How cut-rifled barrels are made — History of the Cut-Rifling Process

December 16, 2022. You’ve probably heard of cut rifling. But did you know that this process was developed in Germany almost 500 years ago. Learn more about how a cut rifled barrel is made. The cut-rifling process, which is used by top barrel-makers like Bartlein Blake, Brux and Krieger, can produce a very high quality barrel with a long life expectancy. In recent years, cut-rifled barrels have been a top choice in benchrest competitions short- and long-range. High-power shooters have also been fond of cut-rifled barrels. Cut-rifling was invented in Nuremberg in 1520. It creates spiral grooves by cutting steel with some type of cutter. Cut rifling can be described as a single-point cutting method using a “hook cutter”. The cutter rests inside the cutter box, a hardened-steel cylinder that fits the reamed barrel blank. It also contains the cutter raising mechanism. Above is a computer animation showing an older style sine-bar cut-rifling device. Although some machine features have been simplified to illustrate, the basic operation is clearly shown. Although Krieger’s cut-rifling machines don’t have a hand crank, the basic operation is identical to that of modern machines. Read more about Cut-Rifling Process at FirearmsID.com
FirearmsID.com provides information about barrel-making and cut-rifling. Dr. Geoffrey Kolbe’s “must-read article” The Making of a Rifled Barrel is available on FirearmsID.com. This article explains in detail how barrels are made using both cut-rifling or button-rifling methods. Kolbe, the former owner of Border Barrels, covers all the important steps: steel selection, hole drilling and hole reaming. The rifling machine’s workings will be explained in detail. Here’s a short sample:”At the start of World War Two, Pratt & Whitney developed a new, ‘B’ series of hydraulically-powered rifling machines, which were in fact two machines on the same bed. They weighed three tons and required concrete floors that are now common in workshops. Two thousand were made to meet the demand for rifle barrels. However, many were destroyed or sold to third world countries that were building their own arms industry. These hydraulic machines were not readily available on the surplus market, and barrel makers such as John Krieger or ‘Boots’ Obermeyer are now able to purchase them. There are likely to be fewer ‘B’ series hydraulic riflers than the older Sine Bar’ universal riflers. However, the techniques of cut rifling aren’t static since the end of World War II. Boots Obermeyer was a major contributor to the development, manufacture, and maintenance of the hook cutter as well as the cutter box. This has resulted in barrels with exceptional accuracy. Boots Obermeyer was a great source of knowledge for cut rifled barrel makers John Krieger (Krieger Barrels), Mark Chanlyn(Rocky Mountain Rifle Works), and Cliff Labounty (“Labounty Precision Reboring )…), as well as me. Geoffrey KolbeVideo found by Boyd Allen Archive photos of Border Barrels. Birmingham Gunmakers Ltd. purchased Border Barrels in June 2013. Dr. Geoffrey Kolbe established BBT Ltd., a new company that produces chamber reamers as well as other gunsmithing tools. (Thanks to L. Holland, for the Kolbe update).