Hart barrels?

[Edd]

Why will Hart make a Stainless Steel barrel in a smaller contour than Krieger or Bartlein? Do they use a different type of stainless?

 

[Clay Target Guy]

Krieger use to make barrels out of the same steel as Hart, then they changed because of some sort of an idea that had to do with using the barrel in extreme cold weather conditions something like -40 degrees or something like that. Anyway when they changed steel they changed contours that they would make

 

[JTB]

Just built a 25 PRC with a 1:7 #3 contour Hart barrel. Great shooter. Had a very slight bow (as almost all barrels do) but positioned it upward and it ended up grouping 4 shots inside a 1.5" bullseye at 300 yards. Can't ask more than that from a light hunting rifle.

 

[Edd]

Krieger use to make barrels out of the same steel as Hart, then they changed because of some sort of an idea that had to do with using the barrel in extreme cold weather conditions something like -40 degrees or something like that. Anyway when they changed steel they changed contours that they would make

What steel does Hart use?

 

[L.Sherm]

Good luck getting barrel companys to tell you. Kreiger claims to have there own recipe.

 

[J E Custom]

I'm really reluctant to bring this up because posts like this have been done many times before and I know that it probably boils down to the work being done by a really good gunsmith. I know that Hart barrels was a really big name years ago and I haven't given them much thought here lately and have never owned one. An older fellow who is a very soft spoken & level headed person that I go to church with told me that he has owned Kriegers & bartlein and they shot really good for him but he has always had the best results from Hart barrels with work done by Hart themselves. I was really astonished by that. Like I said, I know that it's all subjective to work done by the gunsmith but I just don't hear much of folks running Hart barrels anymore like the were 20+ years ago. Would like to hear what other Hart barrel owners have to say.

I haven't bought or built on one in a while, But one of the oldest and most fired I have has a Hart barrel On it. It Was my Match rifle for 15 years and has thousands of rounds through it. (I can verify over 23,000 with my match/range books). using iron sites, it will still shoot sub 1/2 MOA groups. The throat shows signs of wear, but nothing bad.

I always took great care of this rifle and it is still very accurate, even though I have never tried a scope on it. I don't/cant vouch for the new Hart barrels but i wouldn't hesitate to build on one.

Hart was one of the first to master the Stainless barrel making, so my guess is that they still know how.

Just My opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[Edd]

Good luck getting barrel companys to tell you. Kreiger claims to have there own recipe.

The Kreiger catalog says they use 416R Stainless.

 

[L.Sherm]

Yes they do but not all 416 is the same.

 

[J E Custom]

The Kreiger catalog says they use 416R Stainless.

Yes.
416 R Is resulfurized to make it Free machining SS Steel thus the "R" designation. Most barrel makers use this grade of SS Steel for their barrel. It gives it better machining characteristic for better chambers and bore uniformity. The down side of this type of alloy is I is not considered weldable(There is realy no reason to weld on a rifle barrel in the first place) But if the design needs require welding another alloy is chosen.

There are other grades of 416 that exhibit different characteristics that will work, but are more difficult to machine.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Edd]

Yes they do but not all 416 is the same.

Yes.
416 R Is resulfurized to make it Free machining SS Steel thus the "R" designation. Most barrel makers use this grade of SS Steel for their barrel. It gives it better machining characteristic for better chambers and bore uniformity. The down side of this type of alloy is I is not considered weldable(There is realy no reason to weld on a rifle barrel in the first place) But if the design needs require welding another alloy is chosen.

There are other grades of 416 that exhibit different characteristics that will work, but are more difficult to machine.

J E CUSTOM

What does Hart use?

 

[Pittsspecial]

I just purchased a Hart barreled .308 (1-14 twist)built for the Army Marksmenship Unit.
I am just now getting set up to load for it. Its hardly been used. Built in 1969. Please find photos attached if I did this correctly.

 

[J E Custom]

What does Hart use?

Most Use 416 R for the machining abilities. Some few use 17-4 PH but it is more difficult to machine, much like Chrome Molly.

I use 416 R on my brakes for the same reason, Machineability and to match the barrel material better. (The easier it machines, the more precision it is for the low tech shop with out CNC equipment) For Chrome Molly I use 4140 for the same reason. I find that dissimilar materials tend to shoot loose over time because of differences in the coefficient of expansion between the different materials.

J E CUSTOM

 

[geo4061]

J E what caliber was that barrel you put 23,000 rounds through?

 

[Edd]

Most Use 416 R for the machining abilities. Some few use 17-4 PH but it is more difficult to machine, much like Chrome Molly.

I use 416 R on my brakes for the same reason, Machineability and to match the barrel material better. (The easier it machines, the more precision it is for the low tech shop with out CNC equipment) For Chrome Molly I use 4140 for the same reason. I find that dissimilar materials tend to shoot loose over time because of differences in the coefficient of expansion between the different materials.

J E CUSTOM

I would like to have a 6.5 mm Stainless Steel barrel about the size of a Hart #3 Sporter.

Krieger won't make one that small and they state why they won't.

Hart offers no explanation about why they will.

Since I don't have the knowledge to make the decision on my own, I have chosen to follow the opinion that I believe is the safest.