electropolishing barrels ?

[dansig]

I was wondering if it was ok to electropolish SS barrels, like the Krieger HV barrel ?

I have had some SS electropolished before and I really like the finish I get, and it's easier to clean..

wondering if doing it to the inside of a barrel is ok ? it removes iron molecules and leaves higher amount of chrome in the surface, that should make the barrel easier to clean on the inside and less carbon and copper should get stuck on the chrome..

I've been following the barrel nitrading thread http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3795644.0 , 11000 rounds through a barrel and was wondering if this could give similar results since nitrading is not available in Iceland.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Google "Blackstar Barrels". I believe that electropolishing was their big deal. I also recall hearing that Lothar-Walther barrels are electropolished.

 

[butchlambert]

Eddie, Lothar Walther supplied barrels to Blackstar for electro polishing. This started over 20yrs ago and they ain't won a match. It does not increase the life of a barrel.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Butch, I remember when they sent Tony some barrels to try. He didn't seem to impressed.

 

[drumcorpschamp]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electropolishing

The above is a decent explanation of electropolishing. Notice that while the process does improve the surface finish of the workpiece, it achieves this by eroding steel from the surface itself.

In my real-life job, I have sent precision components for medical devices out for electropolishing. We spec'd a relatively non-aggressive process and were very pleased with the improvement in surface finish. Through pre-production testing, we established that the material loss per side was .0002" and the machined parts had to be made that much oversize to be in tolerance after electropolishing.

Personally, I'd let the barrel manufacturers properly lap the inside of my barrel and have the electropolishers make the parts for the outside of my gun nice and shiny.

Jerry

 

[Robert]

Personally, I'd let the barrel manufacturers properly lap the inside of my barrel and have the electropolishers make the parts for the outside of my gun nice and shiny.

Jerry
[/quote]

+1 on that. Electropolishing is alse named "electro-chamical deburring" and deburring means rounced edges...

Wonder also how the process can be clpsely controlled over the full bore lenght?

Finally, I think to remember the process was recommended for austenitic stainless, not that much for martensitics.
R.G.C