Gunsmithing Melonite vs Bluing Actions and Barrels

[Jigstick]

Im having another hunting rifle made, similar to one I built two years ago. The stock will be hand carved out of Claro Walnut. Im using a BAT HR action, Krieger #4 sporter. But Im in a conundrum at the moment.

My prior gun was built on a chrome moly BAT HR repeater and a chrome moly Krieger barrel, which I sent out to have blued. The gun is beautiful, and shoots very well.

However, for this gun, BAT can get me a stainless steel melonited HR repeater in 3 months. And Im on a time crunch to have the action and barrel in hand, so that the stock can be carved.

Therefore I have to choose whether or not to get a stainless barrel and send it out for melonite....or go with another chrome moly barrel and have it blued.

Do any of you have experience sending stainless barrels out for melonite? I know the barrel needs shot a few times before it is melonited....but I'm wondering if melonite is any better or worse compared to bluing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Doug

 

[Wannashootit]

Curious as to why you've ruled out Cerakote. Obviously you're not a "traditionalist" since you're using Melonite- and while there can certainly be a conversation regarding durability of Melonite v. Cerakote, no such argument could be had with blueing v. Cerakote.

Bad experience with it in the past?

 

[scudzuki]

Meloniting is far superior to blueing.
It is a surface hardening treatment.
It's also entirely resistant to rusting.

 

[GH41]

The Claro stock will scream class! Cerakote or Melonite wouldn't say anything! Blueing of the receiver/barrel would be my choice for looks. If I wanted function to reign over form I would do the stainless with a velvet like bead blasted finish. If it were going in a plastic stock I would do cerakote over stainless. I think the stock should drive your decision.

 

[Wannashootit]

^^^
I agree that a well-done hot salt blue job is beautiful...but you gotta see what an action looks like in Elite Midnight. Slick as teflon, and a very deep blue that's amazing.
I'm about to do a Mauser conversion with it, I'll post a pic of it when it's done. And, hot blue costs more than double Cerakote. Worthy of consideration, just sayin....YMMV.

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

Just my opinion but I never use the word Melanite and precision rifle used in the same sentence. YMMV

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

Great when used on the action or bolt.

 

[Sonic Crack]

From my experience with melonite
1: the barrel does not have to be shot first
2: it does not make anything “entirely resistant to rusting”.
3: done plenty of barrels that were not shot prior and they freakin hammer. One barrel done twice and did not change anything.
4: melonite or cerakote is 100% better protection than blueing

 

[Edds]

Just my opinion but I never use the word Melanite and precision rifle used in the same sentence. YMMV

What is your preferred finish?

 

[J!m]

For what it's worth:

i think nothing is more beautiful than traditional bone blueing as done by USFA. I don't know if they would do outside stuff but if I get another SAA I will do what I have to to get it in bone blue.

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

What is your preferred finish?

What's the application?

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

What is your preferred finish?

What's the application? Barrel only, hunting, tactical, fine rifle, matte, bright?

 

[sandwarrior]

Just my opinion but I never use the word Melanite and precision rifle used in the same sentence. YMMV

Can I ask what exactly goes on with the melaniting process that affects accuracy in a negative way. I've shot (added: melanite barreled) rifles that were, IMO, pretty good at long range, and what was needed for ringing steel at distance. However, I don't know about the "ultimate accuracy" that you find in benchrest. You have a lot of experience in that realm can you expound?

 

[Easy_E]

^^^
I agree that a well-done hot salt blue job is beautiful...but you gotta see what an action looks like in Elite Midnight. Slick as teflon, and a very deep blue that's amazing.
I'm about to do a Mauser conversion with it, I'll post a pic of it when it's done. And, hot blue costs more than double Cerakote. Worthy of consideration, just sayin....YMMV.

How close is that Elite Midnight to a factory blued Remington action? I'm doing a 700 with a walnut stock and the blued action looks great but trying to figure out something for the CM barrel ?

 

[Jigstick]

Here is the gun I had hand carved by my buddy two years ago. Also claro walnut, BAT HR action, Jewell trigger, Krieger #3 sporter barrel. By far the most expensive gun that I have built, and a welcomed change from the typical tactical style guns I have built. The plan was to have two guns like this built, one for each of my boys to have, and to pass down through the family through the generations. That gun is in 30.06.

This time I want to do something very similar, but it will be in 300 winchester magnum. The plan was to chamber both guns in readily available calibers so that factory ammo will always be easy to obtain.

I wanted these guns to have the traditional "american hunting rifle" look to them, which is why I decided to have the first one blued. The current conundrum happened because the BAT action for this current build is coming in stainless steel, which can't be blued. My worry is that if I go with a chromoly barrel and have it melonited, the color and finish won't match the melonite on the stainless action.

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[J!m]

If the new stock will be like that, I'd blue it. Stainless can be blued too, just a different procedure, which I recently learned.

Maybe DLC would be another possible option?

Or, a combination of stainless (polished) and blue. That'd be pretty nice looking if done well too.

 

[Jigstick]

Yeah I really like the bluing on the first rifle. But i was under the impression that SS couldn't be blued, hence it was coming from BAT melonite finished. I have handled BAT actions that have been melonite finished and they were incredibly smooth.

Anybody have a picture of a melonited barrel?