Hammer-Forged Barrels

by
posted on May 8, 2014
qa_ah2015_fs.jpg (39)

undefinedQ: The guy at my gun shop told me the barrel on the rifle I was looking at was “cold hammer-forged.” What does this mean?

A: Hammer forging is an ultra-modern method of rifling a gun barrel that is well suited to high-volume production by large manufacturers such as government arsenals and commercial corporations that can afford the sophisticated machinery. This method begins with a metal barrel blank about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter with hole in its center honed to a fine finish. A tungsten-carbide mandrel with the pattern of the rifling lands and grooves machined into its surface in reverse relief is then inserted into the hole of the blank. A forging machine with a series of radially opposed hammers is then used to compress to the blank inward against the mandrel. As the hammers compress the outer surface, the blank is reduced in diameter and lengthened, simultaneously creating the bore and rifling. If needed, hammer forging can form the chamber and throat, as well as a fully profiled outer surface. The spiral tracks of the hammers can often been seen on the outer surface of hammer-forged barrels. Some manufacturers turn the barrels to remove this surface, while others leave it in place.

Barrel blanks may be hammer forged cold or hot. Hot hammer forging reduces the amount of effort that the hammers must exert on the blank and can result in better grain structure and improved strength. However, hot hammer forging is more expensive and requires more sophisticated machinery. The cold hammer-forging process produces barrels of excellent quality.

Latest

Pease And Venison Lede 2
Pease And Venison Lede 2

Recipe: Creamed Venison and Peas

Brad Fenson creams together peas and venison in this wild-game take on a British classic.

Airport Conversation Leads to Wildlife-Related Charges

CDFW officers catch a pair of poachers after overhearing them on a plane.

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s Excise Tax on Firearm and Ammunition Sales

On March 31, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), together with the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, Colorado State Shooting Association, Magnum Shooting Center and an NRA member, filed a lawsuit challenging Colorado’s 6.5-percent excise tax on the retail sale of firearms, firearm precursor parts and ammunition.

Tested: Magnum Research 10mm Magnum BFR Revolver

This 6-shot, single-action revolver may well be the first factory-made handgun chambered in this caliber in over three decades.

Hunting Heritage Trust Grant Applications Being Accepted

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearm industry, has opened the application period for the 2025 Hunting Heritage Trust Grants. They offer a total of $100,000 in financial support for programs that work to expand participation in hunting and the shooting sports.

Hardware Review: Marlin Model 1895 Dark

If you think lever-action rifles should only have walnut stocks and a blued-metal finish, then the new Marlin Dark series with its polymer buttstock and aluminum AR-esque handguard probably won’t be your thing. That’s a shame, because this recent offering in Marlin’s line of modernized, capable lever-action rifles has a lot going for it in terms of performance, functionality and fun.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.