HBN to 'repair' a barrel

[kelbro]

Since HBN forms a ceramic type coating in a barrel, I am curious if it would help fill some fire-cracking on a heavily-used barrel. Also, how long would a treatment last?

May or may not help accuracy but it might reduce some coppering which seems like it would have to make a smoother trip down the barrel.

 

[BoydAllen]

I think that you are incorrect about HBN forming a ceramic coating in a barrel. Where did you come up with that ?

 

[kelbro]

I think that you are incorrect about HBN forming a ceramic coating in a barrel. Where did you come up with that ?

Hmmm.... thought that was what I had read. Perhaps I'm thinking of another 'coating'.

 

[GSPV]

I don't think that it's going to work that way. Once the damage is done, it's done.

The only real use of Danzac or HBN is to reduce cleaning interval and shorten cleaning jobs with the idea that the less that you clean, the longer the barrel lasts.

 

[jonbearman]

Have the barrel set back if there is room.

 

[lpreddick]

there is a product...Snipex, that is supposed to fill in very superficial pits/cracks in the bore and thereby reduce bullet gouging and fouling. there was a thread about the stuff awhile back? i am trying it in a barrel that was in bad shape and have not decided if it helps recover accuracy. there is definitely a smoother feeling when patches enter the bore. i can't see anything with a borescope but the stuff is a ceramic-like material and this, i think, implies a glass- like surface.

 

[Gappmast]

Nothing is going to make a old barrel new again.

 

[Nomad47]

This article claims that a barrel can be ceramic coated with hBN.
http://theswissriflesdotcommessageboard.yuku.com/topic/9031/hBN-again-and-this-time-I-ll-leave-it#.UjxsP1M9CP9

 

[BoydAllen]

I read the claims in the article, looked over the patent, and did a little research on whether HBN is considered ceramic. Typically, barrels do not wear out, they burn out. Nothing in any of this reading addressed this. Various bullet coatings are known to reduce the required frequency of cleaning to maintain accuracy, and there has been some evidence of extended barrel life, but nothing that I have read would back up the claim of extending barrel life by two or three times. There seems to be a general lack of proof, and without that, I remain skeptical. On the other hand, I don't see any harm in trying this. Let us know what happens if you do.

 

[Scott Harris]

Boyd's argument makes a lot of sense to me. Most of the barrel wear is from the blow-torch effect of hot gases burning the barrel. A microscopic layer of anything is not going to prevent that. HbN reduces the friction between barrel and the copper bullet....two different subjects. Will HbN reduce copper fouling? sure. Will it reduce the blow torching of your barrel? Highly doubtful.

 

[Nomad47]

We'll see when I get to AZ and Kelbro borescopes my four barrels that have the hBN treatment. Three of the four got the treatment before the first shot was fired and have never seen a brush or chemical since. One of those three barrels (6XC) has 665 rounds down it and the 6SLR will likely have over 600 rounds before it gets to AZ.

 

[CPorter]

The barrel is coated with a ceramic not ceramic coated. The difference is a mechanical versus chemical bond. Using the alcohol/hBN mixture the bond is a weak mechanical bond. Being loosely coat it wears off which is why we have to coat the bullets.

There is a salt bath nitride coating, Melonite QPQ, for instance. It chemically changes the metal to a depth of a couple microns like case hardening. I don't think it will bridge the gaps because it is a chemical process not a deposition. Basically there is no metal in the gaps to change. To fill in the gaps of the fire checking you will need to electroplate or try a vapor deposition.

 

[BoydAllen]

How does that go? Something about up a rope?

 

[kelbro]

Just pondering extending the life of a barrel burner 270 WSM that I bought before I had a Hawkeye borescope.

Shoots well but it's an A-Bolt and I've heard that they don't take kindly to barrel swaps.

 

[Pres100]

What about Tubbs final finish and TMS? I have not used used these,but would think they might be more effective at reducing the effect of fire cracking rather than trying to fill them in alone. Perhaps the combination of both?

I agree that you can't make an old barrel new, but some maintenance might be able to counter some of the ill effects of some wear characteristics. Just need to make sure you don't over do it and create more problems.