Most of us are familiar with bedding and tensioning blocks to improve precision, but recently there appears to be a lot of hype about fluting and cryogenic dips. Have you any experience with these? Can you tell if there is any significant increase in precision due to either of these treatments? Let's hear about your experiences...
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Barrel Treatment - What's Best?
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Doc Lisenby
New member
Mykl, seems like there aren't too many shooters who want to comment on the "freeze trip". I imagine that you have already formed an opinion about them and maybe want verification. As a gunsmith/long range competition shooter, I try any thing which will possibly help accuracy. Freezing has an effect on tooling. It has been used for years for that reason but is relatively new in the barrel business. I tried it on a "noodle barrel" 22-250 and saw zip improvement. Some shooters have reported some improvement, but I would prefer to rely on barrel quality from a reliable barrel maker. We are still looking for the reason one barrel will be a "hummer" and one just like it won't. Vaughn in his new book "Rifle Accuracy Facts" goes into great detail about receiver stress, bedding and barrel vibration but seemed to ignore "freezing". Try it, it isn't expensive, but don't expect miracles. Some say do it before chambering, some say after. There is a reason for both opinions, but unless you are shooting tough competition and doing your own gunsmithing, it doesn't matter. Let us know what you find out. Doc
Doc,
Thanks for the comeback and results of your experience with the cryogenic dips. I've read a bit about the realignment of the crystalline structure of the barrel steel subsequent to the process. However, given that, I couldn't understand how that would influence the barrel harmonics to any degree sufficient enough to be relevent, given the variability introduced by ambient temp, pressure, powder mass and case capacities, bore/bullet tolerences & etc. In short, it seemed to be an effort of sub-optimization, where any miniscule gain is masked. Your experience lends credence to my process of mental onanism. Thanks again.
Mykl
Any folks out there with different experiences as a result of cryogenic barrel treatments?? Let's hear from you!
[This message has been edited by Mykl (edited 11-30-98).]
Thanks for the comeback and results of your experience with the cryogenic dips. I've read a bit about the realignment of the crystalline structure of the barrel steel subsequent to the process. However, given that, I couldn't understand how that would influence the barrel harmonics to any degree sufficient enough to be relevent, given the variability introduced by ambient temp, pressure, powder mass and case capacities, bore/bullet tolerences & etc. In short, it seemed to be an effort of sub-optimization, where any miniscule gain is masked. Your experience lends credence to my process of mental onanism. Thanks again.
Mykl
Any folks out there with different experiences as a result of cryogenic barrel treatments?? Let's hear from you!
[This message has been edited by Mykl (edited 11-30-98).]
George Stringer
Staff Alumnus
I've got a customer with a Ruger 77 MKII in 6mm. He bought the rifle new from me last year and wasn't satisfied with the accuracy. I did everything the two of us could think of to improve it. Trigger job, glass bed, trued receiver, lapped bolt lugs. Brought it from 2-1/2" down to about 1-1/4" groups but he still isn't satisfied. He brought the gun in Saturday with a magazine ad from 300deg Below that reminded me of an Earl Schrieb(?) ad for painting cars. "We can freeze that barrel for $39.95!" Well, it's going on a UPS truck today. This will be the first I've sent for the "treatment". I'll try to remember to post his results when he gets it back. George
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