Barrel Nitriding: 11,000 round update

[FroggyOne2]

Matt,

That is something to consider. If you can save the life of the barrel by routine maint like that, then it might be worth it.

Randy

 

[Dgd6mm]

Verygood info Matt. I have 2 barrels with low round count in them scince nitriding, they shoot every bit as good as before the process. 1 is a 7SAUM and the other is a 6MM competition match.

 

[eric32]

did you notice any velocity increase after the nitriding with the same loads?

 

[nosualc]

This sounds fantastic. Almost too fantastic to be true! What I'm not clear about (still) is whether there a decrease in potential accuracy?

I know, hard question to answer definitively.

I scanned the thread and I see lots of sling/OTC shooters using/praising barrels treated in this way. No offense to these fantastic shooters, but are there any competitive LR benchrest or f-class guys shooting nitrided barrels?

-nosualc

 

[eric32]

well ill be shooting F-t/r with one here in now time i am finishing my rifle in the next couple of weeks and ill be post what kinda accuracy i get. but i think it will be a little unfair since i am going to have a barrel tuner installed and the barrel nitrided. now all i got do is learn the wind

 

[SDWhirlwind]

I have just put together a 22/6mmAI with a Bartlein 5R. Have 71rds down it. Reading these comments seem like this project might be a good candidate for this process????

Where can I get this done?

What is cost?

What kind of turnaround?

Perhaps I missed all this somewhere? I am getting old and comprehension is the 13th thing to go!!!!!!

 

[eric32]

Guys, if you do a search on the forum, you will get a bunch of info, both good and bad.
Contact info:
Send to :
MMI-Trutec, Inc.
2609 N. 12th Avenue
Paragould, Ar. 72450
ph 870-236-6920
Attn: Rodney Lanier

Dear Sir,

I am the plant Manager of MMI. Well as Joel has said do not accept individual accounts. However a long time in house employee has assumed this business. He will use our bath with a surcharge. There is not any need in sending these parts to an outside source and then us. You can send them directly to Rodney Lanier rlanier77@hotmail.com. They will come directly to MMI Arkansas facility attention Rodney. His charge is $60 per barrel and $75 for handguns and $55 shot gun barrel. check made out in his name included in the package plus $20 shipping or an ups account #. You can contact him at 870-236-6920

Thanks,

Mike Wooldridge
Plant Manag
MMI-Trutec
Paragould, Arkansas

Here you go and its best to only have 20 or so rounds down the barrel but if it shoots i say send it

 

[4xforfun]

4xForFun.
Aren't your barrels about 1/2 used up?
The problem used to be in getting them clean enough before the process with that many rounds. Seems like MMI has that solved.
Send one and keep one. Do your own testing.
JoeMax,
You don't get throat erosion. This process makes the inside and outside VERY hard. I ask customers to try and file the sharp points off the threads. Nothing happens - I lose a lot of files like that. I get tired of shooting them before they show any sign of wear. When it first comes back - I clean it with valve lapping compound. Recommened by MMI to get the process trash out.
You would need bare metal for the process to work. This is not a coating that can be removed. So you cannot re-apply it.

Half used up???? A 300 WSM should give at least 2000 rounds of winning accuracy. I watched a gentelman distroy the compitition at the 2008 IBS 1K in Ohio...he had 4000+ rounds down the tube. Not sure if was shootin a Win Mag or WSM, but there arn't two licks-0-difference between the two.

If I conservitivly figure 1200 to 1500 rounds of compeditive life left, and this process could double or tripple that number......!!

The skeptic in me is not believing the whole thing......."if it sounds to good to be true".....!!

BUT...what if I am wrong , and it works.....!!

Crap.....I think that they should just shut this whole internet thinningy down...I have enough trouble making up my mind as it is!!!!

Tod

 

[ratguner]

I may have missed this in an earlier part of the discussion, but is nitriding possible with gas guns?

I am thinking that the gas port may close up enough that cycling could be an issue.

 

[eric32]

I have seen it done before but you might need to remove the gas block but i am not 100% but you can call and ask

 

[Matt Pitchon]

My 11,000 round barrel was on an AR. No issues with the gas port. The gas block must be removed. OK to leave the barrel extension on.

 

[hoverp]

Matt, I called mmi, no reply .

I emailed Rodney that was supposed to be the POC. According to the letter from MMI, no reply.

Do you know who to contact to send barrels to?

Thanks

 

[spclark]

My next experiment will be re-nitriding after about 3000 rounds and see what happens. My thinking is the same as yours. The throat looses it nitriding first. The nitride layer is not very thick, and once gone, the underlying steel is the same soft steel as the original barrel. After having borescoped the 11,000 round barrel I found no evidence of firecracking or missing chunks of metal.

One discussion I found states the treated thickness is on the order of 0.0015" - 0.002" & once that's gone the underlying metal may actually be softer than before treatment (depending on just which alloy the barrel is made from) because of the 1075°F process temperature.

The renewed mention of this (Melonite QPQ) here and on another forum has got me thinking about it once again. I'd held off having a new Palma rifle barrel treated when I assembled the rig late in 2011 (with John Whidden's inestimable assistance!!) but after one season's successful use (~ 400 rounds) it's shooting so well I may have the barrel processed just to see what happens, good or bad. There's so much more user info out there now I don't think it too likely the results will be negative.

 

[spclark]

I am thinking that the gas port may close up enough that cycling could be an issue.

I believe there's no appreciable "growth" potential; the process affects the metal surface to a certain depth rather than building up / onto fully machined components.

If there were a build-up (then) treated rifle bores would be reduced in diameter leading to increased pressure, right?

 

[butchlambert]

A lot of these questions have been asked and answered. Do a search. You will find the email I received from the Army"s armorer. He did extensive tests with test receivers, both before and after treating. Look it up and read it.

 

[hoverp]

I just want to know who is a reliable source to send 1200$ worth of 2 barrels to for processing, and still have the barrels come back with the threads not buggered up.

Anyone?......Buehler.....Buehler?

 

[butchlambert]

$1200 wow! Maybe you might want to drive over there and hand them to them. I made a screw on thread protector and use a crutch tip to cover the crown. They came back the same way.

 

[1shot]

+1 to what Butchlambert said. Kelbly's in Ohio does all my work and every barrel I get from them has a hard nylon cap threaded on the breech end and a slip on soft plastic cap on the muzzle. WIW, I'd spend a couple of buck every time to protect a $600.00 bbl.
I hope this helps,
Lloyd

 

[hoverp]

I meant from the guys doing the processing, both the Schneider and the Kreiger will always have thread protectors and crown protectors on when shipping. It's what happens when they take them off at the treatment facility .

Question still remains unanswered as to who is CURRENTLY doing the nitriding process and is savvy to firearm barrels. Who is doing a good job out there to go to?

So far MMI has not responded.

Who has sent their barrels off recently and to whom did they send it ?

I will try and search for"Kelbys" .

 

[Immike]

I hope the answer is MMI because I sent 2 barrels on Oct 21st and they still have them. I called once a week ago and was told they were behind on work. Mike

Rodney Lanier is the man that does the barrel work.