This is my main hunting rifle. A blued Remington 700 actions that has been lightened and trued, and fluted stainless barrel, high tech specialties stock in 300 RUM. This is the rifle I use 90% or more of the time. Has riden hundreds of miles in a 4 wheeler scabbard and been drug thru a lot of thick alaskan brush. Its even been used to scrape trees in an effort to get a bull to show himself on a couple of occasions.
The metal has held up amazingly, it literally looks as good now as it did the day I got it back from nitriding. two years ago I shot a small bull at the last minute and during the rush to get the meat taken care of before I had to return to work I left it in the case until I got back from work a week later. When I opened the case water ran out of it. I was a little worried but when I pulled the rifle out it was just fine. The scope ring screws and swivel studs and swivel rings where orange and furry. I have since had them nitrided.
You can see the wear to the ceracoated aluminum bottom metal and the zolatone stock paint. The stock has been painted twice now!
My buddies shop uses H&M metals to nitride prepped parts. Everything gets fully disassembled (barrel off action), bead blasted, and bagged up and sent out. I would definately remove the barrel, the salts will leak out of the barreled action for days and there has been the occasional barrel that gets loose during the nitride process. This is a very hot process and doesn’t work with all metals, it will also melt sweated on barrel bands and banded front sights off.