Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Cryogenic rifle barrel treatment?

Good, bad, don’t know?

Scam. Sent dozens to be done and never saw any change that could positively be attributed to cryo.

Pretty good testament.

Let me offer a differing opinion. Custom barrels - no real difference attributable to cryogenic treatment - probably because the barrels had been properly stress relieved during manufacture. So, on a custom - wouldn't waste your money.

On some factory barrels - I got a significant improvement in long string accuracy. Pretty pleased with it. But, for the cost of the treatment & shipping both ways - you might just be better off to have a new custom barrel installed for slightly more money.

Didn't really help ya much, did I?

Did you machine those dozens of barrels?

Many of them yes. I never noticed a difference in the way they machined before or after be it cutting chambers or threading. In hundreds of rebarrel jobs I only recall a couple where I got ahold of a blank that didn’t want to cooperate when using sharp tools in a rigid setup.
Dan Lilja had some interesting notes on cryo posted on his webpage at one time. I’m no scientist but I’m more apt to believe him than someone selling me some “treatment” that they cannot prove they performed after the fact. YMMV

No first hand experience because...
When cryo was a "thing", Kevin Thomas of Sierra Bullets wrote about their experience with Cryo. In essence there was no difference in accuracy and maybe a small increase in accurate life of the barrel. I say "maybe" because it was an n of 2. Being a rational guy, that cooled my interest significantly.
Then...as more folk got experience with cryo, some of the big names in barrel making voiced their experiences with cryo. Jack Krieger said no difference in the final product, but he did find it make for an easier to machine bar. He was sending bar stock out to be cryo'd and ultimately I believe he bought his own machine. First cryo before rifling and machining was on him. Second cryo on a finished blank was on the customer. I haven't heard or asked him whether he is continuing with the practice. Lilja published his thoughts and being the engineer, Kevin Thomas' experiences was a significant driver. Ed Shilen was still making barrels during the Cryo era and did the labs on stress before and after and found cryo made no difference. Boots Obermeyer told me he thought it was snake oil but he'd get the barrel treated for me if I wanted.
...I chose to not cryo.

I've used it on several "factory" barrels and I found it to be worthwhile. I had less fouling, and they didn't "walk off" when I shot a fast string. So, "for me", its worth it. I never worried about the "less fouling" as I always fire-lapped any bad "fouler". It was the stress relief I wanted...and got. So what? Its a $100 "gamble", you would spend that much trying to find some good loads, ha. Flip a coin.

A complete waste of time and money. I was involved with Ed Shilen in blind testing them during chambering. I was actually able to tell the difference in the way they machined, but no other advantage.

I have an R77 with ER Shaw barrel chambered in 284 Win.. I sent the barrel to Black Star along with a new
Browning barrel chambered in 7x08 and had them both taper bored .0005" and cryo treated.
Both are great shooters, shoot most any bullet to similar poi and hold there zero.

I don't know about making any improvements, but sure happy with how they are performing now.

Reason I posed the question, here is my dilemma.......

Purchased a barrel for my Encore from SSK in 2010. Asked them to turn it from their straight shank to a factory contour. J.D. said, “I don’t recommend that.” I told him to do it anyway. Love the weight & look of the S.S. Shilen Match Grade barrel chambered in 280 Remington. I have had 6 of these & still maintain three of them. Normally I have pretty straightforward results with any 280, but this one has defied the odds. Therefore, J.D.’s warning now concerns me. I tried 7828 in load development & managed one 3/8” group with 150 Partitions. Partitions have NEVER been accurate for me so that raised an eyebrow. It never repeated.

May be I just have not worked with it enough. The same barrel spec’s of my 300 Wby did not hit upon its favorite load until rounds number 431-436. Talk about frustration erupting into pure joy, I would have passed out cigars if I’d had any. Same barrel spec’s on my 7 Wby & it is accurate with every shot.

Signed,
Puzzled

Turning a barrel down after it's already been bored allows some internal expansion towards the muzzle end where the steel is thinnest unless it's been stress relieved. So I've been told.

Slug or chamber cast from each end to check the differences.

You can rebore to a larger caliber as an option.

ChrisF,

Last I heard Krieger is no longer using cryo.

By who???
Someone that has never turned several barrels down from a blank?

I've turned/machined so many from a blank I lost count. Never EVER a problem with accuracy. Had to do the first barreling project at gunsmithing school in Trinidad back in '89 from a blank. The only student that had problems with the barrel getting squirrely was using a Shaw barrel. It kept warping. Teacher spent several episodes out back beating it against a tree to straighten it. When it was finally done, it was still a reasonably accurate hunting rifle. I would guess that Shaw has changed it's procedures since way back then.

Had a Bauska barrel in the shop some years back and the muzzle was larger than breech by .001". It was pre turned from the factory. My guess is that was buttoned AFTER turning. Sent it back to the client without working on it.

Back in school we got a photo copied article concerning internal stress in barrels. Wish I could find it. They recommended to never turn down a hammer forged barrel as the stresses could cause it to expand at the muzzle. The profile is beat into shape and there is very little removed in the finishing/polishing process.

How does everyone think barrels arrive at their finished profile? Acid covered trained termites?

If you want a relatively stress free barrel then buy a cut rifled barrel.

Don't understand why there are "gunsmiths" that get the vapors considering turning a barrel from a blank. Clients should however understand that it is MUCH more economical to have the barrel manufacturer profile it than the local smith. Kind of like a "stockmaker" that can't stock a rifle from a blank. Cheaper to buy a drop in and spend a little time with some glass and sandpaper then make something out of nothing.

Tell'em Mr Anderson. They can't carry your water bucket.

LMFAO!

Sounds like there is hope yet my barrel will eventually happen upon its preferred load. Very thankful for all the input.

I have had it done to 2 custom barrels and could not tell it did anything. I have not sent any more to be done.

What I gather from the literature is that possibly other than improving machining qualities it does little for stainless steel. Chromemoly it does re leave a percentage of stress but less than the traditional heat relief. It may be an option for hammer forged barrels which can generate a lot of stress, but I am with those that say get a custom barrel instead and the likelihood of it being a good one goes way up.

I had a 220 swift barrel cryoed years ago. Had it done as the custom gun was being built. It’s very accurate, but can’t say that it wouldn’t have been very accurate without the cryo.