Battle of the coatings

[Alan]

Has anyone here compared Cerakote and nitriding on well-used pistols? I'm curious about which one holds up better over time.

 

[sean_puffy]

Wwned a Glock with a Cerakote finish and a SIG that had a factory nitride finish. After 2yrs of everyday carry, the Cerakote showed quite a bit of holster wear while the nitride still appeared nearly pristine in the same spots. Cerakote is excellent for its aesthetic appeal and corrosion resistance but from what I've seen, nitriding is the clear winner when it comes to wear resistance.

 

[Move_it]

 My nitrided slide has really taken a beating without showing much for it. Cerakote always looks great right out of the gate but I noticed mine started wearing down on the contact points quicker than I'd expected.

 

[Mordockk]

I ran both finishes on duty-style pistols over a few years of regular carry and the nitrided slide just kept a cleaner wear pattern while the Cerakote started showing edge shine and holster rub sooner than I expected.