U.S. Army Testing Improved Gun Barrel Material

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), Geissele Automatics and Carpenter Technologies entered into Cooperative Research and Development Agreements in 2022 that may signal an all-new era in gun-barrel longevity and performance. How long until it reaches consumers—and becomes affordable—remains to be seen, but in the not-too-distant future, it's possible we'll see it being used in small arms fielded by the U.S. Military.

A 2021 white paper published to formally introduce a new barrel-making material explains, “Using Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) and precision melt control, Carpenter Technology developed GNB200, a premium remelted alloy steel specially formulated for high temperature wear resistance requiring high mechanical strength combined with very high toughness.” The publication’s name, “INTRODUCING GNB200 RIFLE BARREL ALLOY,” likely caught DEVCOM’s eye, along with the list of advantages that included, “Maximizing strength, toughness, and wear in a hammer forgeable alloy.”  

Don’t be fooled into thinking GNB200 is an exotic material limited for use in intercepting extraterrestrials inbound on a Death Star. “GNB200 is produced through an AOD/VAR process to achieve the specific property balance and costs necessary for OEM success,” the paper states, a clear indication that commercial production is possible. AOD is a decarbonization process using nitrogen in common use today. VAR is short for vacuum arc remelting, another well-established process used to improve a material’s microstructure.

In fact, to address manufacturing concerns, One of Geissele’s focuses during the project was testing and fine-tuning the manufacturing process to meet the production volume required by the U.S. Military, according to The Defense Post. The famed firm contributed much more, though. “DEVCOM and Geissele also collaborated on a new rifle profile which reduces wear and improves shot dispersion,” the story states. “The design was awarded a patent in October 2025.”

It wasn’t the first project aimed at identifying a new barrel-making alloy, however. “DEVCOM had tested several ‘high alloy barrel materials’ over the decade, seeking to help alleviate pressure buildup, corrosion and mechanical wear as next-generation weapons maintain significantly higher-pressure than their legacy counterparts,” according to Army.com, “this could in turn worsen barrel wear.”  

Geissele had its contract to research improvements in barrel coatings extended another three years, but the military's agreement with Carpenter Technologies has ended, possibly because the project reached its goals.

“In the project’s final year, which concluded in spring 2025, GNB 200 barrels were tested in M240L machine guns and showed significantly improved performance compared with standard barrels,” The Defense Post noted. Wear and shot dispersion were reduced, advancements that could be lifesaving on the battlefield and decrease the maintenance costs for the U.S. military.

Don’t expect to find guns wearing GNB200 barrels on FFL shelves anytime soon, but if this new gun-barrel material continues to show promise, it's possible they will become commercially available. The advantages are too hard to ignore for manufactures that offer high-volume competition models or those who offer precision rifles.