Author Topic: Cryo Treatment (Read 555 times)

captainkirk · « **on:** July 06, 2004, 02:01:21 AM »

Anybody out there had a Contender barrel "Cryoed"? Just curious, wonder treatment or snake oil...

Thanks

Kirk

Major · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2004, 08:59:17 AM »

Stress relief in any metal is a good thing and will aid in the life expectancy of that product. As an engineer, I can attest to that on a professional level.

Now, I have never done so on any firearm so please take what I say with a grain of salt and be aware of what it cost you. Stress relief can be done with heat or cold. Heat, if done wrong can mess up the temper of the product and ruin it, cold will not. I personally think the Cryo Treatment is a good thing but as I said, I have not ever done it. It will be interesting to see what others have to say about it.

Questor · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2004, 09:12:39 AM »

Cryo treatments were a fad a few years ago and I recall reading mixed reviews by customers. Results ranged from significant improvements to no improvement. It didn't seem like it was worth doing. Perhaps that's why you don't hear as much about it now.

Major · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2004, 09:36:31 AM »

As I see it the main trouble with the Cryo Treatment is we have come to expect instant gratification in our lives, so if your group size wasnt cut in half it wasnt seen as good. The group size will be reduced to some extent if you shoot so much the barrel gets too hot to touch, like over a p-dog town, but not too many of us do that. That is when those built in stresses can start to walk the point of impact. The stress relief can also double your barrel life but again, since most of us will not shoot out a barrel very often anyway it doesnt seem to be viewed as worth while in that respect either.

So, captainkirk, I would say it is your money and your barrels so do what you think is the right thing here. Good luck, and if you go for it let us know how it turned out.

captainkirk · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2004, 10:52:39 AM »

Thank you gentlemen for your assistance with this issue. It looks like I may try it, if I do, I'll post some results.

Thanks

Kirk

captainkirk · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2004, 12:03:32 PM »

Well, I got my barrel back and took it to the range today. Conclusion: I'm not sure... I did shoot some of my tightest groups to date with the contender but had so many split necks (see 30 Herrett help thread) that several groups were ruined in the process. This barrel had this problem before but I thought it was a brass problem. Now I don't know.

With some loads I had used before I did get up to a 50% reduction in group size at 50 yards, but I don't think I have enough data to draw any conclusions yet.

Kirk

larryw · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2004, 04:19:28 PM »

I've had a couple rifles done. Noticed a signifcant improvement in shot-to-shot consistancy with both guns (223 bull barrel and 30-06 lightweight).

These guys were very fast (under a week) and the cost was ~$50: http://www.cryoplus.com/gunbarrels.html

Rog · « **Reply #7 on:** August 02, 2004, 06:31:26 AM »

I've had a 30-06 JDJ barrel cryo'd. I can't say that I had any improvement in accuracy, since it shot well prior to cryo treatment, and shot equally well after (maybe slightly better...).

I can say that the clean up afterwards seemed to be improved.

The main reason I had my barrel cryo'd was to increase the life of the barrel.

Regards,

Rog

TopGun · « **Reply #8 on:** August 02, 2004, 03:24:04 PM »

Hey guys, I'm not real sure but I don't think you should really expect to see a great or substantial difference in group size with cryo treatment. :? What you should expect is to maintain longer barrel life and less throat erosion over many more shots and the life of the barrel! :grin: Most? average shooters wont shoot enough rounds to wear out a rifles throat unless you're shooting some big boys like the big Weatherby's. :shock: My feeling is that if you have a decently accurate rifle, and you get it cryo's, it may be a little better, but it will stay accurate for a long time

--provided you clean it properly and take care of the crown!! :eek:
Topgun! I shoot a cryo'd 30-378. Throat erosion has been stalled to where I think I can now get about 1200 rounds out of it--maybe another year at best! :cry: Accuracy is now barely sub-MOA. :cry:

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 03, 2004, 12:33:53 PM »

Expect cryo to make a difference in a long, harmonically sensitive rifle barrel. In a short, and therefore stiff and less sensitive, Contender barrel it would be doubtful that any significant results could be found without months of testing in a Ransom rest, both before and after. Handheld...??

larryw · « **Reply #10 on:** August 03, 2004, 02:45:28 PM »

What it does on mine, regardless of barrel weight is limit the twisting of the barrel as it heats up; they shoot the same hot or cold. Both mine are longer barrels (22" light 30-06 and 26" bull 223). And now that you mention it, the varminter does seem to clean up easier.

Much can be said for getting rid of stresses in life and barrels.