Tuftriding barrels

[Dannywayoflife]

Does anyone know know a gunsmith in the uk that will tuftrided a rifle barrel? I've been reading alot about it on US forums and it seems to easily double barrel life or more

[Chuck]

Tuftriding, now there's a process from the past...once upon a time any half decent Mini or Escort crank shaft was tuftrided or niterided.

Must be something in it for guns after all then as it was a hardening process I think, designed to reduce friction and friction wear.

For the boffins:

http://www.fsb.unizg.hr/atlantis/upload ... iranje.pdf

[Dannywayoflife]

I believe it's still used in the motor industry. It seems to be gaining popularity in the US and the idea of more than doubling barrel life is very appealing!

[R.G.C]

Does anyone know know a gunsmith in the uk that will tuftrided a rifle barrel? I've been reading alot about it on US forums and it seems to easily double barrel life or more

This is the oooold Degussa 'Durferit' process that makes its share in the German war effort, consisting to carbon-enrich the surface of low-carbon steels to make them susceptible to receive a superficial hardening.

The actual process can have many names, but is know as 'QPQ' or 'Quench, Polish, Quench'. The 2 quenches can already be of concern as they are made at a temperature over tempering or recristallisation ones (also, how is the quench made, horizontal or vertical?? both fashions not satisfactory I think for long tubes), but what is of real concern (for me at least) is the 'POLISH' inbetween, as one can really wonder on how this is made (and the processors are totally silent on this subject). They also claim the process reduces friction, but they are as silent on by how much it is reduced...... if ever it is!!!!!!

IMHO, a waste of money to the profit of the ones who saw that as a source of income....

Now, the process is based on carbon and nitrogen....Does those ingredients not already generated each time a round is fired in a barrel?.... The process occurs then naturally, no???

On the same vein, cryogenisation is praised to 'treat' barrels....Cryo is used in matallurgy to eliminate any residual Austenite in heat treated steels and this is the only purpose for the process.....Why the heell then wanting to remove austenite out of a steel who is already Martensitic by nature????.....

Use of better steels than the 416 + S would be a better option...

My point only,FWIW
R.G.C

[Dannywayoflife]

Interesting points mate. I know there are many different ways of carrying out this process though the guys in the states seem to be raving about this and apparently many European manufacturers carry this out under differing names already is sako and styer

[billgatese30]

Rather than tuftriding I've often wondered about PVD coatings such as titanium nitirde/TiAlN or a PeCVD such as diamond like carbon. I've used them at work with great effect as to their abrasive wear properties but their lubricity is never as ground breaking as they like to claim it is in real world use. (I trialled DLC swage dies on machinery at work, lubricant free, as the DLC has "better" friction properties than the PTFE powder we were using on paper. Real world however, we needed just as much PFTE to get a good clean ejection from the die).

Would be interesting to see how well it protects the throat of a chamber on something that gets hot though (although probably more use in the US on a centrefire semi etc).

[Chuck]

How much does this costs versus a new barrel in the USA......??????????? seems a lot of trouble for nowt.

[Dannywayoflife]

It costs very little certainly in the US it costs about 40 dollars. Compared to what's the average of a new barrel here 6-700?

[R.G.C]

Rather than tuftriding I've often wondered about PVD coatings such as titanium nitirde/TiAlN or a PeCVD such as diamond like carbon. I've used them at work with great effect as to their abrasive wear properties but their lubricity is never as ground breaking as they like to claim it is in real world use. (I trialled DLC swage dies on machinery at work, lubricant free, as the DLC has "better" friction properties than the PTFE powder we were using on paper. Real world however, we needed just as much PFTE to get a good clean ejection from the die).

Would be interesting to see how well it protects the throat of a chamber on something that gets hot though (although probably more use in the US on a centrefire semi etc).

ADLC or DLC could be interesting with their spme 2400-2700HV, friction coeff of less than 0,1 and temperature process of 300-350°C(as compared to the 600+of the QPQ)

If only the vapours would penereate in tiny long bores, the problem inherent to coatings would subsist as, even if the coat is only 3 to 5 microns, it is susceptible to vary within those limits.

Then, the matt black finish would certainly not please those wanting a shiny barrel bore..

Finally, as the process could only be applied on chambered barrels, this 0;1 friction coefficient would work on cases stretching just like an oiled chamber......

R.G.C

[FilippoMo]

I corresponded with one of the first people to adopt ferritic nitrocarburizing (the process) which has many commercial names.He said the first barrel did improve about 20 percent compared to a non treated barrel,the second was ruined.Claims to double barrel life are absolutely off the mark.Both barrel blanks came from the same manufacturer and processed by the same laboratory on the same equipment.
I would wait for further development.
Filippo