NeedsMoreMillimeters
Member
I wasn't really sure which section to but this in, so feel free to move it if necessary.
So, I am a little confused as to what exactly happens with a "cold hammer-forged barrel" (I assume some actually use heat, but this seems to bee the standard nomenclature).
As I understand it, this method has its roots in WWII when the late war Germans were looking looking for ways to make MG barrel less expensively (specifically for MG42s). This also lead to polygonally rifling, since it was essentially the same process.
Now, currently a number of pistol manufacturers (Glock, HK, etc) market "hammer forged" barrels in their guns, and they all have polygonal rifling (like the image on the left). This seems to make sense for pistols.
But what about rifles (specifically ARs). A growing number of guns are coming with "cold hammer-forged barrels", but (which one exception) I have never seen anyone mention polygonally rifled AR barrels (would that even work with rifle rounds?). At the same time, considering the hammer forged process, I don't see how you could get anything else (it seems that actually cutting/drilling a barrel is the only way to get the sharp edges required for lands and grooves). So, perhaps an expert could educate me: Are the "cold hammer-forged" AR barrels truly polygonally rifled (like the image on the left), or it it just an new fabrication method, but with the traditional rifling.
Thanks.
So, I am a little confused as to what exactly happens with a "cold hammer-forged barrel" (I assume some actually use heat, but this seems to bee the standard nomenclature).
As I understand it, this method has its roots in WWII when the late war Germans were looking looking for ways to make MG barrel less expensively (specifically for MG42s). This also lead to polygonally rifling, since it was essentially the same process.
Now, currently a number of pistol manufacturers (Glock, HK, etc) market "hammer forged" barrels in their guns, and they all have polygonal rifling (like the image on the left). This seems to make sense for pistols.
But what about rifles (specifically ARs). A growing number of guns are coming with "cold hammer-forged barrels", but (which one exception) I have never seen anyone mention polygonally rifled AR barrels (would that even work with rifle rounds?). At the same time, considering the hammer forged process, I don't see how you could get anything else (it seems that actually cutting/drilling a barrel is the only way to get the sharp edges required for lands and grooves). So, perhaps an expert could educate me: Are the "cold hammer-forged" AR barrels truly polygonally rifled (like the image on the left), or it it just an new fabrication method, but with the traditional rifling.
Thanks.