Rifling

[PestShooter]

what are the advantages/disadvantages to ratchet rifling apposed to regular rifling.

 

[Rustystud]

There are several American, European, and Austrailain barrel manufactures that make " ratchet, canted, radius,and other denotations" rifling, There are several good articles on the subject. The Germans experimented with different rifling profiles during WWII. Boots Obermyer is credited in America for coming up with the "5R" type rifling in cut rifling barrels. Shilen, and Gary Schnieder offer barrels in "ratchet rifling and radius rifling. Tim North at Broughton offers a "5C" profile rifling in a button rifled barrel. I am sure there are several others that come to mind especially in the cut rifling configurations. Some were Boots Obermyer under studies and others have followed his success.

Now to answer your question, rifling with a non straight wall designs produce higher velocities, less pressure, less bullet deformation and longer barrel life. These are all qualities target shooters are looking for in a rifle.

I am sure others can add to or make corrections to this post.

Rustystud

 

[frankgreen]

The "R" in 5R stands for Russian. Boots was the first to do it here in the states but it is a Russian design to start with. It does not stand for radius as a lot of people think.

I tell guys the more uniform the bore and groove sizes thru out the length of the barrel and the more uniform the twist and the straighter the blank the more forgiving the barrel is going to be.

One over the other is not necessarily going to give you more velocity etc...

Later, Frank @
Bartlein Barrels

 

[butchlambert]

I'll have to go with Frank on this. I have had both and the percentage of good shooters were the same. The velocity over my Ohler 35 shows the same velocity spread as I see in all barrels. Some are a faster than others. They clean the same.
A good barrel is more dependent on the things that Frank mentioned.
Butch

 

[Cheechako]

The "R" in 5R stands for Russian. Boots was the first to do it here in the states but it is a Russian design to start with.

Frank

The current "design" may be Russian but ratchet, hook, slant,,or whatever you want to call it) rifleing was around in the mid 1800s and was used in several of the Civil War rifled cannon.

There's not much that is new. It's simply that we forgot what used to be.

Ray

 

[frankgreen]

Ray, I agree with you a 100%. There is even rifling that we've done in the past called Henry style rifling and Krieger still or use to offer it also. The lands came to like a knife edge. I know the British even used a 5 groove barrel or a version of the 5R as far back as around WWI. You could write a book and try and do it in a chronological order and it would amaze you.

Later, Frank

 

[WANTASHOOT]

I have heard there is an issue with lapping a barrel that has the rifling that is discussed here.

Is there any truth to this or can it be lapped just the same.

 

[frankgreen]

No issues with lapping a 5R barrel. That is a new one.

Later, Frank