Dilatometry of Steel for the Production of 5.56 mm Calibre Rifle Barrels

During high rates of fire, the bore of the firearm barrel is exposed to high temperatures. This exposure induces structural changes in the barrel material, which is especially significant for the substrate of the galvanic chrome plating. The alloy steel grades used currently for firearm barrels, when exposed to heating above the ferrite stability limits, develop a phase transition with a discrete negative change in the material volume, which results in typical crazing in the bore. This effect is destructive to the galvanic chrome plating, leading to a loss of adhesion, which reduces the ballistic performance of the firearm, especially its muzzle velocity. This can be prevented by manufacturing barrels from steels having a limited range of phase transitions. The primary method for determining the presence of distinct volume changes in steel due to phase transition is dilatometry over a wide temperature range, which includes the interval within which the barrel bore is heated. This paper presents the dilatometry results for four steel grades, which included a steel grade currently used for firearm barrels, and an analysis of the effects of phase transition on the degradation of the barrel bore.