Barrel fluting - accuracy

[Keith Glasscock]

I'm getting ready to finally start the build on my next F-TR rifle. I've done the math on barrel weight and stiffness, but I've got a question for those out there that have done it before:

If I go with a larger contour, but fluted barrel, I can get more stiffness for the same amount of weight, but is it worth doing for a competition rifle? I also tend to get barrels very warm shooting string-fired F-TR. Do fluted barrels really hold their accuracy well as they warm (on average- I know every barrel is a rule unto itself)?

Thanks,
Keith

 

[ohearchai]

Also interested in an answer to this question.

 

[ohearchai]

keith, I asked around and got a reply from a friend who had talked with Kreiger about this, they stated that fluting will add rigidity to a brl of equal weight. So two brls of equal dia/taper, & length the fluted one will be lighter, but no more rigid. It will have a slight bit of surface area to dissipate heat so it would cool faster by a small percentage. I hope to talk with Ron at Benchmark and ask him his thoughts on the subject, running a 28 inch AMU contour, if I could push this contour out to 32 fluted and make weight I would certianly think about it.
Marty

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Marty,

I should have given Ron a call myself. I have one of his barrels on my current rifle. To say that it shoots would be an understatement. Thanks for looking into this for me.

My assumption was that I could, for equal weight, get a more rigid barrel. I think that is what Krieger was alluding to. Fluting makes the barrel less rigid, but still more rigid than an unfluted one of equal weight.

This is my plan:

Panda F-class action
either a PRT lowboy F/TR or a mc-millan F-class stock
30" 5r/5c or 3 groove (Benchmark) in a 10 twist - as heavy and stiff as possible.
My reamer for Win brass and 200 grain Hybrids
Scope as weight allows with my new Sinclair bipod (that hasn't arrived yet)

 

[Larryh128]

According to the engineers ;D the stiffness is coming from the outside diameter. A #5 fluted should be stiffer than a #4 unfluted of the same weight. Obviously fluting eliminates some of the stiffness.

 

[ohearchai]

Larry thanks for the reply, Keith ordered a PRT stock from Ray, but had to change it up a bit. With a Rem 700 SA, 28 inch AMU contoured barrel, centershot bipod and NF NXS, Ray didn't think I was going to make weight. Ordered a different buttstock assembly from another vendor, that saved over 1/2 lb, along with the Murphy ti rings and bases and the centershot, hoping that it will weight a bit less so I can get a longer barrel early next year.
Marty