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Frequently Asked Questions
Please submit your questions on the Contact Us page.
How do you properly "break-in"
a new barrel?
What is Headspace?
What is a Powder Coat finish?
What is Parallax?
What is Color Case Hardening?
What is a Damascus Barrel and why are they
dangerous?
Why are corrosive primers/ammunition bad?
How do you properly "break-in"
a new barrel?
Clean after each shot for the first 5 shots. Then clean after every
third shot for the next 15 rounds. The remainder of the break-in is
to clean every 5 shots for the next 50 shots. During this time, don't
just shoot bullets down the barrel during this 50 shot procedure. This
is a great time to begin load development. Zero the scope over the first
5 shots, and start shooting for accuracy with 5-shot groups for the
next 50 shots.
What is Headspace?
Simply put, headspace is the distance from the breech face to that
part of the chamber which stops forward movement of the cartridge case.
Insufficient headspace interferes with closing the gun because it leaves
insufficient room for the cartridge. Excessive headspace permits the
cartridge case to be unduly stretched or even separated by the gas pressure
in firing. Both of these cases are dangerous due the possibility of
serious injury during firing, if the gun will fire at all.
What is a Powder Coat finish?
Powdered epoxy is sprayed onto the metal using an electrostatic process
to ensure even coating. The coated part is then baked. During baking,
the powder liquifies and sets up. The coating is relatively thick, very
resistant to chips and dings, quite scratch resistant, and stands up
well to solvents and cleaners.
What is Parallax?
Parallax is the apparent shift in position of a viewed object attributable
to the difference between two separate and distinct points of view.
In a scope sight, parallax can cause an aiming error, or parallax error,
when the target image is not formed in the same plane as the reticle.
The condition may be detected by moving the aiming eye progressively
away from the center of the ocular toward the edge of the lens without
moving the scope. If the target and reticle shift position slightly
relative to each other, parallax error exists and will cause a corresponding
shift in the center of impact. The more the eye moves away from the
scope's optical axis, the greater the parallax error. Parallax error
does not occur when the aiming eye is well centered with respect to
the ocular lens, even though the conditions for a potential error are
present. With a fixed-focus scope sight that has been factory-set for
optimum focus at a specific distance, the potential for parallax error
exists whenever the targets are nearer or farther than the range for
which the optics were regulated. In most cases, the amount of error
will not be significant in the context of normal field shooting. Parallax
error can be avoided satisfactorily by keeping the aiming eye reasonably
well centered. High-power varmint and target scope sights have adjustable
objectives that permit focusing the scope over a wide range of target
distances. Focusing such scopes carefully assures the maximum image
sharpness and also eliminates potential parallax error at the distance
for which the scope is focused. With the scope focused properly, moving
the eye off center will not cause a shift in the relative positions
of reticle and target, and the center of the impact will not be affected
by the shift in the eye position relative to the optical axis.
What is Color Case Hardening?
Color Case Hardening is a process for the surface hardening of steel
that results in a decorative mottled-color finish. This finish is attained
by packing the component into a steel box together with a generous amount
of charred bone and leather, then heating the entire unit to a temperature
of approximately 1400 degrees F for two hours or more. Upon removal
from the heating oven the part is quenched quickly in cool, soft water.
This hardened "skin" or "case" varies in depth in
the area of .005" to .007". This process results in a marbleized
red-yellow-blue color and gives mild steel a very hard carbon-steel
casing.
What is a Damascus Barrel and why are they
dangerous?
A damascus barrel is made by welding together two or more rods of twisted
iron or steel and rolling them into a ribbon. This was then wrapped
around a mandrel, hammered flat and made a continuous tube by welding
all the edges together. A damascus barrel is one mass of welds from
breech to muzzle. These barrels were made for blackpowder ammunition.
Blackpowder ammunition produces lower pressures than even low-powered
smokeless rounds, and blackpowder cartridges have a different pressure
curve than smokeless. Even well-made damascus barreled guns are too
light in the breech area, both barrels and actions. Damascus guns are
best left over the fireplace.
Why are corrosive primers/ammunition bad?
For non-mercuric corrosive primers, the primary corrosion culprit
is potassium chlorate (KClO3). Potassium chlorate was used as an oxidizer,
providing oxygen, to the primer compound reaction. When the reaction
takes place, the oxygen is removed from the molecule leaving potassium
chloride (KCl). Potassium chloride is a salt much like sodium chloride
(common table salt). The potassium chloride reside left in a gun barrel
absorbs water from the air and creates a corrosive film responsible
for barrel rusting. Since potassium chloride is highly soluble in water,
this is the reason why it is recommended that barrels be washed with
hot water after shooting corrosive ammunition. It is also recommended
that shooters wash their brass that contained corrosive primers in the
same manner.
