Kasteel

If you were going to run a red dot slide ride style, I can see the aimpoint having an advantage in terms of durability. Bigger than the JPoint and trijicon RMR style, and can't say as I've seen anyone running an aimpoint micro like that, but I have one of the discontinued R-1s and it surely seems durable enough for slide ride duty, and I believe the H-1 is more robust than the older R-1.

That's good to know. I've noticed several posts that refer to the use of 10mm tubes for guns chambered for .40 S&W. What circumstances call for this approach?

Your comment about the temperature involved in the processes was interesting. I understand that nitrided barrels become very hard--which makes me wonder if breaking in a barrel that comes nitrided from the maker might be a long, unpleasant process! Maybe break a barrel in first and then send it out for treatment?

There is a ton of info on magazine issues in the FAQ post. Sorry if I missed the answer to this question. My question involves using factory ammo loaded to SAAMI specs for .40 S&W as opposed to using ammo handloaded longer than spec, which a lot of competition shooters seem to do. If a guy wants to have the option of using a box of ammo from Walmart for a match on short notice, would "tuned" mags from a reputable source work reliably, or are tuned mags designed to run long-loaded ammo most reliably? Might it be best to invest in two sets of mags: one tuned for long-loaded ammo, and one tuned (perhaps with a spacer??) to run SAAMI spec ammo?

Right. I'm wondering what the difference is between simple nitriding, as opposed to titanium nitriding. Is the titanium merely cosmetic, or does it add hardness or (as you mention) additional lubricating properties to the barrel?

Wow. No need to ask whether the cost of the process is worth it I reckon. Thanks. That is precisely the kind of input I was looking for.

OK. This looks like the post I have been looking for! Now, just to test the cliché that there is no such thing as a stupid question: is melonite treatment the same process as having a barrel nitrided? I'd done a few hours of research online with respect to nitride treatment of rifle barrels, and assumed that it was a new idea. I made some inquiries with a gentleman by the name of Dave Crandall (a pretty well-known Palma shooter, and certifiable genius-type guy) and he'd looked into it years ago and seemed surprisingly unimpressed. Nitriding seems like the ticket for extending barrel life. An AR-15 company called Loki Weapons Systems is offering nitrided barrels straight from the factory. Anyway, let's start with the question whether melonite and nitride are different names for the same process and go from there. Great post!! Thanks.

There are some good articles out there (I'll track them down and post them) but I don't see much in the way of personal experience. Thanks for the contact though. I'll reach out and update with any info I get.

I see that SV offers barrels with this treatment. Some long range rifle guys (and Loki Weapons in the AR-15 world) are nitriding barrels in order to extend barrel life. Does anyone have personal experience with nitrided barrels in pistol or rifle? Is TiN a different process?