As is the case with practically all current weather-resistant rifles, the 700 XCR boasts a stainless steel barreled action. The chromium in stainless steel puts the brakes on corrosion but can’t stop it altogether, so manufacturers typically coat the metal for a further level of protection. Nickel plating is a preferred coating, and that’s how Remington top-dresses the XCR’s stainless exterior.

The difference—what ultimately gives this rifle its superior durability—is yet another protective barrier, one Remington calls its “TriNyte Corrosion Control system.” As a finishing step the company applies zirconium nitrate, a compound traditionally used to coat cutting tools like drill bits. It is hard enough yet ductile enough to withstand serious shock, abrasion and heat, yet possesses a natural lubricity that facilitates the work of moving parts. Remington uses a vacuum process called physical vapor deposition to ensure that a thin, perfectly uniform layer is bonded over the barreled action’s surface. Though I can’t explain how zirconium nitrate manages to be so impervious to the forces that effect other metallic compounds, nothing I’ve done so far has dinged, scratched or corroded the rifle even slightly.

John Zent---American Hunter