Obviously I am not Ken, however, I have used the process several times and I have researched the science behind the treatment. Cryogenic treatment has been around for several decades. It was developed specifically for industrial cutting and grinding tools. It was discovered that cryoed metals possessed greater wear resistence and it also increased the life of the tool (considerable operational savings were the result). In short order, the process was adapted to all types of metal objects from musical instruments, softball (metal) bats, racing engines, gun barrels, and anything else you can think of.
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<br>Here is the science behind the process - Cryogenic treatment is designed to take ferrous and non-ferrous metals down - 300 degrees F at a controlled and incremental rate. Once the temperature is reached it is maintained for 18 to 36 hours and then the part being treated is slowly returned to room temperature. The process is designed to complete the austenite to martensite transformation that occurs during heat treatment in steel alloys. Austenite is the soft carbon within metal and the martensite is the smaller and stronger carbon molecule which comprises steel. The concept is, if you can covert most or all of the carbon atoms from austenite to martensite, then the metal becomes more dimensionally stable, stronger, and more wear resistant.
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<br>That is the science. Now, as with all basic scientific principles, they sometimes do not guarantee results in complicated models like gun barrels. There is no question that converting austenite to martensite is a good thing but it does not necessarily translate to a more accurate wonder gun. I have had four barrels treated and here are my observations about the process:
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<br>1. The time to cryo a barrel is before it is rifled and contoured. The barrel should then be retreated before the chamber is cut.
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<br>2. The end result is a more heat tolerant (stable) barrel. For varmint, bench rest, and high volume shooters, heat stability is a big deal. Cryoed barrels �seem� to hold zero better over a wider range of operating temperatures.
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<br>3. Many report that cryoed barrels are more ware resistant and seem to accurately shoot 30% to 50% more total rounds before the barrel is shot out. Throat erosion is a measurable benchmark for determining wear resistence.
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<br>4. Machinists who cut chambers report that a cryoed barrel cuts substantially better than non-cryoed barrels. Many state that they can feel the difference while cutting.
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<br>5. My cryoed barrels clean noticeable easier than my non-treated barrels from the same manufacturer.
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<br>6. It would be difficult to prove that cryoed barrels are more accurate than non-treated barrels.
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<br>7. Way down on the list of possibilities is the very remote chance that by relieving inherent stress within the barrel, you can cause some very minor warping. If a stressed barrel was cut straight to begin with (95% of barrels are not straight), by relieving the stress you can alter the bore. This has never been proven, however, the possibility exists in principle.
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<br>My opinion is that the process may refine some accuracy traits within your gun, however, it is not a magic treatment and will not turn a crappy barrel into a bench rest gun. If you start with a premium barrel, there are some desirable benefits. Considering the low cost of treatment today, it is worth giving it a try.
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<br>For factory barrels you may well be wasting your money. This is because you are treating the barrel after the fact (cutting & chambering). You may see some improvements in a factory barrel, however, the greatest gains are to be made are before cutting begins. At the end of the day, I have never heard any report about damaging your gun by treating the barrel. There doesn't seem to be any real downside.