G"Day All
Just wondering is there much difference in these two types of barrels in accuracy wise, say they were on the same action with the same stock, one fluted and one not, and both of the same barrel profile.
Would it make difference in rimfire or would it be mainly centrefire if at all.?
I Know this sounds odd but im trying to get my question acrosss the best i can.
Regards
Damien Webb(Big Native).
PS.What im trying to say is it worth going fluted or not.?

I would say bugger all assuming that all was equal with how they where chambered and all the technical stuff was the same.

Yes Damien, it does make a difference.

Considering they are both of the same Quality, the HEAVY barrel will be more accurate because:
1. The extra weight helps dampen very small muscle movements and heart beats.
2. The barrel harmonics will have less amplitude.

I thought at one time the harmonics would "probably" be the same, but that is not what I've seen on paper.

Best of luck to you.

I don't believe cool bore accuracy would differ any more than other rifle to rifle variation. The only advantage, IMO, is the fluted barrel will disipate heat better and will have less weight.

I had a Remington M37 Heavy BBl in 22LR with a 30x target scope. David Miller fluted the Bbl for me as an experiment. The bench improvement was about 20%. It was a phenominally accurate rifle and improved upon fluting. I also had a Winchester Heavy Bbl Mdl 70 in 308Win. Joe Reid
fluted the Bbl and the impovement was easily 25%
better. These are the only examples I personally have had done. Both Bbls were shot extensively before and after so good comparisons could be made. I think that barrels that were fluted BEFORE drilling reaming and rifling would be more accurate. Potentially fluting AFTER rifling increases the possibility of stress relief causing barrel distortion but was apparently not the case with either of my guns. Both my barrels were done by exceptionally GOOD riflesmiths which helped I'm sure. Incidentally I could not discern ANY apparent reduction in FELT weight although I didn't weigh either gun before or after. I'm sure they both dissapated the heat better but here again I fired long strings before and after with no change in the degree of change from a hot barrel. All in all my feeling is if you like the look do it. The only other fluted Bbl i've had any experience with has been a 223 Bushmaster Varminter and I didn't really notice any REAL improvement over a standard Bushmaster I had. They are weird half fluted Bbl's though and I think mostly for appearence and to take advantage of the popularity fluted Bbl's have at the present time.

A fluted bbl is only stiffer than a bbl of the same weight not the same diam. so if the point of the heavy profile is stiffnes then the unfluted is it. or rub it with viagra

Heat disipation speed is not worth the trouble do you need to fire 7 or 8 times a minute and if you unexpectadly did would you wait for the rifle to cool.

Zimbabwe, I have heard others say that they had experienced a change for the worse after fluting their barrel but I believe that the equipment or operator may have been the cause. I have always heard that a fluted barrel is more rigid than a non-fluted and therefore it might make for a rifle that is not as picky about loads. But, alas, there are no guarantees that any alteration on a rifle will benefit it. This fact makes ballistics interesting but also greatly frustrating especially when the process requires money invested.

one thing about fluting a barrel. You do it by machining away metal. ANYTIME you are machining away stock you are going to impose a stress factor on the stock. Yes you do stress relieve afterwards, but the stock just isn't the same

Or, to put it this way :

If a barrel is fluted, it becomes less stiffer than before fluting.

Two barrels, same lenght, same mass of steel(same weight), same bore, one fluted and one round, the fluted one is stiffer than the round.

But, as mentioned above, fluting results in stress, althou I have never fluted a barrel which has resulted in poor accuracy.

I have fluted barrels that were fluted before rifling, after rifling, and after shooting for sevarl hundred rounds.

You either want to lighten a given barrel by fluting it. or you need to come in with as stiff a barrel as you can find for a given barrel length and weight so you flute.

A short, thick, unfluted barrel is the least likely to shake, rattle, or roll, but is also does not carry the length to maximize velocity, and may not balance or point well.

No magic here, just matter of personal taste.

I rank barrel fluting right up there with belted cases, see through scope mounts and snake oil. A fluted barrel probably does its best when backed up by a good dose of WSM hype.

- mike

The VHA magazine had a great article on this last month. Basicaly, fluting a barrel will not make it stiffer. That is a function of the properties of the steel itself. The author did a test with a barrel of known stiffness before and after the fluting.

Anyone else remember that article?

The outside diameter of the barrel is the biggest factor in producing a stiff barrel. Fluting gives you the same outside diameter with less weight. A fluted barrel is almost as stiff as a nonfluted barrel of the smae outside diameter. Fltuing does help a barrel cool faster.

With a rimfire I can't see it as a benefit unless you shoot 1000 rounds an hour and need a fast cooling barrel or if you carry the rifle for long distances. My big game rifle's fluted barrel is 10 ounces lighter than a round barrel of the same diameter.

I have never seen any credible evidence that shows that fluting a barrel does anything beyond making it somewhat lighter due to the material that is removed.

Personally, I see it as little more than another of the new fads that doesn’t add or subtract anything of real importance since it is mainly cosmetic.

The outside diameter is not the measure of stiffness the weight of the steel involved in the encercling of the hole in the middle does two barrels of the same diameter one fluted one not the unfluted bbl is stiffer because it has more steele kepping it stiff. the fluted bbl is only stifer than an unfluted bbl of the same weight not diameter. the fluting works under the same theory as an I beam a solid rod of the same size is stiffer than an I beam but an I beam is stiffer than a solid rod of its same weight.