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OEM Services

The barrelbehind the brand.

Meticulously crafted in Wisconsin.

Start an OEM inquirySee the process

The quiet side of Criterion

The majority of our capacity builds barrels that carry someone else's name.

Who we build for

Rifle manufacturersand firearms distributors

80%+Of our capacity allocated to OEM services

Match-grade barrels built to your specifications and shipped under your name.

Criterion Barrels is well known for its wide selection of premium match grade barrels. Many in the firearms industry are unaware that over eighty percent of our capacity is allocated toward OEM services: providing highly refined barrels to many of the world's most reputable rifle manufacturers.

Criterion offers a full spectrum of services, from design and testing to delivery of premium barrels. In choosing to work with Criterion, you are drawing on our decades of experience working with world-class rifle manufacturers and producing barrels for hundreds of different rifle platforms.

Start an OEM inquiry

In-house process

From bar stock to barrels.

All operations from drilling to milling are performed in-house. Follow a Criterion barrel through every step.

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    01Materials

    Ordnance-grade steel

    Our barrels and blanks are manufactured with premium, ordnance-grade barrel steel, 4150 chrome moly vanadium, 410, or 416R stainless steel. These materials are heat treated and double stress relieved when they arrive from the mill. Prior to being used in production, every batch is independently lab-tested for purity. Criterion has complete control over all aspects of production, from raw materials to the delivery of a match-quality barrel.

    • 4150 chrome moly vanadium
    • 410 / 416R stainless
    • Lab-tested for purity
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    02Drilling

    Drilled in-house

    Our custom-made drilling machines are critical to producing a straight bore with perfect uniformity.

    • Custom drilling machines
    • Straight, uniform bore
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    03Button rifling

    Second to none

    Our highly refined button rifling operation is second to none in the firearms industry. Buttons are produced in-house, allowing us to maintain tolerances not found with other manufacturers. Our custom-built CNC button rifling machines allow us to offer twist uniformity exceeding standards previously only offered with single point cut rifling techniques. Criterion couples cutting edge technology with old world craftsmanship.

    • Buttons made in-house
    • Custom CNC rifling machines
    • Twist uniformity
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    04Heat treating

    Ultimate control

    Heat treating ensures dimensional integrity during the production process. We have multiple custom-made heat treat ovens to perform this critical step. By internalizing our heat-treating operations, we are able to produce pristine rifle barrels, free of negative effects from machining.

    • Custom heat treat ovens
    • Dimensional integrity
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    05Lapping

    Craftsmanship

    Before the chambering and crowning operations, we lap every bore to remove tooling marks, to produce a pristine surface finish and bore uniformity. Lapping lays all the grains of metal in the exact direction that the bullet will go as it travels down the barrel. Our craftsmen have mastered the lapping process, which greatly improves the accuracy potential and precision of your barrel.

    • Tooling marks removed
    • Pristine surface finish
    • Bore uniformity
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    06Turning and milling

    Contoured to spec

    We have numerous CNC turning and milling cells to finish a wide range of premium barrels.

    • CNC turning and milling
    • Custom contours
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    07Finishing

    Raising the standard

    We offer a variety of finishing options that include world-class chrome-lining, salt bath nitriding, manganese phosphating, polishing, and bead blasting.

    • Chrome-lining
    • Salt bath nitride
    • Manganese phosphate
    • Polished
    • Bead blasted

Steel selection

It starts with the steel.

Alloy steel

4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium

Ordnance-grade, gun-barrel-quality chrome moly vanadium renowned for its ability to handle high heat and abrasion.

  • Ordnance grade
  • Heat treated from the mill
  • Double stress relieved

Stainless steel

410 / 416R Stainless

Ordnance-grade stainless steel for precision applications where accuracy and corrosion resistance are both paramount.

  • Ordnance grade
  • Heat treated from the mill
  • Double stress relieved
Made in
Wisconsin
Established
1999

Partner with Criterion

Build your program with us.

Tell us about your platform, materials, finish, and volume. Our sales team will scope the work with you directly.

OEM inquiry point of contact

Sales Department

Email
sales@criterionbarrels.com
Phone
(262) 628-8749
Hours
Mon - Thu: 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.Friday: Office closed
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