To nitride or to not nitide barrel

[Willie16wild]

Here sometime this winter I want to get a barrel nitride. Right now i just finished bedding my action into the stock. I will go shoot it here some to see if the precision and accuracy improved at all. The barrel was doing 3/4 to 1 moa.

By the time fall is done i will have around 500 rounds through it i say. It is 300 win mag with Remington action and Remington barrel still on it.

This is the question i was getting at. Should I get the Remington barrel nitrided or do you think i should just buy a better barrel/new one? I would then get the new barrel nitrided after its been machine/chambered.

 

[Xander3Zero]

In my opinion, that factory barrel isn't worth the time/trouble/money to get it nitrided.

What is the barrel's finish now? Stainless or blued? If its really bothering you, just spray paint it black yourself. I have some seen DIY paint jobs come out pretty good on barrels, and you really shouldn't even have to remove it from the receiver. Just tape off the receiver, seal up the muzzle with a foam earplug or similar, and get the barreled action hung up so you can paint it.

 

[308pirate]

What do you believe you will gain by nitriding a barrel?

 

[Willie16wild]

Life span of the barrel. I have heard 3 to 4 times as long. But i am gonna get one done this winter and see how it works out. The local gunsmith said you will probably see a little lost in velocity. He said he did it to 2 of his guns and he lost about 50fps.

But i am gonna find out next year sometime to see if its true or not. Its gonna be one of my winter projects.

 

[308pirate]

Nitriding will definitely increase the life of a barrel, as it's a case hardening process that creates a super hard layer within the steel from the surface to a depth of anywhere between .010" to .030" deep.

The process also creates growth in all dimensions of whatever you nitride. That means that the bore will become smaller, by a few ten thousands of an inch. That might explain the slight loss of velocity. To me the tradeoff would be worth it but I wouldn't nitride a factory barrel. I'd save that for something choice.

I'd also use gas or plasma nitriding, and not salt bath.