what is the darkest black (that is durable) available?

[Zeneffect]

want to spray a barrel an extra extra dark black so it has a reverse bling sort of thing going on. ive seen the results from cerakote, duracoat, alumahyde, etc.... and spray paint seems to be the best option (barrel doesnt really get hot)

anyone with experience finding the "ultimate black?"

i know about black 3.0, muso black etc and none of those are durable. not looking for black hole black as i know thats not achievable, but what rattle can comes closest and finishes with a somewhat durable finish?

[Zeneffect]

maybe i found it... still watching this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeAchjILmnc&t=4s

edit

nope.

[Mrmaggot]

want to spray a barrel an extra extra dark black so it has a reverse bling sort of thing going on. ive seen the results from cerakote, duracoat, alumahyde, etc.... and spray paint seems to be the best option (barrel doesnt really get hot)

anyone with experience finding the "ultimate black?"

i know about black 3.0, muso black etc and none of those are durable. not looking for black hole black as i know thats not achievable, but what rattle can comes closest and finishes with a somewhat durable finish?

IDK if you want the 'satin' look, flat black always just looks like a dirty chalk board to me.

You may look into John Deere Blitz Black. it has some unique qualities but isn't the 'blackest' black

Hot Rod Flatz Boulevard Black is pretty 'black' but I'm pretty sure that'll require a sprayer.

Look up the fancy spray paint companies that make spray cans for artists. I know Hobby Lobby has some.

[lazyengineer]

Random technical question - does flat black get notably hotter in a Texas sun than a Shiney black?

[grayfox]

Call up the Dimms. They have the blackest dark money, the "deep state black" is patented by them, and the Fbi-fibbies have the "blacksite censorship" black, that no one can see... after all it's hidin HuntrBidin...

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the derailment..... well, maybe not!!!

[Zeneffect]

Random technical question - does flat black get notably hotter in a Texas sun than a Shiney black?

I would imagine yes, but also able to shed that heat faster as well (weather/shade permitting)

[dpete]

I've used flat black grill touch up paint. As a side benefit its heat resistant.

[Happy2Shoot]

You will want a FLAT black.

(Stove Bright) Duravent High Temperature Paint - Stove Pipe Black

Keep in mind high temp paint (of all kinds) needs to cure at an elevated temp for a longer duration. Until it fully cures it will scrape off with a fingernail.

Bake it in an oven at 250F for 2 hours.

Or just use "grill paint".

[tdbru]

perhaps QPQ black nitride. It's not a paint. Means you'll likely need to send off the barrel to get it done. Good side effect is that it leaves a very hard surface. just a thought.
-tdbru

[Zeneffect]

So as a quick update, it appears no off the shelf paint will meet my needs. I'll be experimenting with musou black, clear coats, polyurethane, etc to make my own blend (I'm even thinking about how CA glue boils off and the surface it can leave) Product to be applied by preval throw away stuff. Trying to go no specialized equipment

Front sight post and peep rear sight going to get the first treatment before barrel as they are far easier to clean up if things go weird

If you are unsure what musuo black is, do you know what vanta black is? Musuo is darker supposedly. So much it's supposed to be the blackest black available with over 99% light absorption.

LR1955 had mentioned to me tapering the front sight so I only use one side.... with a complete silhouette with no visible reflection I think that this will be important as I will no longer be able to catch myself with an improper sight picture and make the correction.

[canneitherconfirmnordeny]

Just some thoughts on this subject. Last I knew, Vanta was not available to the public and extremely expensive. I know about Musou, Singularity, and a couple others out there that are available but the problem with them is durability. They will be damaged by even a light touch. Reflectance plays a big part in these finishes as to the perceived blackness and any clear coat or attempts at mixing other products to add durability will change this dramatically.
DuPont, PPG, and others have some very black automotive finishes available that will be a lot more durable and even to heat to some extent. Of course these will not have the look I think you are after but no conventional paint will either.
An old trick for sight posts of putting a flame to them for a second or two will achieve something similar to those blackest black finishes. This isn't far off from how those finishes work either, with absorbing light and not reflecting. About as durable as Musou will be to touch too.
Whatever you decide to go with, I wish you the best of luck with it.

[LR1955]

So as a quick update, it appears no off the shelf paint will meet my needs. I'll be experimenting with musou black, clear coats, polyurethane, etc to make my own blend (I'm even thinking about how CA glue boils off and the surface it can leave) Product to be applied by preval throw away stuff. Trying to go no specialized equipment

Front sight post and peep rear sight going to get the first treatment before barrel as they are far easier to clean up if things go weird

If you are unsure what musuo black is, do you know what vanta black is? Musuo is darker supposedly. So much it's supposed to be the blackest black available with over 99% light absorption.

LR1955 had mentioned to me tapering the front sight so I only use one side.... with a complete silhouette with no visible reflection I think that this will be important as I will no longer be able to catch myself with an improper sight picture and make the correction.

ZE:

Yes, we would file the top of the front sight on the M-14 downwards towards the barrel a little so we didn't inadvertently use the barrel end of the sight instead of the receiver end when in neutral light conditions. Its effectiveness was hard to determine because it was so little but if the only part of the top of the front sight you can see is one single line, then your sight picture will be just that much more able to hold elevation.

Problem with AR's is a guy will adjust the front sight so if you file it, make sure it is set at a height you want first. The good thing about an AR front sight is they are cheap and relatively easy to install.

Since you want a black for the front sight, use some Birchwood Casey sight black or go out and buy one of those carbide sight blackening things. The carbide is a darker black but the carbide stuff is kind of a pain.

Take my word for it, if something better were available for blackening front sights, every guy shooting Service Rifle in High Power would be using it. Even if its effectiveness is no different than the carbide or Sight Black. So, if something is out there, look towards the High Power guys if any are still using irons. BTW, I carry a can of Sight Black for my iron sighted pistols and will hose down the front and rear sight before a stage.

I never noticed any difference in scores between carbide and sight black so opted for the Sight Black because it took less than ten seconds to get out of my kit and spray on the front sight. The little carbide burner has a bad habit of clogging or crapping out for no known reason.

Also, since the game you are playing doesn't seem to have a lot of restrictions on the firearm, I suggest you put a sun shade over your barrel. Ought to be easy to attach since you are using an A-2 rear. We liked to use a strip of exposed X Ray film but you can buy an elastic sun shade with hooks that ought to work fine. Just make sure it is short enough for your AR.

LR-55

[Zeneffect]

Well, I know why high power shooters aren't using it.

It's extremely difficult to apply evenly on such a small part without building up several coats resulting in .030 thicker than when you began. Then reinstalling. Don't even try while installed, you end up with a damn mess.

Figured this out last night....

My zero is 100 yards so my front sight post is now set and I won't touch its elevation. I have enough on the rear sight to shoot the course and not touch the front. Ideally I would be a 200 yard zero but the way things worked out it was 100 out of the gate with zero adjustment and I can calculate from there. To harken back to doing irrational things based of feelings, I'm taking this as a sign to just roll with it as is and don't touch or it's going to be magnitudes more difficult to bring it back to perfect. I know I should but I won't due to illogical and irrational reasoning.

I've also read lighting a piece of masking tape on fire produces the same dark soot from the acetylene/carbide burn.

I'm experimenting, reinventing the wheel for no reason other than why not.

[LR1955]

Well, I know why high power shooters aren't using it.

It's extremely difficult to apply evenly on such a small part without building up several coats resulting in .030 thicker than when you began. Then reinstalling. Don't even try while installed, you end up with a damn mess.

Figured this out last night....

My zero is 100 yards so my front sight post is now set and I won't touch its elevation. I have enough on the rear sight to shoot the course and not touch the front. Ideally I would be a 200 yard zero but the way things worked out it was 100 out of the gate with zero adjustment and I can calculate from there. To harken back to doing irrational things based of feelings, I'm taking this as a sign to just roll with it as is and don't touch or it's going to be magnitudes more difficult to bring it back to perfect. I know I should but I won't due to illogical and irrational reasoning.

I've also read lighting a piece of masking tape on fire produces the same dark soot from the acetylene/carbide burn.

I'm experimenting, reinventing the wheel for no reason other than why not.

Any sort of soot will do but the carbide won't be beat for the best black I have found. Just that the burner is a PITA.

LR-55

[tdbru]

I second LR1955. the carbide sight soot blackening is the most non reflective deepest black that I know of. I still have my little carbide burner from back when my eyes were young and I was giving hi-power a go. and the burner is a PITA as far as keeping it working. I haven't looked lately, but I suspect finding a source of carbide is nigh impossible with all the do gooders running amuck.
-tdbru