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.
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