Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Nitride

I have a bolt rifle that I would like to get the barrel and action Nitride treated. Looking for suggestions on who to go to. Since I am in FL I would prefer if they where in the east.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

GW

I was hoping someone would have some input on this. I did a forum search,but it wasn't too productive. Has anyone done a Nitride treatment on a gun? Any plus or minus to having it done? Any reliable source to contact?

GW

Have a nitride finish on my Dakota rifle and I think it is one of the best. Here is one source but I have not done business with them: http://blacknitride.com/

Here is another off a google search: https://www.wmdguns.com/firearm-coatings/production-coating-services.html This company does a lot of work for several manufacturers.

Hope Butch Lambert chimes in he has dealt with a couple different companies.

Only down sides that I know of are the heat involved. the roughness and weeping of salts initially. Mixed reports on doing this on hammer forged barrels and button rifled ones.
Takes a really good cleaning to get rid of the last two usually with an abrasive like JB. I plan on getting a couple of barrels done after hunting seasons are over.

I have had a number of them done. It is durable, fairly attractive and mostly maintenance free. I will never do a barrel again though. Just too much of a crap shoot whether they shoot after the treatment or not. I have one right now that I feel was ruined by the nitriding. I love it on the action though.

Thanks for the input.

Tejano I will check into those two providers.

Dennis, that is interesting about the accuracy. I don't think that I have heard that before.

GW

I have used blacknitride. The finish on the barrel pre nitriding will determin how the finished product looks. A high polished steel barrel will come out with a very attractive and deep black luster.

They take a lot of scrubbing once done to clean all the junk out of the chamber and barrel, but once done the finish is nearly rust proof.

I have not noticed a decrease in accuracy, with a sample of 4 barrels.

You are correct! My experience. I have had at least 10 barrels treated. Yes, you need to make sure you go to the trouble to clean the bore after treatment.
It greatly increases barrel life.
My source has received a promotion and now they only do large shipments of military barrels, not one at a time. I have a friend that will have mine done when he sends a big lot.

After having some done I will not do anymore. I couldn't figure out why about half the time the rifle is not accurate. One day talking to my 'smith, who used to do a lot of them in bulk, said he discovered about fifty percent will not shoot well. I certainly would not hesitate to do the action though.

Soaking the parts in VERY HOT water & brushing, will help to remove the salts after nitriding; so will heavy soaking in WD-40 or CRC-3-36 will also neutralize & remove the salt as well.

MM

Wonder why I didn't have that problem?

What I have read is the industrial Melonite or Tennerite process the temperatures are too high for rifle barrels. The fire arms specialist use a lower temperature. I also have read that button or hammer forged barrels are more likely to be affected than cut rifled barrels due to latent stress in the barrel. But some manufacturers like Glock do thousands of hammer forged barrels, not sure if these are the polygonal barrels or not. Doe's anyone have any updates on this?

Well....now I have to re-think this idea a bit.

The temperature used is right around 1000 F. This is NOT too high for barrels. They are generally stress relieved at even higher temps. It is, however, right on the threshold of what the ACTIONS are heat- treated too. I think I gave up a point or two in deep hardness but picked up 15 points in surface hardness, a worthwhile trade off.

I am going to try lapping my current barrel right now. It is a Shilen select match on a custom action and is not shooting worth a dang. I think it was the nitriding.

Is that the same one that I had Shilen inspect a few years ago?

No, this is a heavier one that I chambered in 6x47L. It is also the first and only one I have ordered in Select match grade. The others have all been non-select. It won't shoot any Bergers at all. It will shoot 107 Sierras decent. Scratching my head.