New Barrel Coating Tech? This is interesting...

[JS8588]

Ran across this Reddit thread last night. https://www.reddit.com/r/ar15/s/nqzWtjzXd3

From what I can tell, it appears to be some kind of PVD coating that can be used to treat both the interior and exterior of rifle barrels. I've read rumors around the web that Sig may be using something like this on the 277 Fury barrels to deal with what should otherwise be quite the barrel burner.

PVD/DLC is a line-of-sight coating, thus hasn't been implemented for barrel bore treatment heretofore.

I thought "what the hell" (had a couple adult beverages last night) and messaged the OP.

He directed me to https://rtcoating.com/ and said he handles sales.

Looks like they're based in Lititz, PA. About an hour and 20 from my AO.

I did tell him he should post here as you guys would definitely put his tech to the test.

Oh, btw, for those who aren't going to read the comments on Reddit (don't blame you), he's quoting $50 to treat barrels.

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is, but again, this is interesting.

 

[Cascade Hemi]

Ran across this Reddit thread last night. https://www.reddit.com/r/ar15/s/nqzWtjzXd3

From what I can tell, it appears to be some kind of PVD coating that can be used to treat both the interior and exterior of rifle barrels. I've read rumors around the web that Sig may be using something like this on the 277 Fury barrels to deal with what should otherwise be quite the barrel burner.

PVD/DLC is a line-of-sight coating, thus hasn't been implemented for barrel bore treatment heretofore.

I thought "what the hell" (had a couple adult beverages last night) and messaged the OP.

He directed me to https://rtcoating.com/ and said he handles sales.

Looks like they're based in Lititz, PA. About an hour and 20 from my AO.

I did tell him he should post here as you guys would definitely put his tech to the test.

Oh, btw, for those who aren't going to read the comments on Reddit (don't blame you), he's quoting $50 to treat barrels.

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is, but again, this is interesting.

I used traditional hBN quite a bit 15 years ago. I don't know anything about that application process but applying it in powder form with alcohol absolutely reduced erosion and wear. I'm skeptical of the price tag but I have a project I think would be a good application if nothing else.

 

[JS8588]

Energetic Armament also cites a Boron Nitride treatment of the interior of some of their suppressors. Hmm...

 

[JS8588]

Tagging in @LRRPF52 @Constructor and @MSTN to see what they make of this.

 

[Taylorbok]

For $50 there's almost nothing to lose

 

[JS8588]

For $50 there's almost nothing to lose

Agreed. I do wonder if the idea isn't to get a bunch of business quick and cheap for word-of-mouth advertising. I sent a link to this thread to the Reddit OP. Would love to see him engage with some of our resident gurus to sus out the validity of the claims for this coating.

 

[Kadams1563]

Well $50 now then if it works $350 later lol

 

[JS8588]

Well $50 now then if it works $350 later lol

Yup

 

[Evintos]

hBN coated barrels as a whole is nothing new. hBN coating barrels patent expired a couple months ago, so it's likely that you'll see more commercial offerings of hBN coating on barrels. You can DIY by shooting hBN coated bullets. Coat bullets in hBN powder or buy the hBN aerosol sprays.

US7197986B1 - Composite steel and ceramic gun barrels - Google Patents

A method for lubricating gun barrel bores comprises burnishing dry lubricating ceramic particulate into the metal surface of the bore such that the particles of particulate substantially fill grain boundaries in the metal. The burnishing of the particulate may be done manually or mechanically...

patents.google.com

The dry ceramic such as boron nitride powder, in sub-micron size, can be manually rolled or burnished into the grain boundaries of a steel barrel or it can burnished by coating a bullet or other ammunition equipment prior to firing the gun, allowing the bullet to do the burnishing when it is fired. This simplistic method of bullet burnishing was selected because it does not require any special tooling and can allow for field processing. Firing boron nitride powder coated bullets utilizes the velocity, heat, and pressure resulting from the firing to do the work of lodging the ceramic particles into the grain boundaries of the composite steel.

 

[MK20]

Sig is nitriding their barrels. I doubt any coating will last long inside a barrel.

 

[AMGtuned]

Cerakote makes a line of product for coating pistons. Bet it gets pretty damn hot in there.

Just saying it might be possible. Not that it would work.

 

[bfoosh006]

Interesting. I would also like to know more.

Since this applies to barrel longevity... what barrel / barrel material might be a good candidate ?

 

[Aftermath]

Well $50 now then if it works $350 later lol

Or....$50 more on what you paid for your barrel. Then, if id doesn't work, whatever a new barrel is gonna cost ya. I'll not be an early adopter.

 

[JS8588]

I'm going to send some small parts as an experiment. Quoting 2 day turnaround time. If that goes well...

 

[XLR308]

Sig is nitriding their barrels. I doubt any coating will last long inside a barrel.

Can't remember if it was Rolls Royce or Wartzila that would Nitride the pistons on thier marine diesels for durability and longevity.
That Process seems to be probably the most durable option for a rifle barrel treatment.

 

[bfoosh006]

Over the weekend I was dwelling on this hBN, and also remembered it was the newest best thing years ago.
I also remembered the hBN did not reduce friction the same across the board in respect to bullet construction.

Solid copper bullets showed very little reduction in friction.
Cup and core bullet faired better.

The link has a "Open PDF" link.

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA568594

 

[abn31c]

Just a note, it's important to break the barrel in before coating. I put 150 rnds thru a 25 cal brux and then had it coated. 600 rounds later and no real measurable wear.

Edit, I just had it nitride, no experience with the above process.