I just got off the phone with Krieger Barrels.

I had them install a 26" SS barrel in 7mm bore. The contour is a #5 with a .700 or .710 muzzle diameter.

I decided on this heavy of a barrel contour after a long discussion with my gunsmith. I wanted it lighter, he thought I should go heavier. If I didn't like it, he assured me, then I could just flute it later.

Well, I got it in and sure enough... too heavy for my taste. Very unbalanced in my hands.

So when I asked Krieger about fluting, they said they are afraid that if they attempt to flute it now, it could "crush the chamber or damage the threads of the barrel". Huh???

I also asked about them about re-contouring it. He warned me of the same issues.

Do any of you share Krieger's feelings with this?

Thank you for your much appreciated help. I don't want to give up on this project, or worse yet, have a nice rifle that just collects dust because I always grab a "handier" one.

-"Kenati"

Whether Kreiger's excuses are valid or not. My guess is that he will not flute or recontour the barrel after it has been installed. There are probably people who would be available to flute or recontour the barrel for you. It's just a matter of finding the right guy to do it for you.

Good luck, I hope you find somebody that will help you out.

The reason I buy Kreiger barrels is they do an extremely good job of stress relieving their barrels during the manufacturing process. They are the only barrel maker I know of that has in house cryo equipment. That said, the last thing you want to do is take a barrel that has been stress relieved throughout the boring, contouring and rifling phase of manufacture and start removing large chunks of material. There is no doubt that under those flutes, the bore will expand. Same thing if it is recontoured.
I believe a barrel should be contoured and fluted before it is rifled and lapped. I'm not sure if any barrel manufacturer does this. But with lots of attention to stress relief, Kreiger comes as close as you are going to get.
I agree with Kreiger 100%.......

I am not a gunsmith, but I have had barrels recontoured. Shilen, for example, will recontour their own barrels, even if they did not install the barrel in the first place. I have had this done a number of times and had no accuracy problems with the new, thinner contour. BTW, every barrel maker will tell you that they and they alone stress relieve properly...

Good luck.

9.3

Thanks fellas for your responses.



I asked the ol' boy at Kreiger about their fluting process and how it affected the barrel. I also asked him when in the process did they normally flute their barrels.



He responded:



1) The have NOT found that their fluting process changes the dimensions of the bore, and furthermore he claims that it DOES NOT induce stress. He says they use a slow cold/wet process.



2) To my surprise, he said they flute barrels AFTER they rifle them. Hmmm...





Both of these things were quite a shock to me coming from one of the best barrel manufacturers around.



Roy,



You said you agree with Krieger 100%, but for different reasons it seems. I don't mean to pick here or be rude, but what do you think I should do then if I can't flute or contour? Do you think their crushing threads or chamber argument is valid?



Any other thougths out there?

To say that the barrel dimensions, namely the bore, won't be effected by fluting is a far stretch of ones imagination. Don't get me wrong, I think Kreiger makes a fine barrel, but God himself can't remove that much material on a barrel and not have the dimensions move. It is fact of science. The good part is, what's actually moving during the process of fluting is not that important, providing that the chamber, threads, and crown have not been machined prior to.
The reason that they probably told you that they won't flute the barrel after the chamber is done is a valid one, but what they're not telling you I suspect is the fact that the fixturing that they use to hold the barrel in the machine is not applicable to a barrel that has been threaded and finish chambered. My guess is between centers, which would damage the mouth of the chamber as well as the threads.
The fact that they use a cool-wet process has nothing to do with the stresses that are present in the barrel. 99% of all machining in a production-type atmosphere is performed with cutting fluids of one type or another. It will reduce the movement of steel in extreme circumstances, which are rare indeed, but it won't prevent it. It's biggest purpose is to reduce the amount of heat that is present in the cutting tool, extending tool life, thus reducing costs to manufacture.

Bottom line, if you find someone who is willing to flute your barrel after the chamber is finished, don't. What you have now is potentially an accurate rifle that's balance is not well suited to you. What you could end up with is a rifle that balances well, but you can't hit the broadside of a barn with.

Man's got have his priorities.

I know this isn't the answer you are going to want to hear but: now is the time to remove that recoil pad and carefully, incrementally add some mass to the but 'till your rifle balances again.

As for the thread issue; setting the barrel up to thread it may damage the threads slightly. Remember Kreiger's main market is benchresters, and if they find a tittle on the side of a thread, they'd pass a cat. Kreiger is going with what they know.

Sounds like your 'smith didn't want you to end up with a whippy barrel. 0.710-0.284=0.426/2=0.203" wall. Depending on what you will be using the rifle for isn't that a tad thin? I don't know what your expectations are.

"I decided on this heavy of a barrel contour after a long discussion with my gunsmith. I wanted it lighter, he thought I should go heavier. If I didn't like it, he assured me, then I could just flute it later."

Ask your Smith to keep the barrel for later use and install a lighter barrel. If the barrel was soley your choice I wouldn't feel this way, but considering his advice I would ask him.

Gentlemen

I have asked Geoffery Kolbe at Border barrels the same questions. Geoffery refuses to flute a barrel after the rifleing is done.

If the barrel is cut rifled you can change it contour without risking a change of the bore.(I guess you have to be careful anyway). If you are willing to flute it you must stress relieving the barrel afterwards. Either turn the barrel profile down or flute it. I would have a gunsmith to slowly turn down the barrel.

I had done the same misstake and got a heavy barrel. I think a contour 4 is fine on a magnum rifle in 6,5 to 375. I hate unbalaced rifles

/ JOHAN

See how it shoots before you do anything with it.
If it's a shooter - consider adding weight to the butt or heaven forbid - shorten the barrel by an inch or two. With that contour removing an inch will help the balance.

It it doesn't shoot well - send it back.

To all of you...

Thank you very much for your responses. As you can see, there is a wide range of opinions.

This is a rifle for HUNTING, not anchoring a boat. So keeping with the purpose of why I built this rifle, I will choose to modify the barrel... one way or another.

I've got too much money wrapped up in this damn thing to end up with something that I am unsatisfied with.

Let's face it, fluting isn't going to reduce much weight. If I had ordered the proper controur in the beginning, I would not be in this pickle. Therefore, I think recountouring it would be the best choice, followed by fluting. I seriously doubt if I'd go through the trouble or expense to do both.

Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it.

Re-contouring shouldn't cost you very much, especially if the barrel is stainless (no rebluing cost). Pac-nor will recontour its barrels for a measly $35; Hart will do the same for only $50, and Shilen will do it's own for about $125 (rebluing included). You are right, fluting doesn't reduce weight as much as it seems like it should. Anyway, good luck.