While manufacturers strive for perfection, the devil lurks in the details. Deburring and rifling emerge as critical aspects in the pursuit of excellence.
One critical facet, the quest for the best finishing for firearms becomes particularly crucial when delving into the intricacies of barrel rifling.
The gun barrel, often metaphorically described as the heart of firearm performance, becomes a focal point in pursuing optimal functionality and precision.
In the expansive realm of handguns and long barrels, two critical operations take center stage: gun barrel polishing and rifling.
The latter, rifling, is a nuanced process that significantly influences the accuracy and stability of a bullet’s trajectory.
The machined spiral grooves within the barrel impart a rotational motion to the bullet upon firing, enhancing its stability and accuracy—factors that become increasingly critical with greater shooting distances.
Traditional rifling means leverages mechanical rifling, either based on cutting or deformation :
Cut rifling is a method where a carbide tool generates the groove in several steps, one groove at a time. In comparison to the button riffling cutting, the process creates burrs but less stress. It’s slow and costly because it requires multiple passes to achieve deeper grooves. Cut rifling is used when precision is needed,
This method is also a metal-cutting solution. Still, the broach includes multiple teeth, allowing a single pass instead of multiple ones with the cut-rifling process. It’s an efficient manufacturing process but expensive because of the broaches’ cost.
A cold-forming process that pulls the button through the barrel. The deformation creates lands and grooves. It does not generate burrs but a lot of stress to the barrel. It is a prevalent process, especially in manufacturing, by volume, thanks to its short time cycle.
Hammer forging works another way, pushing a blank on a mandrel. Quality is one asset of this method, but it requires a high investment.
Extrude Hone’s EC rifling stands as a revolutionary departure from traditional processes, promising barrel rifling quality and productivity that surpass conventional capabilities. EC Rifling is positioned as the optimal solution for achieving superior gun finishing, heightened productivity, and impeccable quality.
When it comes to the barrel rifling process, Extrude Hone’s Electrochemical Rifling (ECR) distinguishes itself by offering a level of precision and quality that goes beyond the capabilities of traditional methods. With a legacy spanning over two decades, ECR has consistently delivered superior results in terms of rifling quality.
The electrochemical process employed by ECR ensures the creation of precise, polished grooves without any physical contact, thereby applying zero stress to the barrel.
This innovative approach mitigates the concerns associated with traditional barrel rifling methods, where stress and potential deformities may compromise the performance of the firearm over time.
One of the key advantages of ECR lies in its adaptability to various rifling configurations.
Whether static or dynamic, Extrude Hone’s ECR excels in both conventional rifling with a smooth transition between lands and valleys and polygonal rifling. Polygonal rifling, in particular, offers benefits such as a better gas seal and reduced stress on the bullet.
The efficiency of Extrude Hone’s EC Rifling is underscored by its performance metrics. For example, polygonal EC rifling can be applied to an 86mm-length handgun barrel in a mere 70 seconds.
This rapid yet precise rifling process not only enhances productivity but also ensures consistent and high-quality results.
The ECO+ Electrochemical machine series offers versatile configurations for EC Rifling, Static, or Dynamic ( up to 800mm barrel length). ECO+ is robot loading/unloading ready.
For those unable to invest, Extrude Hone provides contract shop services globally.
Benefit from trial and contract capabilities, extensive experience, and expert support to ensure quick turnaround and uncompromised quality.
At Extrude Hone, our commitment is to provide you with an unparalleled experience. We use our knowledge to help your projects. We work hard to ensure the best solutions.
Our goal is to enhance efficiency and make your parts flawless.
Learn more about our firearms finishing experience
Leave nothing to chance, use Electrochemical – EC Rifling for state-of-the-art rifling
Extrude Hone is the unique Contract shop providing ECM rifling in America, but that’s not all.
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