As an Officer of Marines, I take my profession of arms seriously and I only like serious firearms and associated gear. Thus, when I wanted my Ithaca 1911 coated with a no-nonsense coating impervious to extreme weather conditions, I turned to Les Leturno and the Duracoat finish he uses. Les takes firearms and their proper use as seriously as any modern day warrior, be they Marine, SpecOps, or police SWAT. Consequently he coats every firearm as if it were his own and as if his life must depend on it.

Lt. Col. Freddie Blish, USMC
The views presented are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent those of the DoD or its components.

In response to a follow-up inquiry, Lt. Col. Blish sent these comments:

I am very happy with the pistol/finish!! The gun seems slicker than before. I know Duracoat doesn't have any Tennifer or Teflon substances in it, but it sure runs slick. I like the finish better than the Kimpro finish on my new Kimber Warrior, which started rusting on the tang of the beavertail due to the sweat on my hands when training Marines recently in Yuma, AZ in 110 degree heat. I am going to have you Duracoat that also. The Kimpro finish according to their literature, is "the hardest thermally cured finish available. A phenolic resin that permanently bonds, it resists acids, oils, solvents and water. Extremely durable, Kimpro withstands 1,000 hours of salt spray and saltwater immersion without rust." However, the tang on my beavertail did start rusting and the pistol finish is showing signs of holster wear, whereas the Duracoat finish has not shown any holster wear.

S/F Lt. Col. Freddie Blish USMC
The views presented are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent those of the DoD or its components.

My friend, Les Leturno, specializes in camoflage polymer coatings for service rifles and shotguns. He just completed applying his "Desert Snakeskin" pattern to my RA-96. It is an excellent wide-spectrum pattern that is suitable in just about any natural or urban environment. Les's attention to detail and devotion to his craft are extraordinary. Good show Les! Recommended!

John S. Farnam/Defensive Training Intl.

I asked my friend Les to put a finish on my Springfield TRP Operator. The finish I requested was a matte black slide with an O.D. frame. When I got the gun back, the first thing I noticed was the finish. It was clean and crisp with no streaks or discolored patches. After numerous dry fire sessions, with both a leather and a kydex holster, there was no apparent wear to the finish. An added bonus was that while shooting the gun it seemed to operate smoother. The gun cleaned up easily, and the finish remained perfect. I will ask Les to do more work for me in the future. He is a craftsman at his trade.

Ed Stock, Senior Rangemaster, Gunsite