De-stressing your gun(s)

Who here has/would want their guns to be de-stressed?

If so how much would you/did you pay to have it done?

For those who don't know what I am talking about it's the whole point of cryo-dipping a gun is to relieve stresses in the metals or de-stress the parts. It's reported to increase accuracy, firearm life, and make cleaning easier.

I am wondering that is why I am asking in the off topic area.

"Cyro-dipping"? does that imply freezing, or dipping the sidearm in liquid nitrogen/hydrogen/or what ever very cold liquid? Wouldn't that re-arrange the molecules of the steel and components in a way to weaken and make it brittle?

Only destressing I do to my EDC weapon of choice, is stripping it bare, soaking in high quality gun lube and oils, and giving it a good old fashion gun bath. Kinda like how we all take a long hot bubble bath to destress

DrakeZ07 said:

"Cyro-dipping"? does that imply freezing, or dipping the sidearm in liquid nitrogen/hydrogen/or what ever very cold liquid? Wouldn't that re-arrange the molecules of the steel and components in a way to weaken and make it brittle?

Only destressing I do to my EDC weapon of choice, is stripping it bare, soaking in high quality gun lube and oils, and giving it a good old fashion gun bath. Kinda like how we all take a long hot bubble bath to destress

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When you heat metals to a certain point (each alloy is different) and then don't get them to cool perfectly evenly and then that uneven cooling causes stresses to form. A good example is the Katana sword it is intentionally stressed to cause it to form it's shape when quenching it. Once quenched it can be de-stressed in a way that will allow it to keep it's shape. When you do machining on a piece of metal that causes stresses. In any sort of barrel stresses are intoduced during the machining process. So what happens is as a bullet is moving down a barrel the barrel vibrates. The longer the barrel the more noticeable it becomes. But as it vibrates from the bullet it starts to warm up. The different levels of stresses cause it to change in vibration enough that a group can open up greatly and the wear on the parts starts to go up. Once the stresses in the metal have been relieved the harmonics start to even out so the the temp has less effect on bullet placement. It also helps the bullet move down the barrel more consistently improving groupings. This is just as true with the old smooth bore pistols as is it with the modern rifled pistols.

All this be come more evident the longer the shot distance and the longer the barrel. Even some tank cannons get de-stressed to improve their accuracy.

Good engine builders let new cast iron blocks sit for years to use an age destressing method that works for cast iron so their engines run better and last longer.

Some manufactures do a thermal destressing of barrels in the factory.

So, sorry, the oil bath does not destress the metal unless you're heating it to the correct temp/time to destress the alloys that are used in your gun(s).

I know when I've done hardening I have to de-stress my quenches at 400F for 4 hours for I think it was 4340 steel.

This may sound naive, but don't the manufacturers do this during their processes? I personally wouldn't see the need unless I was in a high level competition shoot of some sort.

I play classical music for one hour, in a dimly lit room where it is just my pistola and the music...oh, and some aromatherapy candles and incense too. Works wonders, the pistola seems to work better after that.

bigdaddy1 said:

This may sound naive, but don't the manufacturers do this during their processes?

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Yes. OP it's not like the manufacturers send the pieces straight from CNC/the forging press to assembly. They do the kinds of things you're talking about. The quality of their metalcrafting is part of the reputation and quality of the end result, and therefore the price. If, after manufacture is complete, your gun can benefit from anything you're talking about in this thread, then you should have bought a better-made gun in the first place.

I don't see how freezing your gun can help de-stress it in any way. In a solid form the atoms are locked in their structure, so freezing it would just make their movement less. Think about it like you're in a packed concert, you can't go anywhere but you can wave your arms. Now if everything gets closer the movement is just restricted a bit more. This effect is reduced as your gun gets warmer. So unless you plan on shooting a frozen gun then it would be POINTLESS to just freeze it and let it thaw.

When metal is warm enough to turn to a liquid the molecules can flow mostly free. So people that is working metal heat the metal so that the molecules are freed up so they can be re arranged and then quench the metal to set the molecules in the desired shape. This can potentially leave stresses in the metal, so then you can heat it up til it reaches a lesser desired temperature and repeat the process, this allows the molecules to relieve the stress.


I think the process OP is talking about is probably a money racket. Preying on the ignorance of the masses.

OC4M, in my opinion, has it right. Give your Daily Carry a good massage and let it take the next day off. Should relieve all the stress just knowing you care.

Indeed^ and unless you are a sniper, frequently called-upon to take long-range shots on pinpoint targets with a precision rifle that has put a good many rounds down-range, I doubt this will be of much use to the average hand-gun owner.
A money racket, a best.

Read a bit of metallurgy and on heat treating. Start with the Wikipedia. Believe nothing that you read or hear without verifying it yourself unless it fits your preexisting world view.

Herr Heckler Koch said:

Read a bit of metallurgy and on heat treating. Start with the Wikipedia. Believe nothing that you read or hear without verifying it yourself unless it fits your preexisting world view.

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Who are you talking to?

09jisaac said:

Who are you talking to?

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The OP it seems; even though it is a waste of time.

Daylen said:

The OP it seems; even though it is a waste of time.

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I hope so, because then he would be right. : )

There is a whole lot of claims out there just to get money. Remember those things that were advertised on TV to detox your body? You put them on your feet before you go to sleep?

I group this idea in with those.

"De-Stressing" a gun sounds like some sort of snake oil remedy or other gimmick.

I dont know what type of Firearms the OP owns, carries. But for me Sig Sauer and Glock dont need to be messed with.
Hell, my 229 and 226 have a Stainless Steel slide that you could use to hammer down railroad spikes.

The only destressing that I am concerned about is my own by practice, practice, practice

Sig229 said:

"De-Stressing" a gun sounds like some sort of snake oil remedy or other gimmick.

I dont know what type of Firearms the OP owns, carries. But for me Sig Sauer and Glock dont need to be messed with.
Hell, my 229 and 226 have a Stainless Steel slide that you could use to hammer down railroad spikes.

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There is almost no metal in a Glock to be sure.

It's not a snake oil think at all really. It a big thing in machine shops that are trying to maintain a tolerance of +-.00001 or tigher especially, if you have harden the material before it gets sent to a customer.

Some barrel companies do random stress testing on the barrels they manufacture. Shilen is one of them I called and asked them about it they have only used thermal (IE they heat there barrels up to some temp and hold it there for a set time and proscribed cool down) de-stressing methods. They have stress tested their finished barrels. So if you buy a barrel and have it threaded (stress), tapered (stress), etc you should de-stress it once you have finished it.

Same with automotive parts. Valves, valve springs, engine block, pistons, piston rings, cam, crank, con rods, etc are manufactured in a high stress manner. IF you de-stress the parts either before or after install the engine runs smoother. Build an engine run it for awhile check fuel consumption. Have it de-stressed while in your car even and check fuel consumption afterwards. If you have the equipment then pull heads and check cylinder wear rates.

I was just asking who has done it with their handguns and how much they paid for it. If they liked the results etc.
I was pointing out that cryo-dipping is one method. While cryo-dipping is reported to work on may other things besides metals I know it's not cheap. I am focusing more on the metal question.

Freedom1Man said:

...
It's not a snake oil think at all really. It a big thing in machine shops that I are trying to maintain a +-.00001 or less especially if you have harden the material before it gets sent to a customer.
....

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Maybe you should focus on proper grammar and sentence structure. I know its not the cool thing to do in your elementary school, but it is a critical skill when interacting with adults and others through written means.

Daylen said:

Maybe you should focus on proper grammar and sentence structure. I know its not the cool thing to do in your elementary school, but it is a critical skill when interacting with adults and others through written means.

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The funny thing is you understand what they had written. And yet you complain. You would argue with a possum.

As said in the Blues Brothers movie; " I hate Illinois Nazi's" Or in this case, Grammar Nazi's (Don't really care for the spelling Nazi's either)

Beretta92FSLady said:

The funny thing is you understand what they had written. And yet you complain. You would argue with a possum.

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And what if that possum was a member of the Harvard Debating Club (possum division)?????

Freedom1Man said:

There is almost no metal in a Glock to be sure.

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Huh?
I guess my Glocks must be counterfeit ones because the entire slide and barrel are metal.

Maybe thats why I keep getting stopped by the TSA when I try to sneak through airport security with my Glocks.
Those Rap songs and anti gunners all promised me that Glocks had no metal and cant be picked up by a magnetometer!

Damn, I should have listened!