Hard Chrome for a Muzzleloading barrel

[Leighton]

I have had two of my target guns barrels "hard chromed" over 30 years ago and it has been a great experience. Accuracy remains longer, easier to clean and less susceptible to rusting. HOWEVER
I an not find anyone that does it today. My two were done by Marker Machine Tool in Illinois, who I can no longer locate.
ANYONE know who does this today??

 

[azmntman]

Pedersoli?

I have two Cabelas rifles with chromed barrels. 4-5 patch clan up (including dry and oil). I like em :grin:

 

[Vaino]

It's called "flash chrome plating", is very thin and doesn't reduce the bore dia by much because it's only .0002-.0003 thick. Had it done on plastic injection molds that were used w/ corrosive plastics.....Fred

 

[Leighton]

WHO DID YOURS OR DO YOU KNOW WHO DOES?

 

[Vaino]

My only experience w/ "flash chrome plating" was w/ plastic molds. Bring that up on the internet and find some cos.....Fred

 

[Leighton]

I have contacted several companies that were suggested and can not find anyone to do individual "hard chrome" of barrels bores. ANYONE have any other ideas or info?

 

[smoothshooter]

Why would you want it?

A plain carbon steel barrel can be cleaned very well in under 15 minutes without taking it out of the stock if you know what you are doing. And you don't have to do it within minutes of the end of your shooting session.
I got in the habit decades ago of not going to bed at night unless my black powder guns were clean, but in truth, it can usually wait until the next day. But that's it in most climates.

 

[smoothshooter]

That's about the number of patches ot takes to clean my plain steel rifle barrels.

Three to four patches for smoothbores.

 

[Leighton]

Because--- I have had two of my rifles (competition) hard chromed 25-35 years ago and shot thousands of rounds through them. They are much easier to clean between shots, there is no apparent wear and the accuracy is the same as 35-40 years ago. I do not believe it is reasonable for a normal hunting gun. When you are shooting for 3-5 days all day, it makes a difference in cleaning between shots and retaining accuracy for YEARS is a big plus.
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[zimmerstutzen]

Had an Italian Hawken with a chrome bore. It was sustantially easier to clean. It was not a target barrel. I shot it mostly for hunting

 

[Zonie]

I'm not surprised your having difficulty finding a company that will do individual hard chrome plating.

Because of OSHA and other regulators in the US, finding a company that does any chrome plating is difficult and the few that do hard chrome plating are often overloaded with industrial size jobs.

30 or 40 years ago, chrome plating was quite common in the US.
We used it to salvage undersized parts, usually with a "grind, plate, grind" process.
Being a very large industrial company that makes jet engines, we have our own plating department.

Large companies that may have their own plating department almost never take on outside work on a piece by piece basis.

You might try to find a custom chrome company that specializes in repairing classic cars and hot rod parts but even if you find one, the price will be high.

 

[Zonie]

I'm not surprised your having difficulty finding a company that will do individual hard chrome plating.

Because of OSHA and other regulators in the US, finding a company that does any chrome plating is difficult and the few that do hard chrome plating are often overloaded with industrial size jobs.

30 or 40 years ago, chrome plating was quite common in the US.
We used it to salvage undersized parts, usually with a "grind, plate, grind" process.
Being a very large industrial company that makes jet engines, we have our own plating department.

Large companies that may have their own plating department almost never take on outside work on a piece by piece basis.

You might try to find a custom chrome company that specializes in repairing classic cars and hot rod parts but even if you find one, the price will be high.

It isn't unusual to pay over $1000 to get a classic bumper re-chromed.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Find someone who will carbide swage a barrel with round groove rifling and that should get you the results you want - smooth and easy cleaning.

Hard chroming a muzzleloader is like putting a turbocharger on a Model T. More bother than added value.