Darkening a Stainless Renegade???

[Hatchet Jack]

Wanted to get some thoughts on darkening my stainless Green Mountain Barrel, Renegade ML. I realize typical bluing or browning procedures will not work on stainless. Looking for something high quality that won't rub off or fade easily. Will ship barrel out to have work done if I have to.Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[dbowling]

have it cerakoted, not sure if you can do stainless but if so that would be about the best way to go. Myself I like the stainless and if going to hunt with it i would just hit with a coat of dark grey primer then clean off at the end of the season.

 

[Sideshow]

Black oxide . Cheap and durable . Same thing as impact socket finish .

 

[Idaholewis]

I am just about to do something similar, But Different My stuff is going Cerakote, I found a Local Guy here that does it. You could ship that Barrel Back here to Idaho to this Guy. Give me a little bit and I Will have My Stuff Back from him, i will do a Review on it

He does AWESOME Work!! Check out his Gallery
https://eaglegunworksfinishing.com/

 

[viking]

check this out..burlingtoneng.com/melonite-processing. It sounds like what cva does, salt bath and all.

 

[sabotloader]

HJ - I would really suggest that you look at getting the barrel treated with a black Nitride finish. It will/would be more expensive but in my view a much better lasting and durable finish.

ISONITE® (per SAE AMS 2755) is a high-performance variety of salt bath nitriding process. It is also known as Tufftride® and Liquid/Salt Bath Ferritic Nitrocarburizing (FNC) process. It is a thermochemical diffusion process whereby nitrogen-bearing salts generate a controlled release of nitrogen at the interface of a ferrous part.

ISONITE Salt Bath Nitriding Company - Parker Trutec

www.parkertrutec.com/service/isonite-salt-bath-nitriding/

Ferritic nitrocarburizing

Ferritic nitrocarburizing or, less commonly known as Ferritic nitrocarburising, in British English, is a range of case hardening processes that diffuse nitrogen and carbon into ferrous metals at sub-critical temperatures. The processing temperature ranges from 525 °C (977 °F) to 625 °C (1,157 °F), but usually occurs at 565 °C (1,049 °F).

BENEFITS
Low Material Distortion Following Treatment

• Greater Resistance To abrasion And seizure
• Fatigue Endurance is Extended
• Pitting Resistance is Increased 50% to 100%
  Heat Resistance
• Corrosion Resistance
• Material Tensile Strength and Stiffness Are Enhanced
• Improved Durability

http://www.parkertrutec.com/service/isonite-salt-bath-nitriding/

 

[Semisane]

Man, I hate to see a nice GM stainless barrel get covered up. Why do that?

Though some believe a stainless barrel will alert game, I haven't found that to be the case and really doubt the finish itself is a cause for concern. Movement is what alerts game, even if it's a full camo gun that's moving.

 

[Idaholewis]

Man, I hate to see a nice GM stainless barrel get covered up. Why do that?

Though some believe a stainless barrel will alert game, I haven't found that to be the case and really doubt the finish itself is a cause for concern. Movement is what alerts game, even if it's a full camo gun that's moving.

I respect HJ’s Decision in wanting to Darken his Stainless Barrel. But I also agree here with Semi, i find it a SHAME to Change it, I personally LOVE the Looks of Stainless. To each his own, what truly matters is what EACH and Everyone of us Like, Go with what you like/prefer

Here is a Thought? Sell the Stainless Barrel and Buy a Brand New Blued GM LRH Barrel Since they Are available again Through TOTW
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/648/1/GMT-50-C-TC-28-BX

 

[THBailey]

We were hunting a high ridge line in Nevada. Clear sunny day. A couple of miles back up the ridge I suddenly saw what looked like flashes from a couple of signal mirrors. Through my binocs I could see a couple of hunters had just cleared the saddle and the flashes were coming off of their shiny blued rifles. Since that day I paint my hunting rifles with flat duck boat enamel. Form follows function, and the price is right.

 

[52Bore]

Recommend - Black Ice Coating in Utah.
I had a SS in-line done and I like it. Also had this 4140 bbl done and so far I've been pleased how it looks and haven't seen any wear- yet. Looks the same as the SS.

 

[Semisane]

Camo Wrap. Put it on for the hunt without modifying the barrel.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=camo+gun...&sprefix=camo+gun+,aps,168&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_9

 

[Hatchet Jack]

I respect HJ’s Decision in wanting to Darken his Stainless Barrel. But I also agree here with Semi, i find it a SHAME to Change it, I personally LOVE the Looks of Stainless. To each his own, what truly matters is what EACH and Everyone of us Like, Go with what you like/prefer

Here is a Thought? Sell the Stainless Barrel and Buy a Brand New Blued GM LRH Barrel Since they Are available again Through TOTW
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/648/1/GMT-50-C-TC-28-BX

Good thought Lewis. But will that Hawken barrel be compatible with my Renegade stocks? BTW, How did TOTW get those barrels? I thought GM stopped production of those barrels years back.

 

[Idaholewis]

Good thought Lewis. But will that Hawken barrel be compatible with my Renegade stocks? BTW, How did TOTW get those barrels? I thought GM stopped production of those barrels years back.

It would be a DIRECT Fit, Even 15/16” which is what Sabotloader chose to use in The 1” Renegade Stock. So those Blued LRH Barrels are IDENTICAL in Dimension to your Stainless. I don’t know how TOTW ended up with those? They got a Run of them Somehow? I notice they Haven’t showed the 1” Barrels, even in Roundball Twist, And especially Fast Twist (LRH) like mine in a LONG LONG Time, That is a Breech Plug Deal, The 1” Plugs have Been Gone for a LONG Time. I believe they come from Pete Allan? And he is WAY Up there in Age (Allan Foundry) He Hasn’t turned out any Hooked TC Breech Plugs For YEARS Now. So my Guess is Green Mountain Has an Avenue for, Or a Stash of 15/16” Breech Plugs Tucked away? Producing the Barrels isn’t the Difficult Part, it’s finding a Breech Plug Source, That came DIRECTLY from Green Mountain to me in an Email long ago.

 

[Idaholewis]

I would love to Have your Stainless 50 Barrel. I have this Stainless .45 That i am in the Process of Building, I actually like the Stainless Looks, Fit/Finish. I personally wouldn’t Change them, that’s just me. The Stainless is UNBEATABLE For Durability, And Ease of Cleaning.

My BIG Complaint with the Stainless GM LRH Barrels is they DON’T Shoot PURE SOFT LEAD Worth a Darn?? They ABSOLUTELY Require a Bit of Hardness to Shoot To their Potential. To a Bullet Caster this isn’t a Big Deal, But to an Average Joe that Store Buys his Bullets it is a BIG DEAL!! What are 99.9% of Store Bought Lead Conicals made of? PURE SOFT LEAD My Blued GM Barrels will Shoot Either Hard, or PURE Soft Lead EQUALLY Well, They are NOT picky in the Least, The Stainless GM LRH Barrels are!!

It was a combination of Idahoron and myself that figured this out (More Ron than myself, Ron was on to it before this, It’s my understanding that After i provided Data from Blued Barrel outing, how well it shot, This Helped Ron Decide the Problem Was LEAD HARDNESS with the Stainless Barrels) When Ron was up here at my Place for a Whitetail Hunt We made a Trip over to Buffalo Arms, Ron Purchased a Few Boxes of their Cupped Base Paper Patch Bullets, He left me a Few to Try, I got out and Shot them not long after Ron had given me those, I shot a REALLY TIGHT 5 Shot Group with them Bullets Through my Blued GM LRH Barrel, My Rifle POUNDED EM RIGHT IN THERE!! I sent the Data to Ron, He eventually got out to test them in his Stainless Rifle, He Contacted me with NOT GOOD News, They didn’t Shoot worth a DARN From his Stainless GM LRH Barrel??? These BACO PP Bullets are Swaged, therefore are PURE SOFT Lead, They are Cupped Base Paper Patch Bullets.

 

[mwwoodman]

Pretty simple, Melonite QPQ. You'll protect the bore and it will last indefinitely. What ever it looks like prior, it will reflect that after, grain or blasted etc.

 

[GM54-120]

I would only nitride a brand spanking new barrel. BlackIce is external only and very attractive.

Another option is keep it SS but bead blast it to a dull satin finish. Sort of a acid etched look. My GMB 54-120 has this very dull matte SS finish. Not exactly sure how its done. There is even a type of parkerizing that looks like dull SS.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Thank you guys for all your ideas and suggestions. Lots of SS barrel darkening techniques I never knew about. I learned a lot of things I did not know from your replies.Looks I am having second thoughts now about messing with this pretty barrel after hearing from some of you guys. Almost seems sacrilegious now to try and alter such a beautiful gun.LOL
I went ahead and ordered a blued Green Mountain 1-28'' barrel they had for sale on Track Of The Wolf that Lewis had brought to my attention.(Thank You Lewis) Looks like I will now be able to have my cake and eat it too. I will now have two barrels to sight in.
Just had major shoulder surgery this past Wednesday. Looking forward to getting out and shooting in about 8 weeks from now if everything goes right.
Thanks again

 

[Sideshow]

Thank you guys for all your ideas and suggestions. Lots of SS barrel darkening techniques I never knew about. I learned a lot of things I did not know from your replies.Looks I am having second thoughts now about messing with this pretty barrel after hearing from some of you guys. Almost seems sacrilegious now to try and alter such a beautiful gun.LOL
I went ahead and ordered a blued Green Mountain 1-28'' barrel they had for sale on Track Of The Wolf that Lewis had brought to my attention.(Thank You Lewis) Looks like I will now be able to have my cake and eat it too. I will now have two barrels to sight in.
Just had major shoulder surgery this past Wednesday. Looking forward to getting out and shooting in about 8 weeks from now if everything goes right.
Thanks again

Oh No !!! Those shoulder injuries are Terrible !!! If i may --- ligatend by country life , bone broth protein by ancient nutrition , all the eggs you can eat , and a good anti-oxidant from a health food store are your best friends for now !!! Been There Done That a few times...... Good Luck !!!
When able work that range of motion too. Hurts but is So Important !!!

 

[wolfer]

I have had several of my ML guns Cerakoted. It is great and available in MANY colors and if ya want a bunch of camo patterns. Here in eastern VA I found a guy, Paladin, that does guns for the "military" guys. It's kinda close to Little Creek, Langley, Oceana, Norfolk NS, Fort Eustis, Pickett, A.P. Hill, well pretty much eastern VA. He does great camo with the cerakote and I have found it's great for most any firearm, be it CF - ML - smoker or SML. My opinion and experience. Others will vary. W

 

[Idaholewis]

Thank you guys for all your ideas and suggestions. Lots of SS barrel darkening techniques I never knew about. I learned a lot of things I did not know from your replies.Looks I am having second thoughts now about messing with this pretty barrel after hearing from some of you guys. Almost seems sacrilegious now to try and alter such a beautiful gun.LOL
I went ahead and ordered a blued Green Mountain 1-28'' barrel they had for sale on Track Of The Wolf that Lewis had brought to my attention.(Thank You Lewis) Looks like I will now be able to have my cake and eat it too. I will now have two barrels to sight in.
Just had major shoulder surgery this past Wednesday. Looking forward to getting out and shooting in about 8 weeks from now if everything goes right.
Thanks again

AWESOME Deal on the Blued Barrel!! You won’t Regret buying it! In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me a BIT if it edges out the Stainless Barrel, My Blued Barrels are the Most Accurate Barrels i own. My Old Stainless Barrel was GOOD when i had everything Right, But 1 Duck gets slightly out of the Row and it Would Act up (Lead Hardness) Remember me telling you that i knew EXACTLY how to make that Stainless Barrel Shoot To it’s Potential? I meant that!!

My Blued GM LRH Barrels aren’t like that, They will shoot Soft or Hard Lead EQUALLY well. My Blued .50 LRH is one of TOP DOGS in the Stable, i would put that Rifle up against ANYTHING

Be CAREFUL With that Shoulder!! Don’t try it to Soon, Let that it FULLY HEAL! Curious what you had done? I have had a Rotator Cuff, Mine was actually called an Acromioplasty or Something like that? That sucker was PAINFUL! Hang in there and take care of that HJ!!