A steel alloy is disclosed. The alloy contains in weight percent:

TABLE-US-00001 C about 0.21-about 0.27 Mn about 0.1 max. Si about 0.1 max. P about 0.005 max. S about 0.002 max. Cr about 1.2-about 1.8 Mo about 1.1-about 1.9 V about 0.2-about 0.4 Ni about 3.0-about 3.8 Nb about 0.005-about 0.03 Cu about 0.10 max. Al about 0.02 max.

The balance of the alloy is iron, impurities, and incidental amounts of residual elements that do not adversely affect the basic and novel properties provided by the alloy. An article of manufacture and method of making same are also disclosed.

A steel alloy is disclosed. The alloy contains in weight percent:

TABLE-US-00001 C about 0.21-about 0.27 Mn about 0.1 max. Si about 0.1 max. P about 0.005 max. S about 0.002 max. Cr about 1.2-about 1.8 Mo about 1.1-about 1.9 V about 0.2-about 0.4 Ni about 3.0-about 3.8 Nb about 0.005-about 0.03 Cu about 0.10 max. Al about 0.02 max.

The balance of the alloy is iron, impurities, and incidental amounts of residual elements that do not adversely affect the basic and novel properties provided by the alloy. An article of manufacture and method of making same are also disclosed.

In order to provide an economical method for producing a weapon barrel, in which a considerable plasticisation of the barrel inner wall and thus of the twist profile is avoided when armour-piercing ammunition is shot, in particular in the case of an intense firing sequence, it is proposed not to introduce the twist profile of the weapon barrel into a barrel blank, the material of which has its end strength already as a result of hardening and tempering, but has a lower strength level (approximately 800-1000 MPa). Only once the twist profile has been formed by extrusion or hammering is the steel hardened and tempered to a predefined strength value >1000 MPa, and is the barrel blank that is provided with the twist profile mechanically processed further.

A process for reducing film boiling by keeping the quenchant pressure above the vapor pressure of the liquid quenchant, and/or using a controlled quenchant renewal to more uniformly cool the surface of part at the initial moment of contact and apparatuses to conduct the pressure and controlled quenchant renewal are disclosed. It is believed that these processes will improve the heat treating of parts with intricate geometries to provide predictable part distortion. The applicability of the method to gun barrels, tubes, round rings, and hollow axles is explained.

A process for reducing film boiling by keeping the quenchant pressure above the vapor pressure of the liquid quenchant, and/or using a controlled quenchant renewal to more uniformly cool the surface of part at the initial moment of contact and apparatuses to conduct the pressure and controlled quenchant renewal are disclosed. It is believed that these processes will improve the heat treating of parts with intricate geometries to provide predictable part distortion. The applicability of the method to gun barrels, tubes, round rings, and hollow axles is explained.

In order to provide an economical method for producing a weapon barrel, in which a considerable plasticisation of the barrel inner wall and thus of the twist profile is avoided when armour-piercing ammunition is shot, in particular in the case of an intense firing sequence, it is proposed not to introduce the twist profile of the weapon barrel into a barrel blank, the material of which has its end strength already as a result of hardening and tempering, but has a lower strength level (approximately 800-1000 MPa). Only once the twist profile has been formed by extrusion or hammering is the steel hardened and tempered to a predefined strength value >1000 MPa, and is the barrel blank that is provided with the twist profile mechanically processed further.

The present disclosure relates to an induction annealing apparatus adapted to anneal cartridge cases to improve their reusability. In one implementation, the apparatus includes a power supply unit and a plurality of annealing units, each including a magnetic core having ends separated by an air gap. An induction coil is wound around the magnetic core to generate a magnetic field in the air gap. A cartridge case holder holds the cartridge case such that the neck of the cartridge case is positioned in one of the air gaps. The power supply unit selectively connects to the annealing units to supply power for a predetermined length of time, and the size of the air gap of the magnetic cores of each of the annealing units may differ. In other implementations, the size of the air gap may be adjustable, and a temperature sensor or a ferrite stake may be included.

Described herein are coiled tubes with improved and varying properties along the length that are produced by using a continuous and dynamic heat treatment process (CDHT). Coiled tubes can be uncoiled from a spool, subjected to a CDHT process, and coiled onto a spool. A CDHT process can produce a composite tube such that properties of the tube along the length of the tube are selectively varied. For example, the properties of the tube can be selectively tailored along the length of the tube for particular application for which the tube will be used.

A process for reducing film boiling by keeping the quenchant pressure above the vapor pressure of the liquid quenchant, and/or using a controlled quenchant renewal to more uniformly cool the surface of part at the initial moment of contact and apparatuses to conduct the pressure and controlled quenchant renewal are disclosed. It is believed that these processes will improve the heat treating of parts with intricate geometries to provide predictable part distortion. The applicability of the method to gun barrels, tubes, round rings, and hollow axles is explained.

A process for reducing film boiling by keeping the quenchant pressure above the vapor pressure of the liquid quenchant, and/or using a controlled quenchant renewal to more uniformly cool the surface of part at the initial moment of contact and apparatuses to conduct the pressure and controlled quenchant renewal are disclosed. It is believed that these processes will improve the heat treating of parts with intricate geometries to provide predictable part distortion. The applicability of the method to gun barrels, tubes, round rings, and hollow axles is explained.