I have a blued tikka action jm looking to have nitrided or cerakoted but I’m not sure which option is better? I was going to have UM do it. Hoping for some anecdotes from folks have done one or the other.
NItride is the way. Have them do the bolt body as well, and it will be even slicker than the usual Tikka slickness. That deep nitride black is gorgeous and unmistakable, no need to make it a different color.
Another option is industrial hard chrome - leaves a nickel-looking finish as hard as woodpecker lips and greatly smooths the bolt function. It can be applied to aluminum as well as steel so everything matches.
I had UM nitride a Tikka, it turned out very good. Also I have a Bat Vampire- they come nitrided from Bat. Both are very smooth and slick.
Nitride creates a harder surface layer which is still there even if the black color wears off. Cerakote is spray paint that is heat cured. I have a Tikka that came from Tikka with Cerakote. I like the nitride much better.