How durable a finish is baked-on paint/Krylon?

[manbearpig]

i have a couple of shotgun barrels that are prepped for finishing.
unfortunately, it looks like itll be a couple of months before i have the setup to parkerize something of this size.
cold bluing is not really much protection, its purely cosmetic.

how durable a finish would heating the barrels up, spraying them with flat black krylon, and then baking them in the oven be? would it be a complete waste of time (ie: scrape off with your fingernail)?

i realise this isnt the 'ideal' finish but right now i have a couple shotgun barrels just sitting here in the white that i dont know what to do with. should i try this as a temporary measure or just grease them and store them a few months till im set up with the workspace/stainless tray for parkerizing barrels/barreled actions? or should i just cold blue them, which will be much easier to remove when i get around to parkerizing?

 

[tiriaq]

If they are not going to be used, I'd grease them up and store them. Easier to degrease down the road than get paint off.
There are coatings that are very durable, either bake-on or catalyzed. I don't think Krylon is in the same league.

 

[Kodiak Outpost]

I am not a fan of any paint that comes out of a rattle can. It is cheap and it is not durable compared to professional finishes. However, if you want to do it as a temporary thing, it should be ok. If the surface is clean and scuffed, it should not peel off with your fingernail. It'll get scratches, but not that easy.

Of course, there are much better paints to use. An epoxy primer in black would be very durable.

 

[manbearpig]

is cold bluing a complete waste of time?
ie: if cosmetics do not matter are you better off just leaving them in the white than cold bluing? im talking about the small bottles of cold blue you get at canadian tire or wherever.

 

[Woodsman]

Cold bluing works but wears off on high use points like on a bolt handle or where it is in constant contact with your hand like on the bottom of the action (like on a model 94 Win. at the balance point of the gun when you carry it). Otherwise it can last for years.

 

[manbearpig]

i mean does it actually provide some rust protection?
i roughly know how durable the finish is - ive touched up many rifles and mags with it over the years. i was under the impression it was just for looks though and only hot bluing provided some actual corrosion protection.