barrel chromeing can it be done??
- Thread starter contact148
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MasterGunner
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- Machesney Park, IL USA
My experience is with M14 rifle barrels and it probably can be applied to most other chromed barrels.
Chrome plating is a process that adds thickness to a metal part. When the M14 barrel is manufactured, all parts that are chromed -- the chamber and bore -- are made slightly oversize. The chrome plating process is applied to these areas and builds them up to the correct size. Some final lapping may be necessary to bring them into specification, though.
If you were to chrome plate a standard steel barrel, the chamber and bore would have to be made oversize to be brought back to specification by the plating. The time to plate the barrel is at its initial manufacture, not after it is made.
Chrome plating is a process that adds thickness to a metal part. When the M14 barrel is manufactured, all parts that are chromed -- the chamber and bore -- are made slightly oversize. The chrome plating process is applied to these areas and builds them up to the correct size. Some final lapping may be necessary to bring them into specification, though.
If you were to chrome plate a standard steel barrel, the chamber and bore would have to be made oversize to be brought back to specification by the plating. The time to plate the barrel is at its initial manufacture, not after it is made.
You are correct MasterGunner. Hard chroming adds thickness to the surface being chromed. If you don't make allowances for this when you make the barrel, it will be undersized when you are finished. Thinking that you could just hone it to size? You'll end up where you started.
C'mon... Hard chrome can add as little .00005" and typically is about .0001" thick. Do you really think any of the bullets you buy are that close to the "correct" bore size?
That said if done with poor controls, or if a thicker layer was desired (say by mil-std) then it might be wise to accomodate that in the dimensioning. But for most barrels on most guns it shouldn't be an issue.
To ensure even thickness down the bore length care should be taken to ensure that there is good flow of the plating solution through the bore. Otherwise the ends will have thicker build up than the middle due to ion depletion.
(I think I know too much about electroplating.)
That said if done with poor controls, or if a thicker layer was desired (say by mil-std) then it might be wise to accomodate that in the dimensioning. But for most barrels on most guns it shouldn't be an issue.
To ensure even thickness down the bore length care should be taken to ensure that there is good flow of the plating solution through the bore. Otherwise the ends will have thicker build up than the middle due to ion depletion.
(I think I know too much about electroplating.)
