Melanite on .45 ACP ONLY

[outdoornut71]

I keep reading on the unknown finish of the XD line, so I have copied saved e-mails from Springfield Armory directly. I am just being the messanger here for everybodys information.

Either S.A. DOES or DOES NOT know about their own finishes.

Below I have copied and pasted the exact e-mail that I recieved from John Moe @ S.A.

Read the below messages and you can take them for what they are worth.

***QUOTE***
If you have a Sub-Compact, you don't have the melonite finish. That
finish is only available on our new XD .45 ACP models and we don't have
a Sub-Compact .45 ACP. It would have the black Armory Kote if it where
refinished here (unless you want it parkerized...but the Armory Kote is
a better finish). Armory Kote is the same finish that we use on our
1911 TRP. Melonite is the same thing as Tennifer (two companies, two
different names). We can not melonite an existing slide. That is done
overseas and during the heat treating process.

John Moe
Regional Dealer Representative
Springfield Armory
420 West Main St.
Geneseo, IL 61254
800-680-6866


Here is another e-mail from Springfield:

***QUOTE***
Also, we will not melonite your slide. That is only done in Croatia and
the finish is put on during the heat treating process. Otherwise you
can pay for a different finish through the custom shop.
You'll have to get in contact with the custom shop for all other
questions regarding custom work. 800-617-6751 or
customshop@springfield-armory.com.

[ajamesp51]

Why spit the last thread?

To sum up SA does have a habit of not knowing what is really going on.


When we get another one in I will take a picture, also I am just about positive there were other xd`s melonited at the shot show on display. The two that I saw I called the customer back and let them know they did not need a DuraCoat job. At the shot show I was told more are being melonited as we spoke over a month ago, and this was from mamagement.

SA has a habit of saying one thing and in actuallity something eles is hapenning. An example they always like to say they have never heard of a problem......even after I know for a fact that I had allready talked to members of SA management. This example is when the recoil springs kept breaking last yr. If you ask even today they will probably say they have never heard of the problem.



Rich sees alot of xds, as do I. And to tell the truth I would belive Rich over a rep from SA. A prime example is the xd45acp.

[outdoornut71]

well, then this is the ongoing problem-who to trust. I guess then it is best to not trust anyone as everyone says something different and there is no hard proof either way unless someone actually watches the firearm assembled start to finish.

I guess from now on I will just have to take everything with a grain of salt.

[021411]

Remember, Springfield said that the 45 Tactical models wouldn't hit the shelves until June or so...

[Oni]

Originally Posted by outdoornut71

well, then this is the ongoing problem-who to trust. I guess then it is best to not trust anyone as everyone says something different and there is no hard proof either way unless someone actually watches the firearm assembled start to finish.

I guess from now on I will just have to take everything with a grain of salt.

I know exactly what you mean outdoornut71.

[nightraider]

Originally Posted by ajamesp51

Why spit the last thread?

To sum up SA does have a habit of not knowing what is really going on.

I completely agree. Infact even the email's posted here right on this thread shows inaccurate information from the SA employee's, like calling Melonite a finish is just wrong as its a metal treatment. To my knowledge Tennifer is a process that involves a cyanide-salt bath and Melonite does not, thus why Melonite is EPA approved and Tennifer is not. The end result of both processes is extremely similar though. They still call it the same thing, go fig.

[ken_mays]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see where the emails really contradict each other.

Melonite is not, strictly speaking, a "finish" (in that it is really a heat treatment or case hardening process, which is then followed up with a black oxide treatment). However, the general process is considered a finish, and there are a couple of US companies (http://www.burlingtoneng.com for example) that will perform an aftermarket Melonite treatment on your gun.

[Sandy]

Well, we know that Mr. Moe doesn't know how to spell "Tenifer", so what else might that tell us about him.

[btadamsdvd]

Originally Posted by Sandy

Well, we know that Mr. Moe doesn't know how to spell "Tenifer", so what else might that tell us about him.

That he had a ham sandwich on the 22nd of February???

[happygunner]

Maybe it's just the fact that when you talk to someone at S.A. they are part of the marketing Dept. or have be advised by them to give you the standard marketing answer.