im sure this has been discussed already but lm looking for suggestions. I just sent my Tikka bolt to LRI to be fluted and as soon as I get it back I want to send it off to be coated. I was looking at DLC or a teflon type coating. I want something slick and durable, corrosion resistance isn't as important to but would be a plus. I'm open to other suggestions and recommendations on where to have it done. Thanks
- Thread starter sprink21
- Start date
Haven't DLC'd anything yet, but I have/had a number of bolt actions with Robar NP-3. It's been good. NP-3 does wear and it shows, but lubricity remains good. Would I NP-3 again ? Sure. Would I switch to DLC from NP-3 if it didn't wear as much and all else was equal ? Absolutely.
I did talk to the guys at Bighorn about Salt bath nitriding/Meloniting their actions and they waved me off, due to the high processing temperatures. They were concerned about the high temps weakening the actions. The DLC and NP3 processes don't get remotely close to the temps of SBN/Meloniting.
The one thing I won't do again is paint my action(s) (specifically the interior/raceways) with Cerakote. It is very, very abrasive. I do like it for exterior surfaces though.
I did talk to the guys at Bighorn about Salt bath nitriding/Meloniting their actions and they waved me off, due to the high processing temperatures. They were concerned about the high temps weakening the actions. The DLC and NP3 processes don't get remotely close to the temps of SBN/Meloniting.
The one thing I won't do again is paint my action(s) (specifically the interior/raceways) with Cerakote. It is very, very abrasive. I do like it for exterior surfaces though.
I got my TL3 DLC'd by Club Custom Guns. He's good, easy to work with. He's my recomendation, but ive only had DLC done once so i dont know much about other applicators etc... But i will continue to use Club Custom for future needs.
They were concerned? Nitriding temps are not even halfway to any annealing temperature of any steel used for action/barrel making.
The only way their statement makes any sense is if their actions are carburized/austenitized/quenched/tempered.
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I had the bolt on my RPR Micro Slicked by Zephyr Defense, 75 Bank St. #16, Sparks, NV 89431. I'm not sure if they are on this forum but they are on Facebook. The bolt smoothed up considerably. It is a coating made by Cerakote. Here is a link to their web page.
https://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com/finishes/C-110Q/micro-slick-dry-film-coating/
Hope this helps.
https://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com/finishes/C-110Q/micro-slick-dry-film-coating/
Hope this helps.
LRI is not equipped to coat a bolt? I would be surprised if they didn't have the product and capability.
I will second MicroSlick...had it done on a Defiance bolt at GAP as part of a full build.
They’re not alone. ARC nitrided one of their actions and then proof tested it alongside a bare action. The splinters of the nitrided action which they recovered fit nicely in a small sandwich baggy. This is why they DLC them. Clearly it made their receiver way too hard. I dont know the material differences between a mausingfield and a bighorn.
Have Chad coat it with Ceracotes Ultra slick coating, can't for the life of me remember the name, works pretty good. Micro Slick dry film coating is what it's called. This bolt is coated with it.
https://i.imgur.com/0fxqnYe.jpg
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I took a slightly lower cost approach after LRI welded my bolt handle back to my bolt.
I spayed it with High temp black engine paint... and placed it in my grill for several hours.... so far, holding up well, and if it gets to a point I think it's wearing, I can replace... I actually don't mind a little wear and tear on my rifles...
I spayed it with High temp black engine paint... and placed it in my grill for several hours.... so far, holding up well, and if it gets to a point I think it's wearing, I can replace... I actually don't mind a little wear and tear on my rifles...
That's not the same as "weakening due to high temperatures". Whatever, I'm an engineer by trade and by education and deal with heat treated steels as a matter of course which is why I agree with ARC: I will not buy an action and/or barrel that has been nitrided after the fact no matter whose action it is or who did the nitriding. Value goes to $0 the moment someone starts to play amateur metallurgist with a rifle.
Why does nitride weaken the steel when it only hardens the outer .010” ???
Most action makers and gunsmiths will steer you away from nitriding, it's not just Bighorn that's concerned about it.
Is there a difference between Cerakote Elite and the Cerakote Micro Slick series?
Elite is just newer technology coatings.
It might reduce the ultimate yield strength of some cross sections of the action due to loss of ductility in the case hardened region.
There's a lot more to it but that's the jist of it
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One of my bolts is parkerized and one has Cerakote Elite, which is thinner than regular Cerakote. The Parkerized bolt is very slick. Feels like oiled glass. Parkerizing holds oil really well. So I have a light film on the bolt. The Cerakote Elite bolt is a bit stickier, but I don't really notice it in the moment, while shooting. But if you sit there and play with it, sure you can feel it's not as slick as my other one.
I'm really happy with the parkerizing. You don't have to worry about sending off to a third party for DLC or whatever. Most smiths can do it themselves in their shop. And the way my smith did it, it's a dark grey color. And with a little oil, it turns black to match the graphite black Cerakote of the action.
I will parkerize every bolt going forward. It also doesn't add much in the way of surface material, so tolerances stay the same.
I'm really happy with the parkerizing. You don't have to worry about sending off to a third party for DLC or whatever. Most smiths can do it themselves in their shop. And the way my smith did it, it's a dark grey color. And with a little oil, it turns black to match the graphite black Cerakote of the action.
I will parkerize every bolt going forward. It also doesn't add much in the way of surface material, so tolerances stay the same.
Yeah, it's old school. But it works. The bolt is parkerized and then the handle, bolt nob, and the rear of the bolt are Cerakoted to match the action. I put a drop of oil on my finger and run that over the bolt for a thin coat. That's all there is to it. Easy to clean. Runs smooth. No rust. No added thickness to the diameter of the bolt. And it doesn't change the metal's hardness as far as I know.
I was reluctant to do it at first. But my smith basically told me he was doing it lol and I had no choice. Well... I love it.
I've had my Tikka bolt microslicked and couldn't tell if there was any difference at all, but to put it simply my Tikka is the slickest action I've ever cycled, moreso than my Kelbly Atlas tactical action which itself is very slick. It's just that my Tikka cycles like an absolute dream, even friends who run actions like Defiance, Stiller and Borden are surprised by it.
Following. Does LRI have capabilities and what do they recommend?
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