Barrel and Action Nitride Coating

[bamban]

2012, I took apart one of my M1As set up for hunting and had all metal parts melonited (minus the receiver) I knew enough not to melonite springs, but not thinking about the firing pin.

The firing pin tip lasted exactly 220 rounds and then no bang. The very point got nitrided through and through, end result being too brittle and broke clean off

It is my truck gun when hunting the border, I shook it down on every range trip to ensure I could trust it to go bang every time.

With GI firing pin it still runs flawlessly to date with hundreds of rounds through it. Mated to a GI fiberglass stock, it still goes hunting to the border. Not worried about it rusting.

 

[bamban]

We just got back half a dozen or so and haven't had a chance to play with them yet. I guess time will tell. We have a couple that we will try and shoot the pizz out of and see if we can come up with any conclusions. I will try and change my ways and be abusive to them.

If you brush the barrel and run a wet patch afterwards and see rust looking residue. It is that leftover meloniting solution.

If you really want to rid of that brownish looking stuff, just dunk the barrels in a tub of water and let them soak for days. You will see that water soluble solution ooze out of the barrel. Water won't rust the melonited surface.

Just brush the stuff off in the tub

When I get a batch of barrels for the kids, first thing I do is to remove the barrel extensions (BE) and leave them in the tub for a week or so. I serial number the BEs to the barrel as well as timed flash hiders ( FH). I can dunk every parts and not worried about BE snd chamber HS, nor I worry about FH TDC timing. Parts go back together as serial numbered.

Some meloniting places do a better job in the final wash. The one we use are not worried much about the residue, the big oil drilling cutting bits don't care one bit... as I mentioned the oil industry pays their bills

 

[Ol' Red]

From what I gather, nitriding is a treatment and not a coating. It hardens the outer layer of the metal.
I have a nitrided Lone Peak action and yea, it is smooth... and after over 200 rounds the bolt lugs show zero wear of the black finish/color.

Of the three common surface hardening processes: Carburizing, Cyaniding and nitriding... nitriding leaves the hardest surface at 1000 vhn. The other two are 800 vhn and 900 vhn respectively.

Is the complete action nitrited or just the bolt?

 

[shortgrass]

I have had many barrels and a few actions melonite/black nitride treated for at least 10yrs. It is well worth it for the known "barrel burners". For 1 at a time treatment, the cost is high. Having a 'batch' of barrels treated is the only economical way to go. Barrels need to be new, fired only a couple of rounds to examine fired brass. They need to be perfectly clean before shipping for treatment. Any 'fire cracking' is a no-no. And a thing to remember, the facilities that do this work are heat treaters, not gunsmiths. With the commercial shippers (UPS and fedEx) having new shipping rules for firearms and parts, the only option is the USPS unless you have a 'firearms account' with UPS or FedEx. I have some clients insist on treatment, others who don't. It definitely increases accurate round count substantially.

 

[manitou]

Is the complete action nitrited or just the bolt?

Action+ bolt

 

[idcwby]

Could you nitrade treat a carbon wrapped barrel?

 

[bamban]

Could you nitrade treat a carbon wrapped barrel?

No

 

[hemiford]

No

I had a thread in which I told where certain barrel makers are against meloniting their barrels.
Can you shed any light on this ?
There seems to be two directly conflicting philosophies on this topic.

 

[bamban]

I had a thread in which I told where certain barrel makers are against meloniting their barrels.
Can you shed any light on this ?
There seems to be two directly conflicting philosophies on this topic.

The carbon wrapped will disintegrate in the heat.

Well, they have disclaimers, we make the judgement calls for ourselves.

 

[Mr. Magoo]

Bamban, thanks for all the info.

I like the pretty polished blued steel look, especially on lever actions, just not the lack of corrosion resistance. Though it's not the same exact color, it still sounds like the perfect solution.

 

[CA48]

Is ok to black nitride factory actions like a Rem 700 plus the bolt? Just curious if the high temps from the process change the metallurgy or original heat treat and weaken it?

 

[bamban]

Bamban, thanks for all the info.

I like the pretty polished blued steel look, especially on lever actions, just not the lack of corrosion resistance. Though it's not the same exact color, it still sounds like the perfect solution.

If you polish the steel to mirror-like finish, melonited surface comes out like Colt royal blue finish.

 

[hemiford]

Is ok to black nitride factory actions like a Rem 700 plus the bolt? Just curious if the high temps from the process change the metallurgy or original heat treat and weaken it?

More info: Ted Karagias at ARC warns against nitriding his actions because it negatively affects the heat treat.

 

[bamban]

Is ok to black nitride factory actions like a Rem 700 plus the bolt? Just curious if the high temps from the process change the metallurgy or original heat treat and weaken it?

That's another debate. Brazed handle on the bolt, I will have to ask the provider. The action, I would not hesitate to do one of my 700s. Defiance and others have no problem getting theirs melonited, while others are adverse to it.

Always two sides, take your pick.