John Krieger Talks about Barrel-Making
At SHOT Show 2013 we had the chance to chat with legendary barrel-maker John Kreiger of Krieger Barrels. In this wide-ranging interview, John addressed a number of questions our readers often pose…. What is better for a 6mm, 0.236″ land or 0.237″ land? What are the pros/cons of various barrel types: 3-groove, 4-groove, 6-groove, 8-groove, and 5R? What types of land/groove configurations clean up more easily? (John says the 5R might be the winner there).
John also discusses barrel cleaning and he explains why it’s unwise to pull a dirty brush back across your delicate crown: “The problem comes from the fact that abrasive materials — powder and primer residues in particular — get embedded in the brush. Essentially that is how a lap works.”
When we suggested that Krieger Barrels might want to offer three-groove barrels in the future, John surprised us by revealing that he has been considering putting a 3-groove design into production. John says that, in theory at least, a canted-land 3-groove holds a lot of promise. John hopes to build some prototype 3-grooves to test. Krieger Barrels has a 300-yard underground tunnel where barrels with various land/groove configurations and calibers can be tested using a return-to-battery fixture. John admits that tunnel testing of barrels is “on the back burner” as his company focuses on filling orders. But he says that he has a strong personal interest in testing different land/groove configurations, different amounts of choke, and different internal dimensions. We hope we’ll be able to share some results from the Krieger Barrels test tunnel in the near future.
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Tags: Cut Rifling, John Krieger, Krieger Barrels, SHOT Show, Video
I met John at Perry many years ago. I was looking for a barrel to put on an action I had and after discussing what I wanted with him, he pulled out a barrel that he had. I told him that I wanted it but had to go back to the condo where I was staying to get some cash and the action I wanted it installed on. John held the barrel for me even though others came up trying to buy it. It is one of the most accurate rifles I own! It is a rare thing when you find someone who will deal on the strength of their word. John is such a man! I have since added many more Krieger barrels to my rifles and have never been disappointed!