Why a 3 groove bbl

[Ironworker]

Will I get more life out of a 3 groove bbl ? Pros and Cons ? Just burned up a 22/250 8"twist bbl. I don't need to shoot the heavy bullets . Thinking of a 12" twist Muller Works bbl.

 

[Hoodoo]

http://riflebarrels.com/support/faq/#3groove

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

Hoodoo has a good link there & my opinion is the 3 groove will probably handle heavy bullets and high velocities as good or better than more groove's will in a barrel. - And they clean up nice as well (easier than barrels with more grooves).

 

[nmkid]

I got my first ever 3-groove barrel for my last build. Very pleased at how easy it cleans up.

 

[pacificman]

I have 3 ...3 groove barrels... they clean up very quickly and I am very happy with there performance. I am not sure
they will last longer or not as I have not worn one out yet. I bought a 3 groove 12 twist Pac-Nor barrel for my 22-250
and it is a very accurate shooter as well...I bought this barrel specifically for the 53 grain v-max. I'm getting 3750 fps.
out of it and it's a hammer at long range for prairie rats. I think you will be happy with 3 groove.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

If your handloading only, and where consistent accuracy is conserned, use a 3 grove, if using factory ammo use a 5 grove, 5 grove barrels are generally more forgiving

Not to be opposite but, I have a hard time seeing the merit or logic in that. - Yes every barrel has it's own individual characteristics but I can't see where groove count accounts for that. - I've run 3 groove & 5 groove barrels from Benchmark in several calibers in switch-barrel rifles chambered by the same reamer and it wasn't discernible as to one being clearly better. - They both shot very well.

 

[B23]

I've talked to multiple different barrel makers about groove type/design as well as number of, and more often than not, they've said the same thing, they have yet to find any, consistent, discernible difference making one any better than the other. I recently talked to Krieger in depth about number of grooves as well as groove design/shape, they said they've yet to have any one particular design be consistently better than another. I pushed further and asked, ok then why do you even offer the others, and was told, because people ask for them.

Ha, this is kinda ironic, literally, as I'm typing Mr. UPS man is dropping off my new Hart 1-11tw 20 cal. barrel. You just gotta love Hart barrel companies sevice, from order to delivery, it was exactly 4 weeks.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

I was told by one rifle builder who does some of the hot-rod calibers that a barrel with less grooves & 5R & 5C type rifling are not as hard on the jackets of bullets when a tight twist is being used to stabilize long heavy bullets at higher velocities, which makes sense at least to me.

 

[B23]

I was told by one rifle builder who does some of the hot-rod calibers that a barrel with less grooves & 5R & 5C type rifling are not as hard on the jackets of bullets when a tight twist is being used to stabilize long heavy bullets at higher velocities, which makes sense at least to me.

When I talked to Krieger here not to long ago, what he told me was they would sometimes see this and at times would even see certain gains, but they've yet to have it be consistent across a variety of calibers and chamberings, which is why they wouldn't make any claims to one being any better than another.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

I believe you have missed the point

Negative - No point missed in my statement or line of thinking. - I'm NOT here to argue of kick up dust so I won't ask you for any evidence to back up what you've stated. - I'm movin on

 

[Ledd Slinger]

My 20 Tactical wears a 3R groove 1 in 11" twist barrel. Won't be able to comment on difference in barrel life because its my first barrel with that chambering and also my first 3 groove barrel. Accuracy is excellent and as mentioned by others, clean up is very easy.

Tho I will say my choice of going with 3 groove was greatly influenced by other varmint shooters reporting increased barrel life.

 

[Mark M.]

Negative - No point missed in my statement or line of thinking. - I'm NOT here to argue of kick up dust so I won't ask you for any evidence to back up what you've stated. - I'm movin on

The information that I gave was a directly quote from Pac-nor barrels not more than three days ago when I was asking about there 3 and 5 grove barrels, I was only trying to add to the conversation, sorry for ruffling your feathers.

 

[AckleymanII]

I just started shooting a 3R from X caliber, 8T, in 6 Dasher...it is very impressive!

 

[GrocMax]

For me, with high round count varminting as my primary use, 3 grooves have lasted significantly longer in the leade area, very slow regression compared to 6 grooves same caliber, same load, same round count. In 20, 22, and 6mm. Can't comment on accuracy differences, good ones shoot well regardless of groove/land count.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

For me, with high round count varminting as my primary use, 3 grooves have lasted significantly longer in the leade area, very slow regression compared to 6 grooves same caliber, same load, same round count. In 20, 22, and 6mm. Can't comment on accuracy differences, good ones shoot well regardless of groove/land count.

Great to hear another positive report on barrel life. Thank you for the input. These are the types of reports I was reading when I chose to go with a 3 groove on my last 20 cal build.

 

[GrocMax]

The only logical reason I can think of, is in that localized area where the leade is, the wider grooves/lands dissipate heat and absorb compressive stress better than a 6 groove with narrow lands.

You can still alligator or burn out a 3 groove with high heat/high rate of fire, but the 3 groove seems to 'settle down' on initial leade wear pretty quick and stay there, I've had 6 grooves you had to set seating depth .001" further out per box to keep up with leade wear.

I'm a cheap bastid, so total cost per round including barrel wear, which is a MAJOR component of per round costs for varminting, has become a primary focus for me. Can take more trips, more rifles, and more rounds by the cost savings. The 2nd most costly component is the bullet, so no more expensive 'match' bullets, use the cheap ones that work well.