Barrel fluting....why not?

[BigBamBoo]

I am interested in hearing about barrel fluting. It seems very few folks use fluted barrels on comp. guns. Is this due to the extra cost of fluting a barrel and how often barrels get replaced on match rifles? Or is there a accuracy concern associated with fluting?

Bring on the input please.

Take care,Stan

 

[butchlambert]

Stan,
It has been discussed here many times. You may find more than you want using the search function on this forum.
Butch

 

[learningshooter]

There are many opinions out there on barrel fluting. Some say that the increased surface area exposed on the barrel helps to disipate heat and help the barrel cool down faster. However an unfluted barrel of the same contour will have more mass and like any other heavier piece of metal will take longer to heat up in the first place.

Barrel fluting does save weight. But depending on the contour and length of the barrel this can be nominal. Usually you don't see fluted barrels in competition BR unless the gun is trying to make weight. Also if you ever wanted to recut the barrel shorter the fluting may get in the way.

Some say that fluting makes the barrel stiffer. There is some confusion here. A #5 contour barrel fluted to weight the same as a #4 contour plain barrel may be stiffer. However when compairing a fluted #4 to a plain #4 the plain barrel will have more mass and be stiffer. Your HS physics teacher will back me up on this I'm pretty sure.

Some say that fluting causes more stress on the barrel steel. I believe that this may be true. Due to the manufacturing process cut rifled barrels may be fluted prior to rifling where as button rifled barrels must be fluted after rifling. So some smiths advise to go with a cut rifled manufacturer if you wish to have fluting done. However to see the differance in the way a plain barrel shoots versus a fluted one you have to be at the very top of the competition world and superhuman.

The main reason is asthetics in most cases. Some manufacturers don't like to flute their barrels ie Broughton charges 175.00 (aka we don't like to flute our barrels), and some manufacturers offers several fluting options ie. Hart.

In the end its you money and your gun. Do whatever you want.

 

[bozo699]

Learningshooter,
Welcome to the forum, your first post was three words, the second was 6 paragraphs I can't wait for #3 Just joking around what you said sounds about right to me, again welcome to the forum, enjoy
Wayne.

 

[Frankr]

Im going to try and post a link to what i think was a good discussion on barrel fluting.
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php/topic,3767321.0.html

 

[tenring]

There was a long discussion of this subject in the past week on LRH. Read it here:


http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/flute-not-flute-78240/

 

[artbosco]

I am interested in hearing about barrel fluting. It seems very few folks use fluted barrels on comp. guns. Is this due to the extra cost of fluting a barrel and how often barrels get replaced on match rifles? Or is there a accuracy concern associated with fluting? Bring on the input please.

Some specify fluting for pure cosmetics, some for perceived barrel cooling.

Tony Boyer, the Legend, the best short-range "B"enchrest shooter of all time, simply leaves his barrels the way they come from the factory ... unpolished and unfluted.

Accuracy comes from tuning the barrel properly, not its looks.

 

[dreever]

Stan,

I have a GAP Hospitaller with a fluted Bartlein barrel. It does look cool no denying that, according to Frank at Bartlein it saves 12 ounces on a 24 inch barrel. If and when I ever have to re-barrel the Hospitaller it will go back for a same replacement with Cerakoteing. Won't be cheap that's for sure.
Now on my strictly competition guns I don't flute. Number one reason is to save the money on what I consider a disposable item which will be replaced after X number of rounds. Same goes for Cerakote. Don't need it on a competition rifle. Just another added expense. It is an option to make weight if you had too, but since there are other cheaper ways I'd opt for that. It does not make the rifle shoot any better so on my competition rigs I'll pass.

Danny

 

[butchlambert]

Dave,
If you wore your shirt inside out, you may shoot better.
Butch

 

[artbosco]

Tony Boyer, the Legend, the best short-range "B"enchrest shooter of all time, simply leaves his barrels the way they come from the factory ... unpolished and unfluted.

And if Tony started wearing his shirt inside out all the point blank guys would too. Doesn't mean it's right or that anybody knows why, it's just the way it's done in "B"enchrest.

Your "B"enchrest stories are getting old.

Not so. At the Nationals last week, the vast majority of barrels were shinny, and nicely polished. Apparently Mr. Boyer is in the minority when it comes using an unpolished barrel for cooling purposes.

If you don't like the "B"enchrest examples, don't read them. They're passed on as points of reference, for those who may have an interest in one particular aspect of this sport.

And, I refuse to include the caveat: "Dave Berg do not read!" each time I post.

 

[butchlambert]

outdoorsman,
Tony does not use unpolished barrels for cooling purposes. Tony does pay for his barrel installations and sees no reason to pay extra for polishing.
Butch

 

[Eddie Harren]

Outdoorsman, what's with the "B" enchrest?

As far as polishing goes, most shooters like to make a statement with their rifles. High polish, exotic paint jobs, exotic laminated wood. I don't think any of them, including Tony, thinks it matters one bit as to how they shoot. It's a personal thing

 

[bluealtered]

And on it goes ... well one fact is certain, i don't know enough to have an opion on this though i do have rifles both ways.

However that also brings up questions for me, so ... will my cold water bath be less unpleasent if i wear my t-shirt right side out ... or wrong side out ? blue

 

[artbosco]

Tony does not use unpolished barrels for cooling purposes. Tony does pay for his barrel installations and sees no reason to pay extra for polishing. Butch

Butch,

You're spinning a yarn. You really do need to read his book ...

At the very top of Page 196, The Book of Rifle Accuracy

Quote

" I do not want my barrels polished or have patterns put on them. The way they come out of the lathe is fine by me.

Polished barrels take longer to cool between rounds. A rough surface provides more surface area so barrels cool faster. "

Unquote

 

[artbosco]

As far as polishing goes, most shooters like to make a statement with their rifles. I don't think any of them, including Tony, thinks it matters one bit as to how they shoot.

If aesthetics is your priority, by all means polish. A polished barrel looks great.

If a faster cooling barrel is your priority, leave it rough.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Whats the deal on "B" enchrest?

 

[butchlambert]

Eddie,
"B" enchrest , I guess he interprets Tony using an unpolished barrel for cooling purposes the same way he types benchrest. If he would go to a real match and also ask Tony so he hears it from the horses mouth, he still wouldn't acknowledge it.
Butch

 

[Eddie Harren]

Butch,
Sounds a lot like my father-in-law, never really shot pool but read a book on it and had it figured out.
Eddie

 

[bozo699]

Butch,
Sounds a lot like my father-in-law, never really shot pool but read a book on it and had it figured out.
Eddie

Haw Haw Haw,...LMAO, some times usernames can be confusing,...I just now realized were brother-in-laws
Wayne.