cryo treatment of a barrel after breakin

[lpreddick]

i believe it beneficial to cryo a barrel before rifling. is there any evidence doing so to a barrel after breakin recovers accuracy when accuracy seem to be failing. assume the barrel is not shot out.

 

[KevinThomas]

None what so ever, a complete and total waste of time and money. May help the machining qualities before the barrel is threaded or chambered, but after that, it accomplishes nothing.

 

[BoydAllen]

Years ago, when cryo treatement of barrels was a hot topic, and Kevin worked for Sierra, they had a number of bullet test barrels done. From that came the most extensive test of the effects on wear and accuracy of the treatment of finished barrels that has ever been published (in Precision Shooting Magazine). IMO his running of that test, qualifies him as the most authoritative source available to answer your question. I forget what issue that it was in, but if you can find out, and get a copy of the article, I think that you will find it quite informative.

 

[fdshuster]

September 1998 issue titled "Meanwhile, 17224 rounds later". The most carefully researched, controlled, documented article I've ever seen in Precision Shooting. I've made it a point to keep a hard copy of the article in it's entirety.

 

[KevinThomas]

Boy, I'm glad you guys have a better memory than me! For the life of me, I couldn't have told you what issue that one was in.