Melonite..Who does it now??
- Thread starter harv50
- Start date
2 buddies and I shipped 6 barrels about 3 years ago to MMI Trutec. Turn around back then was under 2 weeks. They did a good job. I have not shot either barrel much. 1 is a 6MM Competition Match and the other a 7RSAUM. The little I shot them, they both shot as accurate as before I sent them out to 1000yards.
NCVarhtr
Gold $$ Contributor
I have had several Barrels treated by MMI Trutec and I have been very pleased. Normal Barrel steel is suppose to have a Rockwell hardness of between 28 & 32. The melonite process increases to RC to somewhere around 58 to 62 so I'm told, thereby reducing barrel ware and extending barrel life. The accuracy that I have experienced is every bit as good as any barrel I have. They ask that you shoot a new barrel around 50 shots and clean it really well before sending it to them.
The guy to call is Rodney Lanier at MMI...His # is:870-236-6920....
Finish: If you send the barrel to them with a high polish, it will come back looking like a nice bright blue/back finish. If you send it to them with a bead blasted finish, it will come back with a matt finish. The only down side is this: once you have the barrel melonited, its so hard, you can't rechamber it, recrown it and you probably can't cut it off....The harding process is not deep at all but it is very hard... Hope that helps a little.....George
The guy to call is Rodney Lanier at MMI...His # is:870-236-6920....
Finish: If you send the barrel to them with a high polish, it will come back looking like a nice bright blue/back finish. If you send it to them with a bead blasted finish, it will come back with a matt finish. The only down side is this: once you have the barrel melonited, its so hard, you can't rechamber it, recrown it and you probably can't cut it off....The harding process is not deep at all but it is very hard... Hope that helps a little.....George
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
George,
I believe Randy left to pursue his own thing. You can recrown if it is necessary. The case hardening is not deep, under .001. I put mine in a lathe and clamped a little tool post grinder to the tool post and cut through the case. My carbide parting tool then cut the end of the barrel off. You can recrown now. OK, I really, maybe, didn't need to recrown it.
I believe Randy left to pursue his own thing. You can recrown if it is necessary. The case hardening is not deep, under .001. I put mine in a lathe and clamped a little tool post grinder to the tool post and cut through the case. My carbide parting tool then cut the end of the barrel off. You can recrown now. OK, I really, maybe, didn't need to recrown it.
Our turn around time for six barrels was about three weeks. That was back in January/February. I would imagine that could get longer during the shooting season.
One thing that I noticed, the barrel is really smooth internally. A patch just glides thru the bore with very little cleaning.
I didn't even shoot mine after chambering, Just lapped the throat and bore a bit and sent it to them. Cleaned it really good.
Got it back and you need to clean it really good again. The process leaves a lot of residue inside the bore. Brushing and JB bore paste are the order of the day. You also need to use a good tight brush in the chamber (turned it with a cordless drill) to smooth up the finish as well.
Shot the bbl last weekend and it's accuracy is impressive.
One thing that I noticed, the barrel is really smooth internally. A patch just glides thru the bore with very little cleaning.
I didn't even shoot mine after chambering, Just lapped the throat and bore a bit and sent it to them. Cleaned it really good.
Got it back and you need to clean it really good again. The process leaves a lot of residue inside the bore. Brushing and JB bore paste are the order of the day. You also need to use a good tight brush in the chamber (turned it with a cordless drill) to smooth up the finish as well.
Shot the bbl last weekend and it's accuracy is impressive.
I've crowned two that have been melonited. The first was a mess using carbide, While it certainly will cut it, the finish was horrible where it mattered most..right at the crown edge. The next one,at the advice of Richard Milton, I did as you mentioned and fashioned a small tool post grinder to the lathe. Crowning with it was a snap, and it left a very nice, clean and burr free crown. I may try it on an un treated 416 ss barrel to see how it does. It should do just fine, just a bit more trouble. Grinding is actually a more precise means of machining than is cutting. Think surface grinding or precision ground parts. I really don't see a down side other than setting up the tool post grinder.butchlambert said:
Dr. Said I had it,and stay out of the Sun!
Maybe he was right. Do you have anything to add to the thread, or is that all you got?JVON said:
Come on lighten up a little! I thought it was funny.
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
ER, I'm an old man, jvon, it still flies straight over my head.
I'd sure like to see some scientific evidence that is does any thing. Maybe even just a rash of new records set with melonited guns. I think there is a helll of a lot more smoke here than fire. But say it wouldn't be the first time shooters have been sucked in.
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
Hey Johnnie,
Have you done any research or just stirring the DO DO? If you will search and do it on this forum you will find a lot of information. I don't think you will find anything that says it does anything for accuracy. It greatly increases the barrel life. If you can't find anything I will try to guide you through it.
Have you done any research or just stirring the DO DO? If you will search and do it on this forum you will find a lot of information. I don't think you will find anything that says it does anything for accuracy. It greatly increases the barrel life. If you can't find anything I will try to guide you through it.
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