Templar Customs + Digital Desert Cerakote

[YutYut]

I only got about 2 hours of range time due to rain and the worst group was my fault (not maintaining sight picture) it was a blast to shoot. the JP trigger is amazing. No creep and no over-travel. The thing breaks and does move not move. I will be going back when the weather is better and taking alot more ammo with me. I used factory Hornady 123's. They are going to be hard to beat with handloads.

[OldCannon]

VERY nice! Is that a GRSC scope?

From my POV, yes, it's a GRSC. I'm sitting here staring at my personal 1-4x GRSC and the shape looks the same. Of course, Ed might have used a manufacturer's premade tube setup. The uniqueness is in the reticle with GRSC. I'm still curious how the graduations on the GRSC will translate to my Grendel upper that I ordered from Loki (arriving soon, I hope ).

[txgunner00]

I have one on my 10" .223 SBR. Never put it on my Grendel but I suspect it would work very well on a carbine 6.5.

[LRRPF52]

From my POV, yes, it's a GRSC. I'm sitting here staring at my personal 1-4x GRSC and the shape looks the same. Of course, Ed might have used a manufacturer's premade tube setup. The uniqueness is in the reticle with GRSC. I'm still curious how the graduations on the GRSC will translate to my Grendel upper that I ordered from Loki (arriving soon, I hope ).

Yeah, that is one of my GRSC 1-4x Scopes. I baked it at 175 F, no problems. I was a little worried, but everything turned out fine. It's only for my 5.56 blasters, and I'm trying to decide on whether to Snake Skin it to match one or two of the guns, or do another digital desert. I really liked the way Yut's turned out, which has got me thinking about a digital pattern more now.

It is difficult for me to shoot tight groups with the GRSC, and Ed will be the first to tell you it isn't a precision scope. For shooting tight groups, I have a hard time getting the resolution I need, but it's great for blasting away quickly for Close Quarters, then jumping to 200-500yds and making hits on silhouettes with my 5.56 carbines.

His 1-6x that is made in Japan has high-end glass, and prices at around $1000, which is about 3x the price of the Korean 1-4x.

[Snipe315]

That is one beautiful looking setup.

How does it balance and handle with that Magpul ACS?

[YutYut]

Balances very nice. It could be a bit heavier for bench rest shooting but for hunting,plinking,walking around i love it.

[Airhog]

That is one sweet job LRRPF52. Very professional.

[Bronz]

The problem with these type of rifles are, they are a piece of art and almost to good to shoot.

[jwilson1985]

The problem with these type of rifles are, they are a piece of art and almost to good to shoot.

that's what is good about cerakote ,you could drop that thing off a cliff and just just it off.

[dpw4x4]

just sick MAN DO I NEED ONE THAT COLOR NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[smoke13]

LRRPF52, Nice work. I've got a couple questions for you on the cerakote process you used.
1) When preping for the paint, is it really necessary to oxide blast the barrel, receivers, and mic. parts or is a scotch pad and degrease sufficiency to get a good application? Can you apply paint over an anodized surface?
2) When degreasing did you soak everything for 10 min like NIC suggested, or can you just spray and wipe down the parts with acetone?
3) Lastly, When doing a multicolor paint job with cerakote what process do you use. NIC says to not pain over paint that has been oven baked (does not adhere to itself), so do you paint then allow for air dry then apply stencil/patterns/fishnet repaint and then oven bake?

trying to get the process figured out for my own grendel cerakote paint job...

[LRRPF52]

LRRPF52, Nice work. I've got a couple questions for you on the cerakote process you used.
1) When preping for the paint, is it really necessary to oxide blast the barrel, receivers, and mic. parts or is a scotch pad and degrease sufficiency to get a good application? Can you apply paint over an anodized surface?
2) When degreasing did you soak everything for 10 min like NIC suggested, or can you just spray and wipe down the parts with acetone?
3) Lastly, When doing a multicolor paint job with cerakote what process do you use. NIC says to not pain over paint that has been oven baked (does not adhere to itself), so do you paint then allow for air dry then apply stencil/patterns/fishnet repaint and then oven bake?

trying to get the process figured out for my own grendel cerakote paint job...

You will get a better adhering of the Cerakote to a blasted or rough-textured finish. It adheres really well to a completely dry anodized or parkerized finish, and even sticks well to stainless and Melonite-treated barrels, which I didn't think it would do. Cerakote isn't a paint, since the color solution it basically a microscopic mud that you add hardener to.

I saw a Brownell's video that claimed that Cerakote can't be applied to itself, but I didn't see that anywhere in the instructions or their site, and I have done it a lot, without issue. There are scores of camo patterns on NIC's website, and applying stencils to an unbaked finish would be disastrous. You can flash bake each layer at lower temp and lower duration, which is what I did, but you will want a cured, hard surface to work with using stencils. Unbaked Cerakote has the consistency of a thick mud, and smudges horribly. If you smudge it, you have to bake the smudge, then grind it off.

I also used a heated cleanse process for my first degrease, then acetone bath, making sure to only handle the parts with gloved hands. Surgical gloves work the best for me, since I still have dexterity. Transferring the parts from the spray cabinet to oven is one of the most critical processes, and requires someone with exceptional patience and the ability to manipulate the parts carefully. This digital pattern was a painful job, to say the least, but it really was worth it in the end I think. I might do one for myself even, if I find the time.