4 or 6 groove?

[Ccrider]

Just ask him, hes on here!!

Hey @f

Just ask him, hes on here!!

ok.

 

[Ccrider]

This is from Frank back in 2008:
The number of grooves? To me the number of grooves has no real bearing on accuracy or barrel life! Some say if you want hard core accuracy go with conventional rifling vs. a 5R type barrel. Some say the 5R's copper foul less. I say B.S. I've seen 5R copper foul with the best of them. Some say the 5R barrels will seal the bullet better in the bore and you get more velocity out of it. Again I haven't seen this either. Some say the 5R barrels don't leave a burr on the bullet and will drift less in the wind. I haven't seen this either.

99% of the barrels we make for short range bench shooters are 4 groove conventional rifling.

Across the course high power shooters seems to be a 50/50 split.

Long range prone shooters seem to prefer the 5R.

Long range bench shooters I would say the preference is more towards conventional.

I've got a conventional 5 groove (not 5R) on my short range bench gun. Wanted to try it! The gun hammers!

I've shot 5R's and 4 groove in prone matches out to a thousand and even compared both in the same match (two man team) and saw no difference. Our team came in 3rd place in that match. Same chambers, same loads! Both guns we're chambered in 6mm Rem with a custom throat. Shoot mostly Berger 105's and Sierra 107's. Both are 1-8 twist. Velocity difference between the 2 is 30fps. The loads average 3155fps between the two. In the match where we shot both on the same relay at the same time. We didn't use anymore or any less windage on one gun vs. the other.

To me it is more of the quality of the barrel blank. The straighter, the more uniform your bore sizes and the more uniform the twist the more forgiving it is going to be.

Hope this helps!

Frank @ Bartlein

@FrankG, has your opinion set out above regarding 4,5 or 6 groove barrels changed in any fashion. Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks

 

[FrankG]

Nope nothing has changed brother!

Both Hornady and Sierra did confirmed to me earlier this year that the 5R does help fight bullet failure. They've proven beyond a doubt otherwise they wouldn't have said it to me. That's based on testing in different calibers and over a period of a few years. So it's not just one barrel here or there and done in controlled conditions. From bullets to loading to cleaning.

Most of the top SR bench guys have gone to conventional 5 groove barrels. Which I still maintain that the short jacket 6mm bullets in the 65-70gr. weight class and it's worse with a boat tail bullet don't like the 5R rifling. I apply this to 55gr. and lighter bullets in .224 cal. as well.

Our standard .20cal. barrels are 5 groove only. Our standard .22rf drop in barrels for 10/22 and CZ455 are also conventional 5 groove.

Later, Frank

 

[Ccrider]

Nope nothing has changed brother!

Both Hornady and Sierra did confirmed to me earlier this year that the 5R does help fight bullet failure. They've proven beyond a doubt otherwise they wouldn't have said it to me. That's based on testing in different calibers and over a period of a few years. So it's not just one barrel here or there and done in controlled conditions. From bullets to loading to cleaning.

Most of the top SR bench guys have gone to conventional 5 groove barrels. Which I still maintain that the short jacket 6mm bullets in the 65-70gr. weight class and it's worse with a boat tail bullet don't like the 5R rifling. I apply this to 55gr. and lighter bullets in .224 cal. as well.

Our standard .20cal. barrels are 5 groove only. Our standard .22rf drop in barrels for 10/22 and CZ455 are also conventional 5 groove.

Later, Frank

Thanks @FrankG. Were most of the shooters at the super shoot using your barrels using conventional 5 groove barrels?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Thanks @FrankG. Were most of the shooters at the super shoot using your barrels using conventional 5 groove barrels?

He said they dont use the 5r.

 

[Ccrider]

He said they dont use the 5r.

I thought there was a difference between 5r and a conventional 5 groove.

He also said “ most of the SR benchrest guys have gone to 5 groove.”

 

[FrankG]

Yes 5R and conventional 5 groove are different.

Conventional 5 groove is just that. Like a standard 4 groove or 6 groove etc....just has 5 grooves.

5R has the angles on both sides of the lands.

 

[FrankG]

Thanks @FrankG. Were most of the shooters at the super shoot using your barrels using conventional 5 groove barrels?

I’d say most overall are still 4 groove.

A lot of the top guys have gone to 5 groove.