Superior Barrels' - "Hard Blue" Process

[sniperfrog]

Thanks, sniperfrog. I looked on their website and they stated they would not process other barrels. I understand the complexities & potential risks of doing so. I'd love to have a "match" chromoly barrel from them but they are out at the moment.

I just spoke with Mike Rock of Rock Creek Barrels (helluva guy, btw and he's a Metallurgist which I don't think any other barrel makers are). He's familiar with Lothar Walther Barrels and Superior Barrels - he has access to equipment needed to do metallurgical analysis - and the "melonite"/"tuftride"/"tennifer"/ ferritic nitrocarburization process is quietly being done by several companies including your reference. He and I were discussing the different types of nitrocarburization and I had to grab my Metallurgy text and go to LSU to obtain a Molybdenum-Oxygen phase diagram today to follow where he was going. The man's a true walking, talking, barrel making encyclopedia of knowledge! And I'm a practicing engineer who loves metallurgy but his knowledge surpasses mine.

Long story short: Stainless or Cromoly, fully stress relieved, 5R cut rifling, nitrocarburize is his belief which I share, too, though I like cold hammer forging. If the latter isn't properly stress relieved - and most aren't as they are forged very, very close to final geometry - there can be issues. I advocate cryogenic treating ANY cold hammer forged barrel anyway so it's not an issue to me. Since I don't cut on barrels I've no tools to prematurely wear out due to the CHF grain structure.

I'll call Superior Barrels tomorrow.

I have heard Mike is a great guy to talk to. I've also heard that Mike was looking into melonite type treatments. I'd like to see Mike offer a cut-rifled barrel from the CMV mil-spec steel already finished for an AR, 16" middy with melonite. I'd buy two.

[Humpy70]

I have four rifles with Superior Barrels on them.

I was thinking about selling my carbine version.

[markm]

Based on the Melonite history, I'm skeptical to say the least. Not so much on the process, but the miss-application and/or half ass mediocrity in implementing the process.

We all saw the issues with melonite and the AR barrel extension AND drilling the gas port after treatment. And we had a total failure with a shit Faxon barrel with improper treatment that Faxon did not take care of.

Any new miracle solution has an uphill battle to be proven for my disgruntled ass.

[Humpy70]

Have not had a problem with any of mine as they were assembled at Superior.

[HKGuns]

Doesn't even look like this company is still in business.

**NECRO POST**

[markm]

Doesn't even look like this company is still in business.

**NECRO POST**

WTF??? LOL. Well my necro prediction was right!

[sinister]

Superior was somewhere in North Georgia and sourced their very good barrels from Lothar-Walther (somewhere close to Atlanta). I think they were one of the first businesses to offer a nitrided/treated barrel.

Precision Shooting carried some very flattering long-term reviews.

I think any decent shop that can turn and chamber a blank true, then nitride and stress-relieve correctly will get the same result.

[HKGuns]

WTF??? LOL. Well my necro prediction was right!

To be fair, it wasn't your fault, you clearly were a "victim." (I hate it when I do that) I think "Humpty" may have some splaining to do.........

Thanks for the data points sinister, I'd never heard of them until this thread popped out of the depths of M4C. Your point is probably why they're no longer in business, if that is indeed the case, I didn't look too hard for them.

[RHINOWSO]

I have four rifles with Superior Barrels on them.

I was thinking about selling my carbine version.

Jeeezuzzzzzz.... thanks for digging up a 13 year old thread...

[Humpy70]

Superior closed a number of years ago, maybe more. One of the owners sold off the ones he kept about 3 1/2 years ago. I am glad I got the ones I did but I need to thin down my collection as I have more than I could ever shoot.

Insofar as barrels being drilled for gas ports after treatment I know that did not happen insofar as far as Superior was concerned. How do I know this? They had no machinery. The barrel blanks went to a top AR builder in Florida (can't remember his name but his specialty was match ARs) and he did all the machining to them IN THE WHITE. All Superior did was to fire them 100 rounds to break the barrels in, then the uppers were disassembled and barrels sent for the treatment. When they returned they were reassembled and sent out.

I know others treated barrels and I have no information on them but insofar as Superior messing up barrels I have never heard of.