Re: Let's see some custom paint jobs!
Here is my FAL Duracoated. OD green first, then freehand camo with Woodland Green and Brown. Then stencils, then Magpul FDE and CADPAT Light Green freehand. Then more stencils, then Coyote Brown and ACU Light Green Grey. Flat dull clear coat. The barrel and gas assy. were done with the ceramic Duraheat in FDE. Seven mags were done to match the rifle. This was my first Duracoat job, my next will be more like what I did in the army, fast, freehand and with mesh and junk for stencils, only using Duracoat instead of Krylon as it does work better.
For Duracoat, or any coating for that matter, prep is key. I used acetone to clean, but on smooth parts that I couldn't sand down, they chip easier. Still better than Krylon and it isn't meant to be a wall hanger.
If you plan on or can sandblast everything, then I'd use Cerakote hands down, saying you already have the gear. Much better, but you gotta sand blast to use it properly. Then it may be the best coating you can get. I hear Duraheat is the same stuff and it looks pretty nice on that barrel and seems to hold up well on the good, factory park job that was on it.
After what I spent on gear and material, then the time it took vs. the results I got, I could have sent two rifles off to be professionally Cerakoted instead. And I've used an airbrush before and was familiar with all of it... But prep is key and sandblasting and Cerakote are the way to go if you ask me, if you want a permanent protective colored coating that is.