Why are the Barrels Plated at all??

[500KV]

RE: Plating coming off.
We've certainly beat this "cosmetic only" question to death in other threads and no one has definitively answered the question..If it's strictly for cosmetics only then why plate them at all?

Sig, Glock, Colt, HK and other feed ramps are "pretty" enough for me.
I suspect that it was originally done to improve feed reliability in these compact guns, but what do I know?

I haven't had the problem -yet- but if I did, I think I'd just remove what was left and polish the bare feed ramp before I'd send it in.
Just my obviously flawed opinion... :confused:

[ripley16]

Almost all military grade arms are made with chrome plated chambers and barrels to inprove the life of the barrel, reduce fouling and corrosion. When done correctly it lasts the life of the weapon. Kahr just had a bad batch and apparently corrected the problem. Chrome plating is a good thing.

IMO a polished feed ramp is a much over-hyped solution to malfunctions. The force applied to a feeding round, via the recoil spring, should be engineered enough to overcome almost any conceivable condition the ramp could display.

[deadhead1971]

Kahr just had a bad batch and apparently corrected the problem.

I do not think Kahr has corrected the problem. Those with bad barrels seem to be from various months in 2009. My PM9 is from June 2009, and the last case we heard about recently (unclenunzie) was an October PM9.

[jocko]

I think they have corrected it but ho doubt there are quite a few out there yet that are going to flake. this definitely was not something kahr caught one week and it was settled the next week either. A gun that pops up today that was bought maybe two weeks ago, does not mean it was made 3 weeks ago either. It could have been in the batch that was not good barrels. My understanding from some of the people inside of kahr is that the issue has been solved and any bad barrels still floating around out there will be replaced no charge, no questions. I seem to remember when the army came out with the AR's back in the vietnam days they had alot of issues and then they finally nickel plated the barrels and chamber and the issue went away. It is not really a cosmetic thing at all but a truly functional extra step in what should normally be a good barrel. In this case no doubt some bad barrels got out in the public hands with kahr, and to my knowledge kahr has been nickel plating their barrels since day one and this is the first time they have ever had any flaking issues. My bet a year from now we will read again where one has a flaking kahr barrel and quite likely it was a gun made in that bad batch that was not shot much or was not sold for a long time. Many people buy guns and shoot them maybe a box to see how it works etc and then it sits, and sits and sits.

[jocko]

RE: Plating coming off.
We've certainly beat this "cosmetic only" question to death in other threads and no one has definitively answered the question..If it's strictly for cosmetics only then why plate them at all?

Sig, Glock, Colt, HK and other feed ramps are "pretty" enough for me.
I suspect that it was originally done to improve feed reliability in these compact guns, but what do I know?

I haven't had the problem -yet- but if I did, I think I'd just remove what was left and polish the bare feed ramp before I'd send it in.
Just my obviously flawed opinion... :confused:


just the feed ramp that is nickel plated, it is the entire barrel, inside and out..

[wagon]

I think you're correct about the "functional" reason, but I started to puzzle why Kahr is still saying it is "cosmetic" -- see UncleNunzie's thread.

Do you think it is "training issue" related that CS may not be fully aware of why the plating step?



... I seem to remember when the army came out with the AR's back in the vietnam days they had alot of issues and then they finally nickel plated the barrels and chamber and the issue went away. It is not really a cosmetic thing at all but a truly functional extra step in what should normally be a good barrel. ....

[500KV]

I think you're correct about the "functional" reason, but I started to puzzle why Kahr is still saying it is "cosmetic" -- see UncleNunzie's thread.
That was my question.

I understand the need to chrome line M-16 barrels..thousands of rounds in a short period of time with limited cleaning opportunities...but why a semi auto handgun barrel, if in fact it is only a cosmetic process as has apparently been stated by our friends at Kahr?
IOW is it only cosmetic?

[jocko]

That was my question.

I understand the need to chrome line M-16 barrels..thousands of rounds in a short period of time with limited cleaning opportunities...but why a semi auto handgun barrel, if in fact it is only a cosmetic process as has apparently been stated by our friends at Kahr?
IOW is it only cosmetic?

but one has to realize that the M16 went through millions of rounds of testing before it was ever approved and all through those tests it was done with a none nickel plated barrels. so it slipped through all their testring,only to be later found out that it needed to have the M16 barrels chrome plated to eliminate their issues of reliability.
So we know it is not cosmetic and that is serves a very valuable function and nickel plating barrels is probably not a cheap ass thing to do either.

Kahr has some bad barrels still floating around out there and when they pop up, kahr will stand behind them, as they have stated they will do.

No doubt in my mind either that the word cosmetic should not have been used in this case, but I also bet that this flaking thing was discovered first on this forum and possably kahr did not realize they had a problem, until they realized they had a problem and by then more than a couple of bad plated barrels got out the door..

They say chrome barrels are far more resitant to corrosion than standard none nickled barrels. One can google up nickel plated barrels and learn alot as to the whys and why nots of nickel plating..

[ripley16]

My oldest barrel does not appear to be coated with anything...just solid stainless steel. My newest barrel has a different look to it. I wonder if Kahr changed barrel specs at some point. Who makes Kahr's barrels, anyone know?

[500KV]

My oldest barrel does not appear to be coated with anything...just solid stainless steel. My newest barrel has a different look to it. I wonder if Kahr changed barrel specs at some point. Who makes Kahr's barrels, anyone know?
That's the way 2 of mine look ripley, however the CW40 I just bought definitely has plating on the feed ramp and chamber, don't know about the bore. It's a visible coating, ie. you can see where it starts and stops.
I'm pretty sure LOTHAR WALTHER produces Kahr barrels.

[jocko]

That's the way 2 of mine look ripley, however the CW40 I just bought definitely has plating on the feed ramp and chamber, don't know about the bore. It's a visible coating, ie. you can see where it starts and stops.
I'm pretty sure LOTHAR WALTHER produces Kahr barrels.

Lothar walther makes all of kahrs barrels, they come in a billet form already rifled by Lothar using their propriietary steels and then kahr does the final maching process and then sends the barrels out to be 100% nickel coated. ALL KAHR barrels are nickel plated inside and out. Some come with some dull ass finish on them that soon wears off but that is not the nickel finish what so ever. Not sure eithe if a nickel finish ahs to be as shinny as chrome either. I know it can polished to a mirror finish.

[jocko]

RE: Plating coming off.
We've certainly beat this "cosmetic only" question to death in other threads and no one has definitively answered the question..If it's strictly for cosmetics only then why plate them at all?

Sig, Glock, Colt, HK and other feed ramps are "pretty" enough for me.
I suspect that it was originally done to improve feed reliability in these compact guns, but what do I know?

I haven't had the problem -yet- but if I did, I think I'd just remove what was left and polish the bare feed ramp before I'd send it in.
Just my obviously flawed opinion... :confused:

do u know that Sig, glock, Colt, HK does or does not nickel plate their barrels??? Glock puts their tenifer surface finsih on their barrels very similar to nickel plating.. four durability.. and corrosion resistance.

I know beretta Does, not sure about the rest. I would thing being of German origina the HK and Sig might also be...

[500KV]

do u know that Sig, glock, Colt, HK does or does not nickel plate their barrels??? Glock puts their tenifer surface finsih on their barrels very similar to nickel plating.. four durability.. and corrosion resistance.

I know beretta Does, not sure about the rest. I would thing being of German origina the HK and Sig might also be...
I don't think they are plated jocko but couldn't swear to it. They simply look like polished feed ramps and chambers to me.
I do know my 1911 barrels are not plated.
Maybe someone more knowledgeable can comment about the others.

ETA:This is what HK says-The barrel is cold-forged from chromium steel for increased life.

[kpm9]

HK doesn't plate their barrels and if you ever seen the ramps on HK pistols, they are near perfect.