Electroplating dates back to the mid- 18th century, and commercial chrome plating came into its own in the US starting in the 1920s. Hard chrome plating has long been a staple in the frearms industry, and you will fnd it in any issue M4, lining the barrel and bolt carrier group. Hard chroming is an electrolytic process whereby the work piece is submerged in a chromic acid-based electrolyte solution, electric current is introduced, and chromium metal builds on the surface.
The resulting coating is very hard, corrosion resistant, and features a low coeffcient of friction. Hard chrome is available in various different colors, including silver, silver, and silver — and, for all its other advantages, this has historically been its Achilles heel over the years, as end users do not…
