Thermal Processing for the Firearms Industry
There’s no room for error when it comes to processing firearms components. That’s why the world’s leading firearms manufacturers entrust their parts to Paulo for precision heat treating and metal finishing services.
Aligned With Your Priorities
In our decades of experience working with leading firearms makers, we’ve learned how to address your chief concerns. Our entire process is set up to give you peace of mind and deliver an end product that’s worthy of your brand.
Lot Traceability for Serialized Parts
Paulo has the most advanced data collection and automation system of any commercial heat treater. All process and testing data is captured and cataloged electronically in our PICS system, ready for recall within a few clicks.
Turnaround Times
Having a heat treater you can count on is critical when your product is in high demand. While processing times vary, we schedule strategically to shorten turnaround as much as possible. We also intentionally leave extra room in our schedule to accommodate rush orders.
Appearance
You have a reputation to uphold, and the look of your firearm should match how well it functions. Our finishing services are carried out with the utmost precision to ensure a great final look, while our custom packaging and handling capabilities protect your parts from damage during logistics.
Firearms Thermal Processing Capabilities
Paulo is a full-service commercial thermal processor with a comprehensive range of capabilities and a vast equipment array. These are a few of the most popular processes we perform for our gunsmith customers.
Nitride Coating for Firearms
Gas nitriding is used to case harden parts that must retain softer, more ductile cores. Because it is carried out at a lower temperature, gas nitriding helps prevent the part distortion that can sometimes occur as a result of more extreme heating.
Hot isostatic pressing (HIP).
HIP is especially well suited for removing porosity from metal injection molded (MIM) parts. During processing, heat and pressure combine to close the voids that formed during part manufacturing, eliminating weakness in the parts.
Black Oxide Coating.
Black oxide can give your finished firearms parts the perfect sharp black appearance, enhance corrosion resistance, and minimize light reflection.
Austempering
Austempering can increase toughness while maintaining the shape of magazines and other firearms components with tight dimensional requirements.
Through Hardening and Case Hardening.
We can perform through and case hardening for your hammers, triggers, bolts, receivers, and more in either batch or continuous belt furnaces.
Nitride Coating for Firearms
Gas nitriding is used to case harden parts that must retain softer, more ductile cores. Because it is carried out at a lower temperature, gas nitriding helps prevent the part distortion that can sometimes occur as a result of more extreme heating.
Hot isostatic pressing (HIP).
HIP is especially well suited for removing porosity from metal injection molded (MIM) parts. During processing, heat and pressure combine to close the voids that formed during part manufacturing, eliminating weakness in the parts.
Black Oxide Coating.
Black oxide can give your finished firearms parts the perfect sharp black appearance, enhance corrosion resistance, and minimize light reflection.
Austempering
Austempering can increase toughness while maintaining the shape of magazines and other firearms components with tight dimensional requirements.
Through Hardening and Case Hardening.
We can perform through and case hardening for your hammers, triggers, bolts, receivers, and more in either batch or continuous belt furnaces.
Firearms Components We Process
- Magazines
- Hammers
- Triggers
- Bolt carrier groups
- Barrels
- Slides
- Receivers
- Muzzle devices
- Metal injection molded components
- Additively manufactured parts
Certifications & Approvals
We carry Federal Firearms Licenses at our St. Louis, Nashville, and Cleveland divisions.
Bring Us Your Challenges
Paulo has the largest in-house metallurgy team of any commercial thermal processor. If you’re having difficulty achieving in-spec results, we can help you find out why…and in most cases, bring those results up to standard.
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