Melonite treatment question

[stagpanther]

I just received a replacement AR barrel from KAK, part of their value line barrels but it is based on green mountain blanks which I've had very good experience with. This one, however, is something I've never seen before in any barrel, and I do have a few melonite treated barrels.

Basically, the bore looks like the it has a very heavy coating, probably several thousands of an inch in total thickness--and is also very uneven in finish, unlike the outside which is very smooth. It resembles the surface of the moon with extensive pitting throughout the entire bore. It's impossible to see the condition of the throat, rifling and muzzle crown (the things I always examine when receiving a new barrel).

I've done some research and the opinions seem to be split between "shoot it a 100 times and it will smooth out and shoot well" and "Melonite never goes away and your stuck with what you got." I'll give Kurt a call at some point and see what he says, but he can be very hard to reach.

What sayeth the collective?

[BornFighting88]

I strongly believe that a new rifle barrel fresh off the line needs some "conditioning". Few boxes of shells to get rid of the burrs on the fresh rifling, get it to settle in, etc. But treated barrels that have a physical deposition on them, in my eyes, should be evenly applied and not potentially alter ballistics or cause damage or harm. I'd be on the phone with the company.

Just my $0.02

[stagpanther]

I strongly believe that a new rifle barrel fresh off the line needs some "conditioning". Few boxes of shells to get rid of the burrs on the fresh rifling, get it to settle in, etc. But treated barrels that have a physical deposition on them, in my eyes, should be evenly applied and not potentially alter ballistics or cause damage or harm. I'd be on the phone with the company.

Just my $0.02

Understood, I've been shooting long enough and buying barrels long enough to know that for the most part a barrel that needs conditioning is code for a barrel that isn't going to shoot well unless you "tune it"--which means using it's bore life to find the "sweet spot." Then it's a question of voodoo as to how long it stays in the sweet spot before you clean and start the mystery sauce tuning all over again. But, that's the difference between run of the mill mass-produced barrels and some of the premium barrels--I say that because even some premium barrels are sometimes really not very well stress-relieved, polished and finished in the the bore. Problem is demand is so high I think many, perhaps most volume manufacturers figure they can produce "adequate" barrels because most people outside of match shooters don't know or care about the finishing of the bores. You can throw all the other parts you want at a gun--but if the bore is off nothing is going to make it shoot better until you remedy (if possible) the barrel's issue(s).

[BornFighting88]

I am right there with you, stag. Firing pin can always hit primer, trigger can always trip sear, etc. But if the tube doesn't put the pill where you want it, its all for naught until you fix that. I agree 110%. When I ordered my CF wrapped barrel from Carbon6, they told me six months maximum, even in the sham-demic, as they have a stringent QC policy and they won't let it leave the factory without passing everything. So I waited and waited.

I am also in agreement with the need for the tuning of the barrel with fouling the barrel and getting it to wear in and the load development to get the 1/2 MOA they say you can get. I just plan on scaring the hell out of varmints and look good doing it, too. Hahah

[MarkCO]

A rough melonited bore is never going to give you relief. If it shoots, it shoots, but even after having 3 top companies melonite the Stretch Precision barrels, it is no longer offered. For every "gorgeous girl shooter" there was an ugly sister that just would never get to the level of accuracy we demanded. Fouled up chambers, extensions and pitting of bores that were in good shape came back a mess. Our AR15 barrels have a life of about 10 to 12K. Melonited, we got past 30K, but when half the barrels are junked, not a good step to take.

While good barrels need some fouling to settle (50 to 150 rounds) to peak performance, Melonited barrels are at their best out of the blocks and never get better. So if it does not shoot, send it back.

[stagpanther]

Melonited barrels are at their best out of the blocks and never get better. So if it does not shoot, send it back.

Kind of what I thought. A lot of the rougher of black stuff has worn away, but there is obvious damage to the leade's rifling and the "gunkiness" remains out towards the muzzle.