How thick is H&M Black Nitride?

[kneelingatlas]

I have a few guns I'm planning to send to H&M for Black Nitride, one with a loose racker, the other is tight. I'm wondering: will the coating be thick enough to tighten the loose one? and how much to I need to file the tight one before I send it off?

[toothandnail]

I don't know if it adds anything, pretty sure it doesn't.

The 2011's we send off are tight, working perfect, come back, assemble and shoot, no noticeable change in function.

[kneelingatlas]

Good to know, thank you

[MrPostman]

It is not a coating so much as it is a hardening of the metal, it is just the process makes the finish black. So any tolerances should be almost unaffected.

[bmiller]

I have a limited and open gun done by them. I am very pleased with it. I shot both guns for a while in the white to make sure they were broke in. When mine came back, it seems like the finish sticks to itself a little. I had to drop a pound on the recoil spring to shoot the same ammo I was using beforehand. In maybe 100 rounds or so that is gone. After that it is super smooth. I used red Lucas oil and slide glide on the first gun, and Lucas extreme gun oil on the second because it was winter when I got it back. Both guns get used for 3-gun and the finish is holding up very well.

[ltdmstr]

Black nitride isn't a coating, it's a surface treatment. I've done six guns in the past 18 months or so and from what I can tell, it doesn't add anything to the dimensions. The guns they did for me were all brand new custom builds with very tight slide to frame fits and all worked 100% after finishing with no additional work or break in period. H&M does outstanding work and turn around time is typically 2 weeks. If you have any questions, the guy to ask for is Adam Rittenberry.

[wanttolearn]

Don't mean to side track the thread but how does it compare to NP3? does it offer the same lubricity?

[Avedis]

"H&M black nitride process is a thermo-chemical treatment that actually penetrates the metal, no dimensional change, no chipping or flaking"

-Per the video on their homepage

[Boxer1]

I sent them a super tight pistol and the it still fit the same after. But they bead blast the metal I think and I had to clean and smooth the rails a little with some cycling and grease to get it to run with the superlight recoil spring I had in it.

[SM1986]

Does anyone know if H&M will deal direct with the customer or would I have to go through a distributor or gunsmith? If not, who would I go through? Also, I'm assuming if someone is looking for a single slide/frame set there would be a significant lot charge. Anyone know what the ballpark price on this would be? Trying to decide between melonite/hardchrome/Black T...etc.  

[SCTaylor]

47 minutes ago, SM1986 said:

Does anyone know if H&M will deal direct with the customer or would I have to go through a distributor or gunsmith? If not, who would I go through? Also, I'm assuming if someone is looking for a single slide/frame set there would be a significant lot charge. Anyone know what the ballpark price on this would be? Trying to decide between melonite/hardchrome/Black T...etc.  

 

I believe Primary Machine, a forum sponsor, is now offering a nitride service via H&M.

[ACree]

The black color is a byproduct of the treatment, much like color case hardening. There will be no dimensional change. However, be mindful that it does increase the hardness and therefore how brittle some parts can be after treatment. Case in point, I was repairing a loose front sight. I was going to put a small punch stake mark on the bottom of the front sight to help it grab more in the dovetail. One good tap and the sight cracked in half. I later found out that the front sight had been treated with black nitride and it did not like the force applied to it. Nonetheless, black nitride is a good finish, you just have to be mindful of a few small details.

 

Andy Cree

[PrimaryBruce]

4 hours ago, SM1986 said:

Does anyone know if H&M will deal direct with the customer or would I have to go through a distributor or gunsmith? If not, who would I go through? Also, I'm assuming if someone is looking for a single slide/frame set there would be a significant lot charge. Anyone know what the ballpark price on this would be? Trying to decide between melonite/hardchrome/Black T...etc.  

You can deal with H&M direct. However, they have a minimum charge that is far more expensive than what you would pay to have it done through us. lol

[PrimaryBruce]

3 hours ago, SCTaylor said:

 

I believe Primary Machine, a forum sponsor, is now offering a nitride service via H&M.

Thanks for the shout.