Cerakote vs. KG GunKote – The Biggest Competitors in Firearm Coatings

This is actually a pretty tough call. Both of these coatings are wonderful in the areas of being thin, wear-resistant, heat tolerant, and holding up to a wide variety of chemical cleaners.

The immediate difference between the two is going to be in color offerings. KG originally developed their GunKote product line to conform with the requirements of the Naval Surface Warfare Center and the Navy Seals. As such, the need for color was overlooked. Black works well enough in most cases for operators.

Cerakote was designed for shooters, and can be colored and blended for all kinds of camouflage, as well as accenting rifles and pistols that are meant to be seen. As such, an array of colors was baked into the product concept itself. Cerakote concentrated on ceramic finishes that were both tough as hell and customizable, and they executed this mission flawlessly.

When it comes to any coating, prep is going to be the key to success, so it stands to reason that if you truly want a long-lasting, durable finish, the shop that does the work is going to make more difference than the brand, especially in this case. The weapon or project must be blasted, oil needs to be removed, and proper handling is necessary to ensure that the thin coating adheres evenly to the surface. Poor prep gives poor results with either coating.

Both companies also come with several different series for different applications. There is no true apples to apples comparison when you take that into account. Tell us about your product, and we’ll give you our recommendation for the best product for your purpose. For most firearms, we’re probably going to lean toward a Cerakote series.

There is one last important defining feature that distinguishes the two. Cerakote is popular, and most shops that offer high quality coatings are going to recommend it. We want you to be happy with the final product, and we’d prefer to not see your gun come back to our shop with scratches, blotches, and wear marks later down the road. You’ll find that most shops that are serious about their coatings, pick Cerakote. There’s a reason for that.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with KG GunKote, aside from the lack of color options, and we’re happy to use it if you decide that it’s best for your weapon.

Both finishes are fantastic, we just happen to like Cerakote better.