Blackening stainless barrels

[vulrath]

Blackening stainless rifle barrels

I've got some "white" AR barrels made from 416 stainless I'd like to darken. To that end I've got some Caswell stainless darkener. I've used some cold blue, but nothing on this level and nothing in stainless.

I don't have much in the way of machining experience (career IT guy [cybersecurity] here), but I've got a lot in woodworking and some in welding. I have wanted a mill and lathe for some time, if for no reason than to offset some of the costs of my raging long range shooting and reloading addictions (no intention of doing it for other people right now, but if I can learn to do my own muzzle threads and/or chambers it would go a long way).

 

[???]

I've never had good results with the Caswell products. Part of my armourers apprenticeship was spent doing completely teardown and rebuild of infantry smallarms. This included coating with a product called Kalgard Gunkote which was baked after application. It was incredibly hard-wearing as in Mag 54 belt fed Lmg's wouldn't even burn it off with sustained fire. I think you can buy it in rattle cans.

 

[???]

Here's a link to the company that distributes it now.

https://shop.kgcoatings.com/kg/about/

 

[SScott]

I just cerakote them. If you don't have a media blaster then you can get away with hand prep. KG Gunkote works as well. Graphite Black for cerakote or in KG Deep Flat Black are good choices.

 

[rons]

I bought a 5 gallon bucket of this stuff. You've got the fine finish, this stuff has the beer.
Don't use on a stove top. If it splashes onto enamel it will eat it away. But you still have time to wipe it off.
All you need to do is heat some salt in water to 285 degree. Slight additions of salt. I think the part soak time was 5-10 minutes.

Ultra-Blak 400 HOT BLACK OXIDE POWDER FOR STEEL

<p>Ultra-Blak 400 is a premium-grade powdered oxidizing agent that produces a deep anthracite-black finish on steel and steel alloys.</p> <p>Drag out 5–30 pounds of Ultra-Blak 400 per week per 100-gallon tank.</p> <p><strong>Samples available to purchase - CALL #262-786-9330.</strong></p>...

www.epi.com

 

[FredC]

I make some small stainless hex nuts that I send out for "black oxide" I am not sure what process they use but they come back with a good black finish. So there is some way to do it and get good results.
I have a stainless 10-22 that had night vision on it. Black electrical tape on the top half of the barrel worked pretty good. It does not look pretty though. :-)

 

[vulrath]

So...What you're saying is that I made a misstep and lost some cash. No biggie, it's only money...I ended up on their site because I needed some stuff for a decorative part and "it was only a little bit more."

rons, the Epi product is that much better than the Caswell? I noticed you linked to the black oxide finishing stuff for carbon steels - can you vouch for the stainless stuff?

 

[Labrat]

I can't say much about black oxide on stainless but I do know it is a very different process than black oxide on carbon or alloy steel. Most vendors I deal with that do black oxide won't touch stainless and half of them believe it can't be done until you remind them that you can buy black oxide stainless fasteners. The vendors that do black oxide on stainless advertise the fact. I've seen ordinary black oxide tried on stainless once and it wiped off like acetylene soot.

What you need in order to do it yourself, I have no clue.

 

[akajun]

send it out for nitride

 

[vulrath]

Nitride isn't off the table for the AR barrels, but I'm not going to waste the money on the bolt guns. They're competition rifles in high-velocity calibers (one is a 6.5mm Creedmoor and the other is a 6mm GT - neither is known for their barrel life). I'm looking at a barrel life of at least 1-2 barrels per season on the GT. That's why I was hoping the stainless blackening solution would pan out.

I probably wasn't being clear. I have a pint of the traditional blackening concentrate and 8oz of the stainless blackening solution concentrate. I am aware they're 2 different processes.

 

[???]

Just go with the gillie suit and the sacking wrapped around your rifle, you will be the tacticoolest guy on the range. Paraphrasing Arlo Guthrie in "Alice's Restaurant" you may even start a movement.

 

[vulrath]

Would you kindly explain in detail what I said that prompted such a rude response? Please be specific.

 

[???]

If you are so prickly and can't understand when someone is pulling your leg you really shouldn't be handling firearms.

 

[GGaskill]

The internet is not a good place for "pulling one's leg" as the pullee does not have any other cues to evaluate your motive.

 

[akajun]

Nitride isn't off the table for the AR barrels, but I'm not going to waste the money on the bolt guns. They're competition rifles in high-velocity calibers (one is a 6.5mm Creedmoor and the other is a 6mm GT - neither is known for their barrel life). I'm looking at a barrel life of at least 1-2 barrels per season on the GT. That's why I was hoping the stainless blackening solution would pan out.

I probably wasn't being clear. I have a pint of the traditional blackening concentrate and 8oz of the stainless blackening solution concentrate. I am aware they're 2 different processes.

Might want to research what nitride does for barrel life
Doubles it at least in our service rifle barrels. Lot of my highpower/ prone buddies are doing it.
And I wouldn’t call 6.5 cm a barrel burner
Try a 300 win mag or even a 243 win
Those short necks put the fire right into the throat

 

[Trboatworks]

The last time I checked nitriding parts was dirt cheap- like priced by the pound and a low price for the minimum batch size.

 

[le3045]

Blackening stainless rifle barrels

I've got some "white" AR barrels made from 416 stainless I'd like to darken. To that end I've got some Caswell stainless darkener. I've used some cold blue, but nothing on this level and nothing in stainless.

I don't have much in the way of machining experience (career IT guy [cybersecurity] here), but I've got a lot in woodworking and some in welding. I have wanted a mill and lathe for some time, if for no reason than to offset some of the costs of my raging long range shooting and reloading addictions (no intention of doing it for other people right now, but if I can learn to do my own muzzle threads and/or chambers it would go a long way).

i have been using the kg gunkote for 30+ years on my items and it is the most durable finish ive ever seen i think its better than cerakote just aluminum oxide blast the areas to be coated heat to around 120 degrees to keep kg from trying to run then coat and bake it will not hinder the fit of parts and is extremely tough the only way to remove is by blast cabinet i have several hunting rifles that have never been wiped with oil and they have no corrosion of any type now i do oil the working parts but i mean you dont have to wipe with oil or silicone to stop rust from forming its the best thing since sliced bread