--- title: "Fiber vs CO2 vs Diode Lasers: What Works on Guns (and What Doesn't)" description: "Fiber vs CO2 vs diode for guns: which laser engraves serial numbers, AR lowers, stainless, polymer, and wood stocks, plus our Edge 50W presets." --- # San Antonio Laser Open main menu Close main menu # Fiber vs CO2 vs Diode Lasers: What Works on Guns (and What Doesn't) [Shane Mohr](https://go.salasers.com/blog/author/shane-mohr) [Share this blog post on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I+found+this+interesting+blog+post&url=https://go.salasers.com/blog/fiber-vs-co2-vs-diode-lasers-what-works-on-guns-and-what-doesnt) [Share this blog post on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://go.salasers.com/blog/fiber-vs-co2-vs-diode-lasers-what-works-on-guns-and-what-doesnt) [Share this blog post on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://go.salasers.com/blog/fiber-vs-co2-vs-diode-lasers-what-works-on-guns-and-what-doesnt) **Short answer:** For guns, a fiber laser is the only one of the three that engraves bare and finished metal directly, which is what serial numbers, receivers, slides, and barrels require. CO2 lasers are excellent on wood, leather, acrylic, and many non-metal materials, so they fit stocks, grips, and cases, but their beam reflects off bare metal. Diode lasers can mark anodized aluminum and wood, but they cannot engrave into steel. In our shop, an Edge 30W fiber laser reaches the ATF's .003" depth on a 1/16"-tall serial number in steel in 20 passes, about 2 minutes, something neither a CO2 nor a diode laser can do without a fiber source. ## Why Wavelength Decides What a Laser Can Mark All three machines turn light into heat, but they do it at very different wavelengths, and each material absorbs some wavelengths far better than others. That single fact explains most of what each laser can and can't do on a firearm. - **Fiber lasers** run at about 1,064 nm (near infrared). Metals absorb this wavelength well, so a fiber beam heats and removes metal directly. - **CO2 lasers** run at about 10,600 nm (far infrared). Wood, leather, paper, glass, and most acrylics absorb it readily, but bare metal mostly reflects it. - **Diode lasers** in most engravers run around 450 nm (visible blue). Dark and organic materials absorb it, bare metal mostly reflects it, and clear acrylic lets it pass straight through. So the right question for a gun shop isn't "which laser is best?" It's "which material am I marking?" ## Fiber Lasers: The Tool for Metal Gun Parts Receivers, frames, slides, barrels, suppressor tubes, and small parts are steel, stainless, aluminum, or titanium. A fiber laser is built for that work. It can: - **Engrave depth into steel and aluminum**, which is what federal marking rules require. Under 27 CFR 478.92, required markings must be at least .003" deep, serial numbers must be at least 1/16" tall, and depth is measured from the flat surface of the metal. We cover the details in [How Deep Can a Fiber Laser Engrave?](https://go.salasers.com/blog/how-deep-can-a-fiber-laser-engrave-atf-.003-depth-tested-on-30w-50w-100w) - **Mark anodized aluminum** cleanly and fast, which is why it's the standard tool for AR-15 lowers. See [How to Laser Engrave an AR-15 Lower](https://go.salasers.com/blog/how-to-laser-engrave-an-ar-15-lower-setup-fixtures-and-settings) for setup and fixtures. - **Black mark stainless steel and brass** without removing much material, for logos and cosmetic work. - **Produce color on stainless steel and titanium.** In our testing, Q-switched sources like the Edge Series produce color on these metals with fewer color variations than MOPA, and showed a longer focal range than MOPA. More in [MOPA vs Q-Switched Fiber Lasers](https://go.salasers.com/blog/mopa-vs-q-switched-fiber-lasers-for-gun-engraving-which-do-you-need). - **Engrave most gun polymers**, including Glock and Sig frames and PMags, as covered in [Can a Fiber Laser Engrave Polymer?](https://go.salasers.com/blog/can-a-fiber-laser-engrave-polymer-pmags-glock-frames-and-grips) Where fiber falls short: it does not do well on wood, leather, or clear acrylic. Those materials mostly let the 1,064 nm beam pass through or burn unevenly. If a shop also wants to personalize walnut stocks or leather slings, that's where a CO2 laser earns its place. ### Our Edge 50W Presets These are starting points from the LightBurn settings bundle that ships with every Edge. Each preset is one pass; for depth work, the number of repeats is set per job, and the hatch angle rotates 23.7 degrees per pass on repeated passes. | Job | Power | Speed | Frequency | Line interval | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Anodized aluminum mark (flat and rotary) | 60% | 3,048 mm/s (120 in/s) | 25 kHz | 0.051 mm | | Deep engrave "Cut" layer on metal | 60% | 356 mm/s (14 in/s) | Not set in preset | 0.051 mm | | Metal "Clean Up" layer | 55% | 3,048 mm/s (120 in/s) | 45 kHz | 0.051 mm | | Black mark on stainless steel | 30% | 102 mm/s (4 in/s) | 60 kHz | 0.025 mm | | Black mark on brass (crosshatch on) | 100% | 508 mm/s (20 in/s) | Not set in preset | 0.010 mm | | Black mark on aluminum with marking spray | 25% | 30 mm/s (1.2 in/s) | 30 kHz | Not set in preset | | Glock polymer frame | 42% | 711 mm/s (28 in/s) | 28 kHz | Not set in preset | *Edge 50W, 220mm lens. Starting points; confirm on a test spot.* A different lens, wattage, or part will need adjustment. ## CO2 Lasers: Great for Stocks, Grips, and Cases, Not Receivers A CO2 laser's far-infrared beam is absorbed well by organic and non-metal materials. For a firearms business, that means: - Wood stocks, forends, and grip panels - Leather holsters, slings, and patches - Acrylic signage, display pieces, and awards - Wooden presentation boxes and foam case inserts On bare metal, the beam mostly reflects. A CO2 laser can make a dark mark on metal using a marking spray or paste, where the laser fuses a coating onto the surface. That works for cosmetic labels, but it adds material instead of removing it, so it does not create engraved depth. That's a problem for any marking that must meet the .003" depth requirement. A CO2 laser can also mark anodized aluminum by bleaching the dye, but it isn't the right tool for engraving into the metal underneath. One safety note for any laser: avoid PVC and vinyl. Burning them releases chlorine-based fumes that are harmful to people and corrosive to machines. SA Laser sells both the Razor Series and Blade CO2 lasers for shops that want to add wood, leather, and acrylic work alongside a fiber laser. ## Diode Lasers: Hobby-Friendly, Limited on Metal Diode lasers use a visible blue beam and are usually lower power. They can engrave wood, leather, and dark materials, and they can mark anodized aluminum by removing the dyed layer. Like CO2, they rely on marking spray for bare metal, which leaves a surface coating rather than engraved depth. Clear acrylic is mostly transparent to a blue beam. For a shop that needs to engrave serial numbers, receivers, or steel slides, a diode laser is not a substitute for fiber. It can be a fine tool for occasional wood or leather personalization. ## Side-by-Side: What Each Laser Does on a Gun | Material or job | Fiber | CO2 | Diode | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Serial number with .003" depth in steel | Yes | No | No | | Anodized aluminum lower | Yes (marks and engraves) | Surface mark only | Surface mark only | | Black mark on stainless or brass | Yes | Only with marking spray | Only with marking spray | | Color on stainless or titanium | Yes | No | No | | Gun polymer (frames, mags) | Yes | Material-dependent; test first | Material-dependent; test first | | Wood stocks and grips | Poor | Yes | Yes | | Leather | Poor | Yes | Yes | | Clear acrylic | No | Yes | No | ## Which Should a Gun Shop Buy First? If your work is FFL marking, receivers, slides, or customer engraving on metal, start with a fiber laser. It's the only one of the three that covers serial numbers, anodized lowers, stainless, and polymer in one machine. Edge Series fiber lasers come in 30W, 50W, and 100W, use Q-switched sources, and ship with LightBurn, a LightBurn settings bundle, multiple lenses (112mm, 220mm, and 300mm field profiles), a full supply kit, and a 2-year warranty. For help picking a wattage, see [30W vs 50W vs 100W Fiber Laser](https://go.salasers.com/blog/30w-vs-50w-vs-100w-fiber-laser-which-wattage-does-a-gun-shop-actually-need). Add a CO2 laser when you have steady demand for wood stocks, leather goods, or acrylic signage. Many shops run both: fiber for the gun, CO2 for everything around it. If you have a regulatory question about markings, start with our [ATF Compliance Guide](https://go.salasers.com/blog/fiber-laser-engraving-for-firearms-atf-compliance-guide). This article is general information, not legal advice; confirm specific marking requirements with ATF. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can a CO2 laser engrave a serial number on a gun? Not into bare steel or aluminum. A CO2 beam mostly reflects off metal, and marking spray only bonds a coating to the surface, so it doesn't create the .003" depth the ATF requires for required markings. ### Can a diode laser engrave an AR-15 lower? A diode can mark the anodized surface by removing the dye, but it can't engrave depth into the aluminum underneath. For required markings on a lower, use a fiber laser. ### Is a 30W fiber laser enough for ATF serial numbers? Yes. In our shop, an Edge 30W reaches .003" depth on a 1/16"-tall serial number in steel in 20 passes, about 2 minutes. Higher wattage mainly adds speed. ### Can a fiber laser engrave wood gun stocks? Not well. Wood doesn't absorb the fiber wavelength efficiently, so results are inconsistent. A CO2 laser is the better tool for wood stocks and grips. ### Can a fiber laser engrave Glock frames and other polymer? Yes, most gun polymers engrave well on a fiber laser. Our Edge 50W preset for a Glock frame starts at 42% power, 711 mm/s (28 in/s), 28 kHz on the 220mm lens. ### Do I need both a fiber and a CO2 laser? Only if you do both metal and wood or leather work. Most gun shops start with fiber because it covers firearm markings, then add CO2 when non-metal orders justify it. ## Talk to a Laser Specialist SA Laser is a veteran-owned company in San Antonio, Texas, building laser systems for FFL dealers, gunsmiths, Cerakote shops, and small manufacturers since 2012. Every Edge Series fiber laser ships with a LightBurn settings bundle of presets so you're marking real parts on day one. Want your team hands-on with the machine? Our 5-day, in-person [Spark training](https://salasers.com/spark/) covers it. [Request a quote or a call](https://salasers.com/forms/), or phone us at [(888) 964-3568](tel:+18889643568). ### Leave a Comment #### About - Menu Item One - Menu Item Two - Menu Item Three #### Services - Menu Item One - Menu Item Two - Menu Item Three #### News - Menu Item One - Menu Item Two - Menu Item Three Follow us on Facebook Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Shane Mohr", "url" : "https://go.salasers.com/blog/author/shane-mohr" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-22T15:53:00.424Z", "datePublished" : "2026-10-22T15:53:00.000Z", "headline" : "Fiber vs CO2 vs Diode Lasers: What Works on Guns (and What Doesn't)", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://go.salasers.com/blog/fiber-vs-co2-vs-diode-lasers-what-works-on-guns-and-what-doesnt", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://go.salasers.com/hubfs/White%20logo.jpg" }, "name" : "SA Laser" } } ```