Cut or flute?

[GlennGTR1]

I currently own a Ruger Hawkeye Predator in 223 Rem. It has a magnum contoured barrel vs a bull barrel. I am wanting to reduce the weight of the rifle a bit so I was looking at having the barrel either cut from 24' to 21' or possibly having it fluted or both. Is fluting more likely to affect the accuracy of the gun than cutting and recrowning? I am aslo getting rid of the factory laminate stock and getting a McSwirly...McMillan with marbled coloring melded into the stock.

 

[bheadboy]

many shooters shorten, crown and rechamber a bbl, no ill effect,
however the fluting of a bbl, often will alter the accurcy when done after the fact not always but enough that i would not do it

The stock will save you more than eithr of your choices put together.

some bbl makers will grind a bbl down to a smaller dia. and when done properly will not hurt the accurcy but cause the bbl to be more likely to heat up, as the metal is thiner

bob

 

[fdshuster]

In the newest edition of "Varmint Hunter" magazine, Gordy Gritters does an article some of it dealing with removing metal from the outside surface of the barrel and how it effects the internal bore diameter. Turning down the contour, fluting, machining at the muzzle for a brake, suppressor, flash hider, etc., all effect the interior diameter, most of the times in a negative way. The article is headlined "Slugging a bore". I'm paraphrasing on the title, loaned the magazine to a friend so do not have it on hand.

 

[LHSmith]

What Frank said is true. Accuracy could be affected ...most likely in a negative way. Interestingly, cut-rifle barrels are not affected by this phenomena due to the more stress free way they are manufactured.

 

[GlennGTR1]

In the newest edition of "Varmint Hunter" magazine, Gordy Gritters does an article some of it dealing with removing metal from the outside surface of the barrel and how it effects the internal bore diameter. Turning down the contour, fluting, machining at the muzzle for a brake, suppressor, flash hider, etc., all effect the interior diameter, most of the times in a negative way. The article is headlined "Slugging a bore". I'm paraphrasing on the title, loaned the magazine to a friend so do not have it on hand. Would that include having it cut down to 21' and crowned also? or just fluting and lathing?

 

[RonAKA]

My understanding is that barrel fluting is done as the last step. So if it causes problems, then they exist with any fluted barrel. Shortening the barrel will cost some velocity, but will make the barrel stiffer, and may improve accuracy some.

 

[Scott Harris]

Cutting would probably be better. Also consider just getting a new barrel chambered with a lighter contour.

 

[DCRYDER]

I would definately shorten the barrel. I wouldn't even hesitate going to 18" since the .223 is such an efficient cartridge. I cut my 6mmbr down from 23" to 18" and lost a whopping 100 fps, and still gets the velocity that my Sierra manual says i should be getting from max load of benchmark with 75gr v-maxs (3200fps with 31.2gr Benchmark). Accuracy improved and it handles much better.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Fd said it best here! If I'm not mistaken most, if not all, custom barrel makers will contour a barrel before they bore it for whatever diameter it is to be. When done this way any externel stress applied to said barrel blank is done prior to the boring and rifling. With this rational, I would think they would flute the blank before boring and rifling also. With this in mind I would stray away from having an existing barrel fluted. Shortened and recrowned to shave weight would be a more efficacious in my opinion!

Mike

 

[dtucker]

I would wait until you get the stock swapped out and see how it feels. If you really like the rifle and plan on keeping it i would have it rebarreled with a lighter contour barrel down the road and fluted if you like. I think that would be money well spent.