Weapon Features

Hammer Forging

Knight’s Armament employs a hammer-forging process on a number of our barrels and chambers, which serves to increase the quality of their interior finish, as well as increasing the durability and life of the barrel. These barrels are then Chrome-lined to further the lifespan of the barrel and increase its resistance to fouling and corrosion.


The first step is to take a drilled barrel and hone the interior to a fine, clean finish. The barrel is then placed onto a mandrel with the rifling pattern ground in relief across it. This setup is then placed between opposing power hammers which literally hammer the barrel onto the pattern found on the mandrel. The barrel setup is rotated and the hammers continue to forge the barrel into its final shape. Once they complete this process, the barrels are heat treated in order to relieve the inherent stress created during this process.

The Chroming process is applied after the Hammer Forging. At this point the interior of the barrel is basically lined with a layer of chrome and bonded to the forged steel. Chrome is approximately twice as hard as standard 4150 steel and also resists the lead and powder that bare steel will normally absorb into its pores. This allows the barrel to be exposed to the higher temperatures and pressures of high firing schedules while still maintaining accuracy, durability and reliability. The end result is a denser, stronger barrel that will endure a higher round life than a Standard Stainless Steel or Chrome Moly barrel.