I have read some about Nitride and Phosphate barrels. I was wondering if you guys have a preference? For a range/home gun, not something for the jungle.
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I prefer Nitride simply for its corrosion resistance.
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Nitride. For general purpose.
For chrome lined barrels, phosphate… IE, FN CHF CL. ( I think that is the only way they come… in case anyone did not know. )
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Thanks! 
In the PSA Freedom line, I prefer nitride because the phosphate freedom barrels are not chrome lined. The nitride treatment makes the steel more wear and corrosion resistant.
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Personally I like nitride, but there are some possible problems with it. I’ve read that the nitriding process heats the metal to over 1000 deg F. Although it hardens the metal surface very well with the chemical process, the heat could cause problems with metal’s tempering. They were saying that the military prefers phosphate and that might be a reason.
DLC is another surface protection process that appears to be gaining popularity. It’s supposed to be quite a bit “harder” than nitride… I know the Dagger barrels can be ordered with it (maybe they all come with it?).
Maybe someone that works with the different processes could chime in. It’s an interesting field of study and everything has its plusses and minuses.
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I’ve been working on an immersion heater - for a people bathtub - that has 115 VAC running through a bunch of heater resistors.
It gets really interesting coatings. It’s a mud bathtub, so lots of TBD minerals in sediment & in solution.
I know what I’m seeing is similar to other electro-deposited coatings. But I mostly have to focus on scraping off the unknown coatings, and getting the prototype back into heater mode.
Has anybody ever seen a chemical test kit, where you deposit a few drops on an unknown coating and it turns blue or red or something ?
nitride everything
I see most are saying they prefer Nitride over phosphate. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the 2 barrels please? Thanks.
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well you basically have three options nitride, phosphate, and fancy phosphate… phosphate soaks up the lube you use really well and if well maintained some people prefer them… otherwise nitride is just less maintenance, less likely to have issues with corrosion, easier to clean everything just wipes right off it’s glossy beauty.
and that’s what i meant with my comment, nitride the bcg, barrel, trigger, everything you can so it’s super easy to clean.
nitride the dagger guide rod so it’s black
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Makes a lot of sense thanks for the explanation.
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Sorry for the late bump but are the nitride barrels coated on the inside and out on the freedom line? Mine says 4150V Chrome Moly Steel Barrel, Nitride, is that just the outer coating which is shiny black, the inside just looks like polished metal on mine.
Coated on all surfaces last time i saw
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Phosphate was typically in the past also chrome lined. Its a parkerization process. But value oriented barrels phosphate exterior but no chrome. Nitride takes a very high temp and tempers the steel a bit more .It coats the inside and outside of the barrel. And since it is applied at such high heat, it stays and works quite well on the interior of the barrel. They are equal with chrome lining when used in semi automatic rifles. The military uses Chrome line because their rifles are full auto. Or burst add suppressors to that and your heat even gets higher… so nitride barrel is a very good choice. They can be more accurate because chroming adds metal and the rifling may not be as sharp.
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Nitride all the way!
Well, phosphate can be just plain, or chrome lined bore and chamber with a phosphate exterior. Chrome lined is best, longest lifespan, best corrosion resistance. Nitride is close, cheaper than chrome and and much better than bare steel.
I have 5 ARs with chromed bores, a few with bare, unlined barrels, most are nitrided though. Its a good compromise I think.
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Nitriding is more even than chrome and can have better accuracy.
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