Tenifer in Glock barrel?

[Joe Sacco]

I just bought my first Glock, a Glock 34 with a FBR prefix serial number. The guy I got if from represented that he had bought it new not too long ago, test fired it and put it away (obiviously dirty).

Just cleaned it up- certainly looks new, virtually no internal wear, no nicks, no dings. However once I got the hardened fouling out of the barrel, the lands are high polish shiny but in much of all the grooves is wierd stuff that looks like krackel finish black paint which doesn't want to brush out. Is this the Tenifer stuff mentioned in the "How to Buy a Glock Atricle"? I've cleaned a lot of barrels ,but never saw one quite like this.

Paid $450 for the gun in the box, 5 extra Glock magazines, a plastic paddle holster and three Safariland plastic magazine holders. Thought I did ok but now am concerned about the barrel. Anybody got any thoughts? Thanks, Joe

 

[middy]

hmmm... no it's not the "tenifer" per se. It could be the final oxide layer of the tenifer, but in all the Glocks I've seen the black oxide is very smooth inside and outside the barrel. I'd have a smith look at it. I've seen Glock barrels that had a bad heat treat and turned out brittle. Glock will replace it if it's a defect.

 

[Ken Rainey]

Not to worry, you got a great deal. Nothing wrong with the barrel, just normal "break in" so to speak, I've seen it before and it usually smooths right out and turns shiny. The barrels are one of the best parts of the pistols...easy to clean - I usually just wrap a patch around a brush and put a little WD-40 or solvent on it and push it thru a few times and she's done....none of the conventional lands and grooves to have to scrub fouling out of and it'll last and last. I've read of barrels with over 200K rds thru'em(Chuck Taylors G17) and I read somewhere that an ammo company had one that they put over a million test rds thru. They can't be beat for durability with jacketed ammunition (jacketed ammo is all thats recommended, by the way). Shoot it and let us know what you think.

 

[Maxinquaye]

watch out...could also be lead buildup...you never know what the previous owner fired. First thing I'd do is soak it with some lead solvent and see if you get a dirty patch. You may have a weapon with unsafe pressures...

 

[Ken Rainey]

Good call, yeah, make sure it ain't lead...I figured he could tell the difference but just make sure. Ask the previous owner what he fired in it and how much just so you'll have a record to go from.

 

[Fatelvis]

Buy yourself a Lewis lead removing kit from Brownells in .357/9mm caliber (catalog #516-100-038) It will scrub your barrel nicely, without harming it.

 

[HSMITH]

I find Glock barrels to be horrendously hard to clean when a lot of FMJ has been down the barrel. The lead melted from the base makes a streak between the lands and also against the leeward side of the land. For some reason it does not want to come out. I usually end up with Lead-Away cloth on a jag before I get it out. When clean they are remarkably smooth, and I think that is part of what makes the lead so hard to clean out.

Yes, the bore is tenifer treated as well. It can flake or chip, but it will almost always look like pitting when that happens and not cracks. If it doesn't clean out no matter what you try send the gun to Glock. They will replace the barrel and send it back at no charge to you. Glock is VERY good about warranty repairs.

 

[Shipwreck]

I had a stainless beretta that was a pain to clean after shooting FMJ.

YOu can probablyc ome up with some sort of lead removing kit at a gun shop or wal-mart w/o having to order it online

 

[ulflyer]

JB Bore Paste

On all my guns, new or old, I initially use OOOO (4O) steel wool wrapped around a smaller brass brush (the brush holds the wool on tight) smeared with JB Bore Paste and scrub the heck out of them. Not only cleans the barrels but puts a fine polish on them which nearly eliminates lead fouling.

Really great for older barrels that may have some fine surface rust, or new barrels that simply need polishing. Have done this for years and it will not damage your barrel.

 

[HSMITH]

ulflyer, been there and done that on Glocks. It does clean them well but it doesn't help the fouling. On a cut rifled barrel the JB works wonders.

 

[Rockstar]

RE: "putting a fine polish" on bore:" Per the late Gale McMillan, when you polish the bores, you're merely dulling the sharp edges of the rifling that are responsible for accuracy. Might be easier to clean next time; won't be quite as accurate as pre-polishing.

Good deal on the Glock! Shoot it and don't worry. What you're seeing is probably left-over phosphate; it'll smooth out. Tenifer isn't a finish; it's a treatment. If your Tenifer's "chipping or flaking off," then the steel of your barrel is chipping or flaking off.