Ti Nitriding a barrel, and maybe salt nitriding a 1911 slide

Hi guys,

So I've read a bunch of the old threads about salt nitriding (Melonite) of barrels.
The extra wear/corrosion resistance makes me think it'd be just the thing for the 2011 longslide I'm working on. Once I get the slide fit dialed in, and all the cuts done, have the whole thing melonited so it doesn't wear much.

Anybody ever done it to a slide? Or just barrels? (Know any companies in CA that'd handle it?)

Next question: I have a buddy who's a tool and cutter grinder. He sends some of his resharps out to be recoated in Tin, or TiAlN. That's a sputtered vapor deposition process, not a hot-salt bath. Anybody ever tried it on a barrel? I've seen TiN gold barrels, so I know it can be done, at least externally, but (A) how's the thickness *in* the bore, and (B) does it take any funky setup, or can you just stick it in the vacuum chamber with the cutters?

Any clue on costs on any of this?

Thanks,
Brian

Look into PVD coating, salt bath nitriding temperatures are going to bring your slide hardness temper down to as low as 32 Rc when finished. If that's ok for your hardness level, then nitriding will work well. The PVD is a very thin coating of diamond like hardness.

Meloniting will leave surface hardness of about RC60 or better. Slides are well suited for the process. I don't think you can coat a barrel bore uniformly with TiN. There is no way to force the vapor through the bore. You would probably get an inch or two at the chamber and the muzzle.

RWO

paracongo308 said:

Look into PVD coating, salt bath nitriding temperatures are going to bring your slide hardness temper down to as low as 32 Rc when finished. If that's ok for your hardness level, then nitriding will work well. The PVD is a very thin coating of diamond like hardness.

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The core hardness may go down to 32 (I don't know) but the surface hardness will be quite high, still. That's the best of both worlds, really. Hard surface and a tough core.

RWO said:

Meloniting will leave surface hardness of about RC60 or better. Slides are well suited for the process. I don't think you can coat a barrel bore uniformly with TiN. There is no way to force the vapor through the bore. You would probably get an inch or two at the chamber and the muzzle.

RWO

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Hi guys,

I made a couple of phone calls. Discovered a few things.

Melonite (salt bath nitride) typically happens at 1075F, which is hot enough to temper steel pretty far down.
Also talked to a PVD company, and got a chatty owner on the line. TiN and TiAlN both typically happen at about 900F, so it's not going to be a whole lot of difference in terms of how far down your parts get tempered. It's all about the surface hardness.
We also got to talking about trying to get PVD (TiN, or TiAlN) down inside the bore of a pistol barrel.
Nope. You'll get a little sort of 'eyeball' thick layer, and it'll get thicker at the muzzle and breech, but it fades out fast after 1 diameter down the pipe. No way to do anything much to get it to give you a decent layer thickness in the main length of the bore. Looks pretty on the outside though.

Now my question is this: given that people do make 1911's out of aluminum, I figure a solid 4140 frame, even if annealed, covered with an RC60 skin, is going to be more than tough enough, right????

The reason I care: I'm in California. My 2011 frame is essentially irreplaceable. Which means I don't dare screw it up.

Thoughts?
Brian

Yes, that frame will last forever, more than likely.

The slide is where you want to maintain your temper 32Rc minimum, the frame could be aluminum, 4140, stainless etc and can be in the annealed state if your going to nitride it.