Cerakote
A durable ceramic-based firearm finish that is sprayed on and oven-baked, resisting wear, corrosion, and solvents in a wide range of colors.
Cerakote is a brand of ceramic-filled polymer coating that is air-sprayed onto a prepared metal surface and then cured in an oven, leaving a thin, hard film bonded to the steel or aluminum. It resists abrasion, corrosion, and the harsh solvents used to clean fouling, which makes it popular on barreled actions, chassis, and small parts that take handling and weather. Because it is a pigmented coating, it is available in many colors and in muted patterns favored on field rifles.
Compared with traditional bluing, Cerakote is far more durable and does not depend on a film of oil to fend off rust, and it covers both steel and the aluminum that anodizing normally protects. It coats over the metal rather than converting the surface the way a nitride finish does, and shooters often pair a Cerakoted action with a matching stock or chassis for a uniform look.