Glossary of Terms
Explore the key technologies and processes that drive precision barrel manufacturing. This glossary of terms will guide you through the essential terms and concepts that shape the performance and quality of every barrel we produce at Vortakt Barrel Works.
VORTAKT TERMS
WHAT IS VORTAKT BARREL WORKS?: Vortakt Barrel Works is a U.S.-based company that specializes in manufacturing precision rifle barrels for firearms.
Known for their expertise in creating high-quality, custom barrels tailored to the needs of firearm manufacturers. Vortakt uses advanced manufacturing techniques, including state-of-the-art CNC machines, to produce barrels with a high degree of accuracy and consistency.
WHAT IS VORTAKT BEST AT?: Vortakt Barrel Works is particularly skilled at making precision-engineered rifle barrels. Their barrels are highly regarded in the industry for improving the accuracy, performance, and reliability of firearms.
WHO DOES VORTAKT MAKE BARRELS FOR?: Vortakt Barrel Works produces precision rifle barrels with specific profiles, materials,
and tolerances, making them a go-to supplier for a range of specialized firearm manufacturers
Products
AR BARREL: Barrels designed for AR-15-style rifles.
BARREL BLANK: A raw, unfinished metal tube used to create gun barrels.
BOLT ACTION BARREL: Barrels used in bolt-action rifles, known for precision.
LOLLIPOP BARREL: A pistol barrel profile featuring a bulbous end near the muzzle and a tapered section toward the chamber, enhancing balance and heat dissipation.
MATCH-GRADE BARREL: A high-precision barrel used for competitive shooting.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT AND MIL-SPEC BARRELS: Barrels meeting military specifications for quality and performance.
PISTOL BARREL: Barrels designed for handguns or pistols.
PRE-FIT BARREL: A barrel pre-machined to fit specific rifle actions.
INDUSTRY
ACTION: The mechanism of a firearm that loads, fires, and ejects cartridges, encompassing various designs such as bolt action,
semi-automatic, and automatic.
BARREL CONTOUR: The external shape or profile of the barrel, influencing weight and balance.
BORE: The interior of a firearm barrel through which the projectile travels. The bore’s diameter is critical for determining the caliber.
BROACH RIFLING: A method of rifling where a series of progressively larger cutting tools (broaches) are used to cut the grooves into the barrel, known for producing precise and uniform rifling.
BUTTON RIFLING: A rifling process that uses a hardened button to press grooves into the barrel.
CALIBER: The internal diameter of a gun barrel, typically measured in millimeters or inches.
CHAMBERING: The process of machining a chamber to accept a specific caliber of ammunition.
CHOKE: A constriction at the muzzle end of a shotgun barrel that controls the spread of the shot, impacting the shot pattern and range.
CNC MACHINING: A computer-controlled process used for precise barrel manufacturing.
CRYOGENIC TREATMENT: The process of freezing a barrel to improve its durability and accuracy.
FIRING PIN: A component of a firearm that strikes the primer of a cartridge, igniting the propellant and firing the projectile.
FLUTING: Longitudinal grooves machined into a barrel to reduce weight and improve heat dissipation.
FREE FLOAT: A design where the barrel is not in contact with the stock or fore-end of the firearm, allowing for improved accuracy by reducing interference during firing.
GAS PORT: An opening in a barrel that allows gas from a fired cartridge to be redirected to cycle the action of a semi-automatic or
automatic firearm.
GUNDRILLING: A deep-drilling method used to create the bore of a barrel.
HAMMER FORGING: A manufacturing process where a barrel is formed by repeatedly hammering the metal, resulting in improved structural integrity and surface finish.
HEAT TREATMENT: A process involving controlled heating and cooling of metal to alter its physical and sometimes chemical properties, enhancing strength and durability.
LANDS AND GROOVES: The raised and recessed sections of rifling inside a barrel; the lands are the raised parts, while the grooves are the spaces between them.
LEAD LAPPING: A process of polishing the bore of a barrel using lead and abrasive compounds.
MUZZLE CROWN: The bevel at the end of the barrel, designed to protect rifling and ensure consistent bullet exit.
OEM (ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER): Companies that manufacture barrels for other brands.
REAMING: A machining process to smooth and finish a drilled hole in a barrel.
RIFLING: Spiral grooves inside a barrel that impart spin to bullets.
SAAMI SPECIFICATIONS: Standards set by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute for safety and performance.
SINGLE POINT CUT RIFLING: A rifling method where a single cutting tool creates each groove.
STRESS RELIEVING: A heat-treating process that reduces internal stresses in a barrel after manufacturing.
THROATING: Machining the area in the barrel just in front of the chamber to ease bullet travel.
TWIST RATE: The rate at which the rifling in a barrel spins the bullet, usually expressed as the distance required for one complete turn (e.g., 1:10”).