Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles H&M Nitride Question

I would like to have a gun or a few done and have been doing a little reading. Anyway some say I having a rifle that has already been used treated doesn’t work out as well as a new unused barrel. I also know you can read anything and everything online so I thought I’d ask here. Thanks in advance.

No first hand experience as my nitrided barrels were done when new. Some say it is better to shoot them in some in case there are any burrs or irregularities in the barrel. The negative is it is a lot of work to get a barrel 99+% clean if it has been shot. I have not done this but others recommend fire lapping before nitriding, this might make sense on a factory barrel or an older rough barrel.

Another dodge I have done is to scrub the throat with 0000 steel wool and JB bore compound on a cleaning rod in an electric drill. The idea is that any tool marks are likely to be in the throat and the rest of the barrel especially if hand lapped should be left alone.

The only down side to doing a used barrel is if you don't get it clean enough first. It will not improve a shot out barrel much if at all.

Hopefully some one who has done more barrels will respond.

I have read both sides of the story.

Some say a new barrel that is nitrided may take much longer to break in.

But others have reported that their broken in barrels shot worse after nitride.

Sample of one, my stainless Bartlein was unfired when nitrided, and was good from the start, and after less than 100 rounds (280AI) has settled in very nicely.

Thank you fellas.

Break in of a custom barrel? As mentioned above, the only thing that needs attention is the throat in a newly chambered barrel. I use 0000 steel wool wrapped around a bronze brush. Use your trust drill and work on your throat for about 5 seconds. Your barrel is now broken in. Only problem that some folks have with their barrels after treatment is they don't clean them properly after getting them back from the melonite folks. Put them in a container of water for a couple days, scrub the bore thoroughly, and shoot.
It works great if done properly.

I was afraid that if I didn’t get the barrel back to 100% clean it would have I’ll effects? Again I don’t know what I’m talking about here. I’m not worried about a new barrel but one that’s already been used some. I wouldn’t bother with one with 1500 plus rounds either. I would just have it done after a new barrel. I’m not saying barrels are done after 1500 rounds just a example. Thank you for the replies.