Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles H&M nitriding review

Receivingblacknitride.com for questions. His name is Jacob (the intake manager I think). Very helpful.

Wonder if this would smooth up the action on my Kimber Montana.

I agree, bargain pricing.

That coating looks great! How durable is it?

Not an expert but don't believe its actually a "coating" like Cerakote or others. The process of nitriding actually changes the surface of the metal through a chemical process.

Correct. Creates a surface layer of nitride, as if case hardened into black goodness. Like up to 70 HRC. Ain't nothing else like it and you ain't setting up to do it in the garage.

I'll try to scratch some later.

I am pretty sure it would. My action (700) is glass-smooth.

I just took a pocket knife and tried to scratch the muzzle shoulder on a QPQ nitrided barrel. Nothing. Farking amazing. Black magic.

H&M BlackNitriding process explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AabpDN0Deo8&feature=emb_logo

From the video; BlackNitriding is a two-step process; 1) surface diffusion of carbon and nitrogen to harden the surface, and, 2) iron oxide formation for corrosion protection.

Another article which provides some info about H&M's BlackNitriding process: https://www.shootingillustrated.com...ros-and-cons-of-nitride-barrel-finishes/

It appears that H&M uses a standard salt-bath based nitrocarburizing process for its first step to caseharden the metal (and, nitrocarburizing is generally acknowledged to be an outstanding metal finishing process), and then, adds the second step of iron oxide formation to enhance the corrosion resistance. Thus, H&M's "BlackNitriding" is apparently an improvement on the standard nitrocarburizing process. There are likely other proprietary tweaks to the process that H&M adds, and doesn't reveal.

I may just have to send it their way. What was your turn around time? And does it only come in black? Will they reassemble the rifle? I may call tomorrow anyway..

Concur. I was worried about putting the ejector pin back in the bolt. The punch rolled off it several times and hit the nitride. Didn't leave a mark. If they would sell a hinged bottom metal conversion for this rifle I'd be over the moon. But at least this mag acts as a toploading magazine if you want.

Ten actual working days. Shipping is the wildcard. They will not disassemble or reassemble anything. If you send anything not taken apart they won't nitride it. My understanding is that the treatment turns anything black, BUT it will retain the original level of polish. So I don't think, based on what I've read, that it would make a deep blued barrel flat black like the m12 was *before* it got nitrided. It did darken the m12 some and you can feel the hardness of the new metal composition and it's smoothness.

Added: the exception to disassembly is the barrel from the action. You don't need to unscrew it. And in the m12s case, you couldn't even if you wanted to. BUT if you want the threading hardened, you obviously could on other rifles.

The process is like as described above, like a case hardening. Unless H&M is different I always leave mine in a tub of water. The QPQ salt needs to be removed. I posted in the passed an email from an Army armor and his vast experience with it. He did a lot of testing in a machine rest. His opinion was no increase in velocity, no loss in accuracy, but a greatly increased barrel life and a lot better corrosion resistance.
I have a very nice custom woodstocked 40x rimfire with a SS barrel. I like the rust blued look, so I high polished the barrel and did the Melonite QPQ and it looks like a nice rust blued barrel. .

Has anyone bedded or thought about bedding? I can't decide if it's worthwhile... or how much too mess with the lug arrangement.

Does your question on bedding pertain to the nitriding or are you just asking if people bed rifles? I’m not sure I’m understanding the question because I can’t see what one would have to do with the other?

I know the company in question apparently told the OP that it isn’t necessary to pull the barrel. Maybe they changed their process in some way in the last 4 years since I’ve had anything nitrided but I will say that I believe it’s a good idea to do so. I have sent hundreds of guns out to H&M and another processor to be treated and have seen bad things happen occasionally from leaving the barrel on.
On a handful of occasions I witnessed a Remington recoil lug crack. On one occasion each I saw a Wby Vanguard and a MKV crack the front receiver ring. The processor’s explanation was the heat of the process and the difference in mass and alloys resulted in different expansion ratios for the barrel shank and the receiver causing the crack. Also like Butch mentioned it is difficult to get the salts out of the threads and they will “creep” white crustaceans out until all the salts are removed. It is much easier to get it out with the barrel off.

Also extremely small parts may be prone to embrittlement and failure. Things like #6 screws, extractors, and ejector buttons with a cutout for a retaining pin. Nothing made of spring steel should be processed, they become extremely brittle and break like glass. I’ve seen magazine springs inadvertently sent and they snap into multiple pieces the first time they’re compressed. Magazine boxes could also be problematic seeming to warp or spring at times and give feeding trouble on occasion. Remington 700 extractors should be replaced, they will break or at least lose tension.

All that is not to imply that I don’t like the process, I think it’s the best finish on the market but it does have limits. Just wanted to offer a counterpoint from my experiences.

Haha no, it has nothing to do with nitriding. But most of the guys who bought these all seem to be in this thread, so it seemed like an easy way to ask without starting a whole new one.

Appreciate the input. I specifically explained before sending it off to H&M that the m12 was a press fit barrel and couldn't be removed. They said no problem. I get what you're saying about different expansion rates with the barrel threading, but I wonder how much that applies in this specific case? i.e., aside from the pins themselves, I'm not sure where the solution would penetrate between the barrel and action that it couldn't escape assuming it could get in there at all? (I'm not a chemist or a metallurgist... these are genuine questions.)

Bought these what? Do you assume we read before posting? Uhhhh? LOL

Always bed the hell out of everything.

The Mauser M12s from Standard for $499.