S&W Melonite coated barrel vs Noveske chrome lined barrel.

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A good gun is a good gun.

A bad gun is a bad gun.

A bad gun with a nitride barrel is still a bad gun, and the same is true for a bad gun with a chrome lined barrel.

This debate would not be so heated if we weren't talking about lower level firearms.

On the other hand, we know nitride works on a good design.

[Mjolnir]

A good gun is a good gun.

A bad gun is a bad gun.

A bad gun with a nitride barrel is still a bad gun, and the same is true for a bad gun with a chrome lined barrel.

This debate would not be so heated if we weren't talking about lower level firearms.

On the other hand, we know nitride works on a good design.

Yep. I agree. Wholeheartedly.

[Mjolnir]

So, just to clarify, as I don't quite get what you posted, you're saying that nitriding IS a viable barrel finish?

Absolutely. I prefer it to hard chrome.

[EzGoingKev]

Absolutely. I prefer it to hard chrome.

I haven't seen you post in a while.

What are technical aspects that make you prefer it over a chrome lined barrel?

[Mjolnir]

I haven't seen you post in a while.

What are technical aspects that make you prefer it over a chrome lined barrel?

It's a conversion coating so there is theoretically no bore distortion. It's harder, it's better at resisting both wear and salt water corrosion and the hard and corrosion resistant layers are about twice as thick as hard chrome.

It's being used in motorsports where ferrous alloys are being used in an abrasive environment. Some of these parts are highly polished and then coated with Tungsten Diamond Like Carbon ( W DLC ) or some other thin film coating like Titanium Nitride (bright gold).

I follow metallurgical and material science developments that could relate to motorsports and firearms very, very closely (I'm an egg head) and I've not run across anything better than nitrocarburization and thin film vapor deposition coatings. I have a series of technical papers I can email anyone interested. Just PM me your email address.

Having Ionbond coat your Glock or HK slides would be about as good as it gets.

Mike Rock and I speak (via email) about fluidized bed nitrocarburization of barrels and he's a much better metallurgist/material science guy than I (and a barrel maker to boot) and he's one of the few renowned barrel makers with an engineering degree and I believe he has a honorary PhD from Univ of Wisconsin. He's a patriot and a half, too. Buy an LMT to show your gratitude! :wink:

[EzGoingKev]

It's a conversion coating so there is theoretically no bore distortion.

If I understand things correctly they heat the parts up to 1300 or more degrees. I would think the barrel would to be supported properly or you maybe introducing the possibility of distortion.

One would have to be measured/gauged prior to the process and then again after the process to determine if the methods being used are right for barrels.

[Dirtyboy333]

It's a conversion coating so there is theoretically no bore distortion. It's harder, it's better at resisting both wear and salt water corrosion and the hard and corrosion resistant layers are about twice as thick as hard chrome.

It's being used in motorsports where ferrous alloys are being used in an abrasive environment. Some of these parts are highly polished and then coated with Tungsten Diamond Like Carbon ( W DLC ) or some other thin film coating like Titanium Nitride (bright gold).

I follow metallurgical and material science developments that could relate to motorsports and firearms very, very closely (I'm an egg head) and I've not run across anything better than nitrocarburization and thin film vapor deposition coatings. I have a series of technical papers I can email anyone interested. Just PM me your email address.

Having Ionbond coat your Glock or HK slides would be about as good as it gets.

Mike Rock and I speak (via email) about fluidized bed nitrocarburization of barrels and he's a much better metallurgist/material science guy than I (and a barrel maker to boot) and he's one of the few renowned barrel makers with an engineering degree and I believe he has a honorary PhD from Univ of Wisconsin. He's a patriot and a half, too. Buy an LMT to show your gratitude! :wink:

Whenever you get a chance, could you email me that info? I too am a big fan of Nitride and find it very interesting. I'm always trying to learn more on the subject as well as find some hard data to put this issue to rest. Thanks

lincolnls3364@hotmail.com

[rsilvers]

ACR, RGP, and AAC 300 AAC Blackout barrels are all nitrided because Remingon did extensive testing and the barrels did last 60% longer than chrome lined.

Chrome is legacy but not as good as nitriding.

There are also plenty of ways to mess up Melonite so I would be weary of it in many cases as the specific process is critical and almost certainly many are not doing it correctly.

[Dirtyboy333]

ACR, RGP, and AAC 300 AAC Blackout barrels are all nitrided because Remingon did extensive testing and the barrels did last 60% longer than chrome lined.

Chrome is legacy but not as good as nitriding.

There are also plenty of ways to mess up Melonite so I would be weary of it in many cases as the specific process is critical and almost certainly many are not doing it correctly.

Interesting. I had no idea the ACR was nitrided.

Is plasma nitriding the process that the "better" companies use? or does it not make any diff.?

[rsilvers]

I don't know of guns being done by plasma nitriding, but the Sig 550 series rifles have been gas nitrided forever - and they are of course one of the bestiest assault rifles ever made.