Refurbishment - Barrels

The quick low cost option of refurbishing single bore barrels depending on the degree of wear, is to hone out the bore minimum oversize to a constant diameter and re-nitride if it’s a nitrided barrel to begin with. The corresponding screw being refurbished or manufactured would be finish ground and polished to suit the oversize barrel. The other option if standard size has to be maintained is to partially sleeve the barrel which is only possible to a length not exceeding 6 x the bore diameter. The sleeving option is not possible if the wear in the barrel bore is in the middle.

Provided the wear in the bores is not beyond an acceptable level, they can be polished to remove the high spots and re-nitrided.

Option 2. If the wear in the bores exceeds an acceptable level the nitrided barrel can be refurbished by honing out each bore to a constant diameter and fitting bimetallic liners. Two grades of bimetallic are available, ie nickel and iron boride or nickel, iron boride, chromium, and tungsten carbide. Depending on the grade of bimetallic selected, the re-lined barrel has been known to give as much as 4 times greater life than its’ original nitrided specification.

The other significant benefit is that when required, the re-lining can be done over and over again, giving the barrel an indefinite life span. As for cost, the first re-line is approximately 60% more than buying a new nitrided barrel. The second and subsequent re-lines are approximately 25% more. These examples are based on re-lining with the superior grade of bimetallic liner.