Cold hammer forged v. free floated

[Dan in the Delta]

Originally posted by MacD37
This is aver expencive method of barrel makeing, and is one of the reasons that some of the better rifles of years gone by are no longer made.[/B]

Actually, I think it's the other way around. Hammer forging is one of the more economical means of making a barrel, at least for the big companies that can afford the initial cost of the machinery. The machinery allows them to turn out many, many barrels, thus the cost of making each one is less. That's why the major manufacturers like Remington, Browning, Ruger, Weatherby, Sako, etc. employ this method.

When Winchester decided to redesign the fabled pre-'64 model 70 so it could be made in a more economical manner, they went from using cut-rifled barrels to hammer forged barrels.