Action Cera Kote and Laser

Action Cerakote and Laser is a specialized coating and engraving shop run by Mike Fortner. This isn't a gun store—it's a gunsmith operation focused entirely on finishing work. The shop is factory trained and certified by NIC Industries, the actual manufacturers of Cerakote®.

The core service is Cerakote application—a ceramic-based protective coating that's more durable than traditional bluing or paint. Mike handles:

• •Firearm Cerakote finishing on handguns, rifles, shotguns, AR platforms, and NFA items
• •Powder coating using Prismatic Powders® from NIC Industries (non-firearm applications)
• •Deep laser engraving on firearms and personal items
• •Firearm laser engraving for logos, serial numbers, and custom markings
• •Laser stippling (grip texture work)
• •Vehicle part coating (exhaust systems, headers, engine parts, motorcycle components)
• •Custom color work including camo patterns, battleworn finishes, and multi-color designs

The site showcases hundreds of completed projects:

Handgun examples: Glocks in Bright White, Stoplight Red, Wild Purple, Prison Pink; Sig P365 builds; 1911s in custom colors; Nighthawk Custom finishes; Shadow Systems and PSA builds with multi-color patterns

Rifle work: Marlin 30-30 restorations, FN PS90 SBRs in Sunflower Yellow and Burnt Bronze, Zenith MP5 clones, AK-47 complete restorations, Bergara HMR precision rifles, PSA JAKL builds, Remington 700s with Magpul stocks

Vehicle parts: 1993 Nissan 300ZX exhaust systems, 2020 Ford engine cam covers, Indian Motorcycle exhausts in high-temp coatings, 1941 Willies Coupe headers

Available colors include Magpul OD Green, Graphite Black, Cobalt Kinetics Green, Vortex Bronze, Patriot Blue, FX Copper, Multicam patterns, and custom mixes.

Typical completion: 3 weeks or less

Payment due upon project completion. Mike offers a 50% discount on a one-time color redo if you hate your choice—you pay full price for the initial work, half price for the redo on the same project.

Projects not picked up after 90 days incur a $5/day storage fee. Anything abandoned for 365+ days becomes shop property.

Mike is refreshingly honest about limitations:

• •Batch-to-batch variation is real. Two bottles of the same Cerakote color from different batches might appear slightly different. He'll get you extremely close, but "100% identical" isn't realistic.
• •Substrate matters. The same color on polymer looks subtly different than on metal.
• •Internet project replicas have limits. If you're sending him a blurry photo from Instagram, he'll do his best, but expecting a pixel-perfect copy is unrealistic. He needs exact color names and clear reference photos from multiple angles.
• •Unknown factory colors can't be matched. Manufacturers don't disclose their custom mixes. He can choose a similar standard Cerakote color or go with something that contrasts nicely instead.

He maintains a complete Cerakote master swatch set in the shop so you can see exact colors before committing.

Cancer Survivor Plaques ($50 each, $30 donated to American Cancer Society) - Black anodized brass, 1" x 3", laser-engraved text - Hand-delivered to Parker Pour House for mounting

Firearm dropoff requirements: - Must bring valid picture ID (driver's license) - ID must match the name on the sign-in log - For NFA items, bring a copy of ATF Form 1 or Form 4 - ONLY the person whose name is in the bound book can pick up the firearm—not your spouse, not your buddy - Out-of-state customers: have it shipped from your FFL to ACL, work completed, then shipped back to your FFL for transfer

Quality guarantee: - If Cerakote defects get past quality control, the piece is repainted free of charge (complete repaint from scratch) - If the project was painted in the color you approved with no defects, full payment is expected - Cerakote is durable but not bulletproof; normal wear and tear is expected

Laser engraving notes: - Factory markings and logos can be re-engraved with fiber and diode lasers - Results aim for "factory perfect," but understand ACL isn't the original manufacturer—minor size or location discrepancies are normal

Mike's approach is no-nonsense. He says upfront: "Lots of words, but by not reading them because you 'didn't have the time,' doesn't mean they don't apply." He wants customers happy with results and will work through issues directly. He's willing to try new processes and techniques, even if they're outside his comfort zone, which sometimes works and sometimes fails—but that's how skills develop.