Are fluted barrel more cosmetic than practical??? They were the rage a few years ago and I remember reading that they were lighter, stiffer, cooled faster and more accurate than plain barrels. They don't seem to be as popular as they once were. Do you guys see them as a fad or do they have real advantages. I'm thinking on deer/big game rifle.

Steve, they are cosmetic. They are not stiffer after you remove that metal, the opposite is true. They do cool a a bit faster from the increased surface area. They will not be more accurate. If you have some money to burn, this is one place to burn it.

Gentlemen



I would opt for a plain barrel. Flutes might look cool when they are new, but after a time of hard use the edges of the flutes will get dings etc.



I had two fluted barrels and didn't see any real advantage with it



Cheers

/ JOHAN

Fluted barrels seem to operate on about a 12 year cycle. That is they become popular about every 12 years or so. Then all the same BS is trotted out and run around the ring. A little later everyone realizes they've spent their money to no purpose and popularity fades only to return a dozen years later. I flute barrels (it pays)but I don't like them and would never do it for myself. Regards, Bill.

While removing metal to flute a barrel does weaken the barrel,a fluted barrel of larger diameter will be stiffer than an unfluted barrel of smaller diameter if both barrels weigh the same when the fluting is finished.

I owned a tack-driving David Miller Company Marksman rifle in .300 Win. Mag. with a fluted Kreiger barrel that I hunted with quite a bit, and while novel and asthetically pleasing in its own way, I didn't really think the fluted barrel added a whole lot to the functional quality of the rifle. It was harder to maintain in terms of getting dust, gunk, and moisture out of the flutes, and they are more vulnerable to damage than a plain, round barrel. For example, the edge of one of the flutes actually chipped......

Even more important from my perspective, I have unfluted barrels of lighter contour in the same caliber that are not only just as accurate at all ranges, but they're lighter to carry, more durable, and easier to maintain.

AD

I've had a few, but none anymore. They look cool (new), but that's about it. The increased heat radiation will not be a factor in a deer rifle, plus I would imagine it is a marginal effect anyway, that is played up. Depending on the shape of the flutes, the net gain in surface area can be almost zero. Plus, you will then have less steel, which will heat faster. Good luck...

wallyw and chic,

When you say "stiff" are you referring to static or dynamic stiffness? There is a BIG difference! Dynamic stiffness is what the flutes are SUPPOSED to improve.

ASS_CLOWN

Harold Vaughn tells in his book about running Finite Element Modeling on barrels, and varying the weight and the stiffness. Since you are dealing with a computer model, you can vary weight independently from stiffness. If you're building out of steel, they have to go together.

His surprising result: Weight is good for accuracy. Stiffness is bad! You want a system with lots of weight, but low Q. High Q goes with a stiffer barrel.

I don't know if his result is correct or not, but he puts forward a pretty good argument for his case.

BCSteve,

The VAST MAJORITY of Bench Rest and long range target shooters, (especially the TOP shooters), do not use or have flutted barrels.

For me, that answers the question.

Sam

SJ was right on. My next barrel is going to be fluted just cause I do not own one yet. I think it looks cool, I do not think it helps accuracy.

I also think they look kinda cool but I didn't realized you could actually chip them. You guys pretty much confirmed what I thought. I guess I was hoping to find an excuse more than "it looks cool" to justify the extra price . Thanks all