To flute or not to

[oneraggedhole]

As far as your questions Donavan, I have no clue as to which is better/best. If I knew how to figure that out, I would know before a reamer was ever put into it whether or not it'll shoot. I've seen pencil barrels shoot 1's and 1.250 barrels shoot 3's and 4's. Only thing I know to do is contour to make your desired weight and throw a couple different powders and different bullets at it until it becomes either happy or scrap metal and repeat process until frustrated

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Eddie,

until Shilen starts cut-rifling I won't have one on a rifle. Until they start offering the exact twist I want, ditto. We won't EVEN get into gain twists.
Bullets do not come from the factory designed for twist rates in exact even one inch increments, other than 6PPC custom bullets to the best of my knowledge. You match barrels to the bullets you want to shoot, not the other way around.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Eddie,

until Shilen starts cut-rifling I won't have one on a rifle. Until they start offering the exact twist I want, ditto. We won't EVEN get into gain twists.
Bullets do not come from the factory designed for twist rates in exact even one inch increments, other than 6PPC custom bullets to the best of my knowledge. You match barrels to the bullets you want to shoot, not the other way around.

Rich, I'm sure I don't need to explain what opinions and a certain part of the human anatomy have in common. You are certainly welcomed to your opinion.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

that would certainly extend to you as well.

You continue with unfluted, I will with fluting, and we can both be happy with our choices.

 

[Eddie Harren]

that would certainly extend to you as well.

You continue with unfluted, I will with fluting, and we can both be happy with our choices.

That is what makes this a great country. The ability for good folks to agree to disagree without calling each other names or accusing them of posting untruths!

 

[jds holler]

I think fluted barrels are kind of like tall, lanky, women with large breasts. They look mighty nice, and your buddies are gonna admire them. They should be acquired with an open mind and probably a little caution. If you're lucky, you might get one that really cleans house. jd

 

[Boyd L.]

.....I have no clue as to which is better/best. If I knew how to figure that out, I would know before a reamer was ever put into it whether or not it'll shoot..... and throw a couple different powders and different bullets at it until it becomes either happy or scrap metal and repeat process until frustrated

Story of my life.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Eddie,

thanks.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

gentlemen,

I bumming around here, and noticed that the Savage GRS model rifles in Creedmoor and 308 Win come ONLY with fluted barrels.

 

[Tim JN]

We craft great shooting 5C® barrels not fluted and straight or spiral fluted. This discussion is a mute one when everything is done correctly. Every time you add another operation to a process though there are more minute variables. Fluting looks pretty and lightens the weight of the barrel when desired.

To the point, first mass/weight dissipates heat period. Next, same mass/weight, then more surface area dissipates heat faster. It's that simple.
The heat at the throat at the time of the explosion is not changed.

Our Broughton 5C® process includes our own process of oven stress relief learned over the 15 years of the 5C® process. The oven is used when the steel is received from the mills before we start processing it (taking the steel to another level of being free from stress after the mill), after buttoning, after contouring and after fluting to ensure completely excellent stress free 5C® rifle barrels. The steel from the mills is very good but they cannot take the days we do to stress relief it 100% to the level of our Broughton 5C® rifle barrels.

Have Fun Shooting,

Tim North
Broughton 5C® Rifle Barrels
www.rifle-barrels.net
barrelmfger@tds.net

 

[JRS]

We craft great shooting 5C® barrels not fluted and straight or spiral fluted. This discussion is a mute one when everything is done correctly. Every time you add another operation to a process though there are more minute variables. Fluting looks pretty and lightens the weight of the barrel when desired.

To the point, first mass/weight dissipates heat period. Next, same mass/weight, then more surface area dissipates heat faster. It's that simple.
The heat at the throat at the time of the explosion is not changed.

Our Broughton 5C® process includes our own process of oven stress relief learned over the 15 years of the 5C® process. The oven is used when the steel is received from the mills before we start processing it (taking the steel to another level of being free from stress after the mill), after buttoning, after contouring and after fluting to ensure completely excellent stress free 5C® rifle barrels. The steel from the mills is very good but they cannot take the days we do to stress relief it 100% to the level of our Broughton 5C® rifle barrels.

Have Fun Shooting,

Tim North
Broughton 5C® Rifle Barrels
www.rifle-barrels.net
barrelmfger@tds.net

Thank you, Mr. North

 

[hogan]

MIght save 4oz by fluting. Supposedly, you get even more area for heat dissipation by dimpling a barrel. I think spiral fluting looks stupid. If you want to save weight on your barrel, go with a light varmint or maybe ditch the palma shank. Even better, look at your stock. Had an AI stock for 700LA and at 6+lbs it was just stupid.

Shoot lots of rapid, do you? .308win still the champ for long barrel life. No magnums closing in on that banner. Always thought the Win 70/FN-H rigs with their chrome-lined match barrels were really cool... Maybe have one of those fluted, or were some offered factory fluted? Used to hunt with a 700 Sendero SF. Best thing about the fluted bbl was that it fit a McM Edge w/o major alteration to the barrel channel. Maybe I was lucky, but the flutes relieved the channel enough so stock fit into the grooves w/clearance. Free floated varmint barrel in an edge. Wooo!

If weight is the bother, go light on your barrel. Don't matter if you aren't going walking with it, but plenty of sporter barrels will shoot with the heavies. Heavy don't always mean better.

 

[JRS]

MIght save 4oz by fluting. Supposedly, you get even more area for heat dissipation by dimpling a barrel. I think spiral fluting looks stupid. If you want to save weight on your barrel, go with a light varmint or maybe ditch the palma shank. Even better, look at your stock. Had an AI stock for 700LA and at 6+lbs it was just stupid.

Shoot lots of rapid, do you? .308win still the champ for long barrel life. No magnums closing in on that banner. Always thought the Win 70/FN-H rigs with their chrome-lined match barrels were really cool... Maybe have one of those fluted, or were some offered factory fluted? Used to hunt with a 700 Sendero SF. Best thing about the fluted bbl was that it fit a McM Edge w/o major alteration to the barrel channel. Maybe I was lucky, but the flutes relieved the channel enough so stock fit into the grooves w/clearance. Free floated varmint barrel in an edge. Wooo!

If weight is the bother, go light on your barrel. Don't matter if you aren't going walking with it, but plenty of sporter barrels will shoot with the heavies. Heavy don't always mean better.

It appears, you know as much about barrel fluting as you do scopes

 

[hogan]

JRS,

Hey! Are you the guy who used to do barrel work at H-S Precision and went to Scotland? Forgive me for not remembering that company's name. Oh yeah, Border something... Used to go by JR, maybe you're a different guy?

What do i learn here/hear? Oh yeah... NightForce is the cat's meow. I owned 2 NXS and they were well built, but touted to be more than they were optically.

So much of this shooting "game" is a psych-out. I have a life besides my interest in rifles and precision shooting. Too bad you chose not to address my comments directly. But, as far as clarity, absence of aberration, and correct color rendition; these are the Hallmarks of optical excellence. If you prefer double magnification over optical performance, it's your call. More than anything, shooter's vision is a factor no one but he/she can address.

Barrel fluting? What's it cost? $150-$250 these days? FYI, I was referencing bolt fluting with the spiral comment. I guess I have seen a spiral flute on a barrel, a picture of it somewhere.

I have found in life that when a guy makes a disparaging comment, without offering a reason, it's generally a move to steer thinking back where he wants it to go. Works well upon the inept and uninformed.

Kind of like Matt's remark about the NF Sales Rep telling him about "cutting-edge CNC tech" that NF uses to machine scope tubes. NightForce is not PerkinElmer, but I bet the rep impresses some impressionalble guy routinely with "cutting-edge CNC tech" thrown in amongst other jargon.

If I was wrong about John Unertl using 2" scope tubes, mea culpa. I never owned a return to battery mounted Unertl. Never owned a hi-wall Winchester varmint rifle either; both were top of the game long before my time.

 

[284winner]

I think fluted barrels are kind of like tall, lanky, women with large breasts. They look mighty nice, and your buddies are gonna admire them. They should be acquired with an open mind and probably a little caution. If you're lucky, you might get one that really cleans house. jd

I'll take 3

 

[284winner]

I built my son a new FTR gun for his graduation present. I had the barrel fluted honestly because it looked cool with the paint scheme I chose for it. Hope it shoots!

I've heard the saying by Whelen that only accurate guns are interesting. Well, this one sure gives the accurate one a run for its money in the interesting department. Very sharp rifle. Hope it shoots well also.

 

[dkhunt14]

Kind of like Matt's remark about the NF Sales Rep telling him about "cutting-edge CNC tech" that NF uses to machine scope tubes. NightForce is not PerkinElmer, but I bet the rep impresses some impressionalble guy routinely with "cutting-edge CNC tech" thrown in amongst other jargon.

I never said cutting edge CNC machinery. I said I was told they machine their own by the rep. And use CNC machinery. Big difference. I also saw videos of the machinery in their new shop.

As far as scopes go, they can be clear as a bell and if they do that repeat clicks or hold zero, they are really as worthless as T!TTS ON A BOAR. Your Athlon scopes weren't proven in years of competition. Time will tell. I wish you luck. Matt

 

[284winner]

I have absolutely no experience in barrel making or if fluted barrels are less or more accurate than nonfluted. What I do know is I fluted a sendero contour barrel on a hunting rifle to get the total weight of gun and scope around 10 lbs. I was successful and yes it shoots wonderfully. Never shot it nonfluted to know if it was more or less accurate. What I do know is that it is more accurate than I am. It's plenty accurate to keep it inside a 5" circle at 1000 yards with me behind it. That's all I wanted when I set out to build it. Period. For me, fluting is a common sense approach to lighten a gun without losing barrel length or contour. I won't do it often but when necessary.

 

[6xcshooter]

years ago a well known gunsmith told me that fluting can add stress to the barrel. if you are going to flute a barrel do it before the barrel is stress releaved. I know that some barrel makers do this if they are fluting barrels. just my 2 cents

 

[rifleman700]

I have absolutely no experience in barrel making or if fluted barrels are less or more accurate than nonfluted. What I do know is I fluted a sendero contour barrel on a hunting rifle to get the total weight of gun and scope around 10 lbs. I was successful and yes it shoots wonderfully. Never shot it nonfluted to know if it was more or less accurate. What I do know is that it is more accurate than I am. It's plenty accurate to keep it inside a 5" circle at 1000 yards with me behind it. That's all I wanted when I set out to build it. Period. For me, fluting is a common sense approach to lighten a gun without losing barrel length or contour. I won't do it often but when necessary.

How much weight did you save? Just curious.