[matt2636]

i heard the barrel is coated with melonite along with the outer barrel and the bolt/bolt carrier. is this all true? anyone have experience with this coating? i heard its basically the same as tenifer. just lookin for some info.

 

[losman]

http://www.finishing.com/324/69.shtml

Here is link to a discussion regarding Melonite vs. Tenifer. I can't speak to "Tenifer" but yes the ACR's barrel is coated with Melonite. The Bushmaster website only speaks about the barrel, but it's possible that other components might have this coating. Hopefully other member might be able to confirm.

 

[cjt50]

i heard the barrel is coated with melonite along with the outer barrel and the bolt/bolt carrier. is this all true? anyone have experience with this coating? i heard its basically the same as tenifer. just lookin for some info.

Yes, it's true. S&W M&P pistols also use the same metal treatment, its not really a coating. I have a M&P 9mm that has 20k+ rounds thru it. The finish in some places is gone, but the melonite is still there doing it's job and there is no wear in the barrel. Glocks are the same way, just use a more caustic method to apply the tenifer treatment that is not allowed by the EPA. The metal treatment is also called nitriding. Don't understand the chemistry of it all, but it's good stuff.

 

[bigdog2003_99]

melonite is super hard stuff, its around 70 on the rockwell hardness chart, i do know for a fact that it took me 3 titanium carbide bits to get through the .002 (or however thick it is) of melonite before i hit the hardened steel under it on my gas block

 

[matt2636]

thanks for the link. i know on the glock the tenifer isnt the black part and if the black wears off the tenifer is still there. its actually a gray. i was just wondering if its the same for the acr. obviously i have some wear marks where the bolt carrier rides and i didnt know what color the melonite is. im guessin its still on there and will be for a long time.

 

[cjt50]

thanks for the link. i know on the glock the tenifer isnt the black part and if the black wears off the tenifer is still there. its actually a gray. i was just wondering if its the same for the acr. obviously i have some wear marks where the bolt carrier rides and i didnt know what color the melonite is. im guessin its still on there and will be for a long time.

It's still on there. The black is just a regular finish like on the glock.

 

[ACRTOME]

if your interested the Hisrory channel series MODERN marvels did an episode on salt, and the very end, they cover the melonite surface conversion process, and show it being applied to several firearms, FWIW

 

[cjt50]

if your interested the Hisrory channel series MODERN marvels did an episode on salt, and the very end, they cover the melonite surface conversion process, and show it being applied to several firearms, FWIW

I love that show, missed that episode tho, thanks for the heads up.