Most Cerakote jobs we do end up including discussion about the various types of Cerakote available. Its an important discussion to have, because its best to look at the purpose and environment of the coating to decide which one to go with to maximize getting what you paid for.
Instead of pointing you to Cerakote’s website and let you read up, we’ll cut through the marketing to give you our real-world experiences with the various types. The table below lays out pros and cons as we see them:
| Series | Pros | Cons |
| C | -Many color options -Pretty durability to range and hunting activities -UV resistant (better for outdoor) -Great for high-heat applications (suppressors or barrels subject to rapid firing) | -Takes 5 days to fully cure (at least 48 hours air cure before it can be shipped out) -Tricker to do some patterns due to curing process |
| H | -Most color options -Good durability to range and hunting activities -Quick oven curing (parts can ship an hour or two after coating) -Best for multi-color pattern work | -Not UV resistant -Not great for high-heat applications (suppressors or barrels subject to rapid firing) |
| HIR | -Said to not reflect IR light -Good durability to range and hunting activities -Quick oven curing | -Very limited number of colors (military oriented) -Jury is still out on effectiveness |
| E | -More durable than C and H -Quick oven curing | -Few color options than C and H series -Not great for high-heat applications (suppressors or barrels subject to rapid firing) |
| V | -Excels in high-heat applications (suppressors or barrels subject to rapid firing) -Very durable | -Fewest color options -Most odorous when applying (it really stinks) |
| Clears | -Adds durability -Allows the use of mica powders for prismatic coloring | -Adds an additional layer for tight-fitting parts -Flat colors will be at least Matte in sheen -Not heat resistant |
Boiling it down,
- If its going to be outside a lot, use C, and be ready for a longer turnaround time to account for curing time.
- If you want it to be colorful, use H.
- If you want it to be colorful and more durable, use E.
- If you want it to not reflect IR light, use HIR.
- If its going to get hot and you don’t want it to discolor, use C or V. We’ve yet to discolor a suppressor coated with V.
- If you want to add durability, add a clear gloss or matte coating.
Once you pick the type, now you can look at the color options available. If you are unsure of colors, we can send you pictures of the swatches under pure-white light to help you judge. We can custom mix colors, but keep in mind this is a tedious process and will be near impossible to touch up in the future if the need arises.