While browsing benchrest.com I found an article titled Catalytic Surface conversion. This was located on www.smallcaliber.com, the website of Small Caliber News. This is about a new Barrel treatment that many of the top benchrest shooters have been using for years. Apparently this treatment reduces barrel and throat erosion, thereby increasing barrel life significantly (I sure could use this, barrels are just too expensive!). It also stated that barrels foul less and are easier to clean. I certainly could use this when I go prairie dog hunting this summer. Has anyone else heard of this treatment or has had their barrels treated? I am going to send off one of my barrels as soon as possible. I have been told that gunsmiths are treating their reamers and lathe tools with this process because it increases the tool hardness. They are able to use their reamers longer and because of the sharpness they are able to have a cleaner more concentric chamber. The article stated that many tooling companieses have been using this process for almost twenty years. Why is the firearm industry so slow to adapt?

Outlaw - I posted this response to your same thread over on HA...

CSC is not quite the secret that the article would have you believe. Several bench rest friends have used the process in their competition barrels for several years. It's use is well known and documented. From what I can tell, the results from CSC are "OK". Many equate CSC benefits to using moly and cryogenics. In other words, there is not a huge increase in accuracy or substantially reduced fouling, or greatly extended barrel life. I know guys that use moly and cryogenics that regularly get 4,000 to 6,000 rounds through their bench barrels.

Understand that bench guys are seeking that last angstrom (sub micron) of accuracy from their guns. Many would splash holy water and burn a sacrifice if they thought there was any benefit. In varmint guns and high volume target guns there may be some benefit. If you are going to use the CSC treatment, it is highly recommended that you start with a new barrel and not one you have already shot.

Please let us know your impressions and experience with CSC...

Ah yes, the continued search for the holy grail of shooting...and God bless them because every 200 years or so they stumble upon a revelation that proves superior to anything we now have, but alas, cryogenics, moly coat and SCS are but witches brew and wishfull thinking to my mind....but they will surely lead to new and wonderous things, given time, that the old Germans, and the bloody English knew 100 years ago..At least thats the way its been going for the last 50 years.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com