[en] Grain-oriented samples of highly magnetostrictive rare earth--iron compounds have successfully been prepared. These samples possess lower inhomogeneous strains than found in the random polycrystalline RFe₂ compounds, resulting in much higher values of relative permeability (μ/sub r/) and magnetomechanical coupling (K₃₃). A partiallly oriented Tb ₂₀Dy ₂₂Ho ₅₈Fe₁₉₅ sample was prepared using a pyrolytic Bridgman type boron nitride crucible. At a bias field of 100 Oe k₃₃ = .73, which is considerably larger than found in the random polycrystal of the same composition. A relative permeability of 36 occurs in this same sample when a low ac drive of 1.6 Oe rms is used. A second fabrication method using a horizontal zone technique with a supporting cold finger was employed to grow the ternary Tb ₂₇Dy ₇₃Fe₁₉₈. The low ac drive values of k₃₃ and μ/sub r/ were .74 and 19 respectively. The permeability at low bias was found to possess a sharp ac drive dependence. Near zero bias, when the drive was changed from 1.6 Oe rms to 13 Oe rms, μ/sub r/ in the quaternary increased from 36 to 98. In the ternary the values of μ/sub r/ near zero bias increased from 19 to 61. Magnetostriction measurements on both samples show a significant increase in dlambda/dH and lambda/sub s/ over the random polycrystals