









The stuff I use is tougher then Brownells Bake on ( almost twice as strong ) and up their with polymer, and only costs a doller pher can of it.
If you want a new decent matt finish on it, bring it over and I won't charge you a dime.

[snwnme@realguns.com]

Well 44 Canon is offering his finish at the best price.

[-hanko]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TrailerparkTrash:
I was thinking of getting a revolver hardchromed until I learned that it is not a good idea on revolvers (According to Bolsa Gunsmiths).

I've read alot about it and from what other readers/customers have said, it's a heck of alot better than hardchroming.

****DON'T FORGET,,,,I'D ALSO HAVE TO PAY ABOUT $50.00 EACH WAY FOR SHIPPING WITH UPS/FEDeX.... So add the additional money to the price too and I don't think it's worth it.*** <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm not sure why hard chrome would work, say, on an auto, but it's "not a good idea on revolvers". Does Bolsa do NP3 & maybe not hard chrome??

NP3 has more lubricity, but it sure will not wear like hard chrome; 3 .45's I had hard chromed &gt;10 years ago all show ZERO holster wear, and one of the three is my constant ccw gun. Hard chrome is the toughest finish you can get, but it also takes a skilled applicator. IIRC, np3 is a nickel finish that also contains teflon for lubricity.

-hanko

[BigRich]

I have had and still have several guns that have been hardchromed and others that have been NP3 finished. I do not understand the warning about HC and revolvers. S&W used to hardchrome the internals on their SS revolvers. I have an assortment of revolvers with long ago applied HC (Metalife is one and Tripp Research is another also others that were done for me as vendors to the smith doing my gun so I don't know what brand it was). These guns are all going strong. I have not had a revolver NP3ed yet. My observation on NP3 is that it is certainly a softer finish than HC and does indeed wear faster (an HK P7 and 2 1911 types). The major mechanical difference between these 2 finishes is in how they build up on the surface being plated. HC builds up on edges first and then the rest of the surface. Nickle tends to float in more evenly. Back a few years the HC guys always did a passivation step in order to avoid hydrogen embrittlement. Robar told me that I should not lube the NP3 finish as it would only serve to increase friction between the two coated surfaces and it would attract and hold gunk that acted like lapping compound and thus increased wear. After following his advice, I can clean a SA LW Gov't with a clean cloth after firing it. I am anal about this stuff so I never leave well enough alone and go back with chemicals without any adverse effects. I agree with Hanko that you will not get a longer wearing surface than hardchrome. The finish on the underlying metal surface has alot to do with it's look so there is some choice available here. Check out Tripp Research for an excellent HC vendor.

[jared@barringtons.com]

Hard Chrome is thick and on revolvers, it can scrue up timing and a few other functions if done wrong. It is doable, just not at a price most people are willing to pay unless factory done. I also doubt many finishing companys have the means to do a good job, unless they leave the critical areas unfinished.
Without the right equipmend and attention, having a revolver hard chromed is a hit or miss in most cases. For instance, you can send a revolver to Checkmate to be hard chromed and it come back just as well performing as before, while your buddy can send the exact same model revolver to checkmate and get back a gun that has missfires, led shavings, cylinder jamming etc.
I myself am hesitant to use anything but blueing where metal connects and moves against metal.
BTW.
I will be calling my father later today to see about getting a Christal blueing formula from him.

[simonp]

I've sent a couple of Autos to Robar and their product and service is top notch! If you got a Colt DS in CA for the price of a NP3 service then you got a steal ~ spend the money to get the best quality job you can. The NP3 also makes the action a lot smoother