Melonite barrel treatment

[BountyHunter]

I have two barrels done.

338 Lapua Ack Imp and 300 WSM. Joel K did both of mine and he will again

Love it!

Break them in quickly, super super clean and send them off.

 

[WildRose]

Yup, I read through the whole thread and saw that Skyking had a couple barrels done recently (at time of thread) but was wonder if others also had some done and if they had put many rounds through the tubes. I researched this quite a bit a while back and it seemed to good to be true. Have heard a lot of good reports and some mediocre reports.

Overall, sounds like it's worth a try as long as there are no horror stories.

FWIW, On break-in, I also spoke with the Benchmark guys and they emphasized minimal rounds down the tube for break-in, especially for overbores.
they had some sort of lapping process to prep the barrel for the treatment.

Guess I'll contact Joel again and get his opinion on break-in.

Still would like to hear from others with real experience.

I've read everything I could find on the subject since I first read about it in an article on Accurate Shooter.

The worst reports I've seen said their guns shot as well as before and cleaned up easier. No horror stories at all.

I was on the fence about sending some of mine in, and decided I'd go ahead and complete my collection and get all of the work done to them I wanted that required any machining before sending them in.

I will start having them done one or two at a time now that I have reached that goal, well almost.... .

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I've read everything I could find on the subject since I first read about it in an article on Accurate Shooter.

The worst reports I've seen said their guns shot as well as before and cleaned up easier. No horror stories at all.

I was on the fence about sending some of mine in, and decided I'd go ahead and complete my collection and get all of the work done to them I wanted that required any machining before sending them in.

I will start having them done one or two at a time now that I have reached that goal, well almost.... .

New barrels, right?

 

[WildRose]

New barrels, right?

Relatively new. I sure won't both with the expense on any that are already showing any appreciable throat erosion.

Everything though I've read on the subject or heard from people I respect is that you want to already have them thoroughly broken in though and very thoroughly cleaned. If they are not cleaned they will either get rejected or you'll get a heck of a bill for cleaning.

 

[Pdvdh]

25-50 rounds down the bore, just enough to break the bore in, is what I've read. Melonite treating a bore that already has any firecracking in the throat is reportedly a problematic risk. Melonite treatment can open up those fissures and hardens them, resulting in hardened, sharp edges in the bore that can collect fouling.

That's the gist of it from what I've read. I'm not going to be treating any bores with more than 150 rounds down the tube, until I read something differently from the folks that provide this treatment. And I'm winging it with the 150. The safer approach may be less than 100 rounds fired.

 

[WildRose]

25-50 rounds down the bore, just enough to break the bore in, is what I've read. Melonite treating a bore that already has any firecracking in the throat is reportedly a problematic risk. Melonite treatment can open up those fissures and hardens them, resulting in hardened, sharp edges in the bore that can collect fouling.

That's the gist of it from what I've read. I'm not going to be treating any bores with more than 150 rounds down the tube, until I read something differently from the folks that provide this treatment. And I'm winging it with the 150. The safer approach may be less than 100 rounds fired.

I'm going to have my gunsmith scope them all before I send them off and let him be the final go/nogo on it for me.

My approach is being based on the same concerns you have.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

25-50 rounds down the bore, just enough to break the bore in, is what I've read. Melonite treating a bore that already has any firecracking in the throat is reportedly a problematic risk. Melonite treatment can open up those fissures and hardens them, resulting in hardened, sharp edges in the bore that can collect fouling.

That's the gist of it from what I've read. I'm not going to be treating any bores with more than 150 rounds down the tube, until I read something differently from the folks that provide this treatment. And I'm winging it with the 150. The safer approach may be less than 100 rounds fired.

Haven't heard that it was a safety issue but maybe it is? But I have heard you definitely don't want it done to any barrels with any fire cracking or throat erosion. I've heard less than 50 rounds through it and the guys at Benchmark winced when I said I was planing to put 5-10 rounds through a 300 Ultra. Their suggestion was maybe 2-3 rounds by the smith after smithing for the usual function check and let them (Benchmark) prep the barrel.

 

[hammertyme]

Since Starting the Nitride treatment some years ago I have a total of nine barrels with the treatment. 5 were before the barrel was shot and 4 after the barrel was broke in whatever that number was I haven't a clue as all barrels break in with different number of rounds.

When Benchmark got the 6.5WSM Reamer a friend of theirs built the 6.5WSM the same time I built my 3 groove 6.5. We both Nitrided our barrel through the Benchmark system. Last I heard he had 1350 rounds or there abouts through his barrel and it still shoots well. I have over 1100 rounds through mine now and it still bugholes.

My 300 RUM has a lot of rounds down it as well. It is still bugholing as well! I have carried several of these tools around and in the Alaska environement and the Nitrided pieces themselves have not rusted. The trigger groups removed for the Nitriding process in some cases have superficial surface rust.

I can not find a downside and have nothing but positive to say about Ferratic Nitride other than it has become vary popular and in that capacity it has become expensive. The process is still done by the pound and the one company in Minnesota charges $250. for hundreds of pounds that are dipped at one time.

Neal

 

[Pdvdh]

Haven't heard that it was a safety issue but maybe it is? But I have heard you definitely don't want it done to any barrels with any fire cracking or throat erosion. I've heard less than 50 rounds through it and the guys at Benchmark winced when I said I was planing to put 5-10 rounds through a 300 Ultra. Their suggestion was maybe 2-3 rounds by the smith after smithing for the usual function check and let them (Benchmark) prep the barrel.

I think I'm going to shoot mine enough to confirm the barrel is a shooter before I pay to melonite treat it. Most after market barrels shoot well. But every now and then everybody can produce a lemon. I have not read that there are any health and safety issues with the treatment of barrels or actions.

A 300 Ultra would be a great candidate for the melonite treatment to my way of thinking. Perhaps the melonited Ultra barrel will last as long as an untreated 300 Win Mag barrel.

 

[barnesuser28]

Since Starting the Nitride treatment some years ago I have a total of nine barrels with the treatment. 5 were before the barrel was shot and 4 after the barrel was broke in whatever that number was I haven't a clue as all barrels break in with different number of rounds.

When Benchmark got the 6.5WSM Reamer a friend of theirs built the 6.5WSM the same time I built my 3 groove 6.5. We both Nitrided our barrel through the Benchmark system. Last I heard he had 1350 rounds or there abouts through his barrel and it still shoots well. I have over 1100 rounds through mine now and it still bugholes.

My 300 RUM has a lot of rounds down it as well. It is still bugholing as well! I have carried several of these tools around and in the Alaska environement and the Nitrided pieces themselves have not rusted. The trigger groups removed for the Nitriding process in some cases have superficial surface rust.

I can not find a downside and have nothing but positive to say about Ferratic Nitride other than it has become vary popular and in that capacity it has become expensive. The process is still done by the pound and the one company in Minnesota charges $250. for hundreds of pounds that are dipped at one time.

Neal

he only problem i can think of is you cant have the barrel set back and rechambered if it is a 'hummer' barrel.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

The benefits that I see in this thread seem to be similar to shooting moly tumbled bullets ..
I get a cooler barrel, higher velocity and greatly eased cleaning when I shoot moly tumbled bullets.
I have also wondered it a bore that has had a number of Mollied bullets fired thru it is more corrosion resistant than one with uncoated bullets fired thru it.
Any one know?

 

[shortgrass]

Melonite benifits shouldn't even be considered as being the same or equivalent to moly. Shooting an untreated barrel with moly coated bullets and you'll still have fire cracking caused from the hot gases. I'm sold on it! Many of the rifles I build on speculation I have the barrel melonite/nitided. I, also, offer this to many of my customers who have me building rifles with 'high intensity' cartridges. I started using it on my own rifles and it didn't take long to realize that it's no BS. I've known of some who only fire 2-3 rounds and send 'um off. I've had nothing but positive results from this process and will continue to use it in the future. Who cares if the barrel can't be 'set back' when you are getting about half again as many accurate rounds down the tube as you would with an untreated barrel. I decided to try Melonite/Blk. Nitride because some bench rest shooters were using it. They wouldn't even consider it if it effected accuracy in a negitive way. It is a process that has been used for many years on other 'high load', high precision parts.

 

[elkaholic]

I've put 500 rounds thru my 30/375 S.I. now and had almost 200 thru it before melonite. I was kind of worried about that but I seem to be ok. The only real difference I see so far is about 25-30 fps velocity increase. The barrel is a Krieger and bugholed before and after treatment. It had a really smooth bore to begin with so I didn't really notice much difference in cleanup. I had my action melonited as well and noticed that it has a super smooth bolt and I also like the fact that it is impervious to most everything..........Rich

 

[hammertyme]

Great reply Shortgrass.

What most do not understand about this type of process since most and then some are not machinists.
This process has been used for decades so our nice edges stay on our cutting tools longer.

Have you seen the different colors on drill bits to end mills? There are other processes out there that add to the material one is having heat treated.

Rich

Have you increased your powder charge? I have done it to several barrels and with 1-3 grain powder I jumped noticably in velocity.One did not enjoy the three grains so had to drop to one grain increase to retain my bughole accuracy.

I did forget to put the top ports in the brake of my 458 Lott a couple years ago prior to Nitriding. I had six high speed drill bits and No carbide .200 drill bits.
1. It was a bugger putting a dimple in the material to chase with a drill bit.
2. Took me 3 bits to drill 6 .200 holes and it took 2 bits to drill the first 3 holes!

Remember that it is hard (outside) then soft then hard on the inside!

Neal