Ratchet Rifling

[jasche]

What is it? I seen it on the Shilen website but they dont say to much about it. Does it have improved accuracy or velocity over conventional rifling? Thanks

 

[257speed]

check this out, it talks a bit about the ratchet system, canted system sounds much better.

http://www.6mmbr.com/BroughtonProfile.html

 

[shortgrass]

They look to be pretty close to the same principal. The Shilen Ratchet Rifled are 4 groove and the Broughton 5C canted is 5 groove. Anyone out there have any personal feedback on either one?

 

[nddodd]

I'll be able to tell you something in about a week or two. I've got one coming from shilen in a .243 win 8 twist. I've heard on some other forums that some people were getting 100 fps more than other types of rifleing and reallygood accuracy as well. I hope they were right.


Will post back asap,

Nathan

 

[RockZ]

I built a 260AI on a savage with a shilen prefit RR and it was on par with average velocity of a normally rifled barrel.
It was extremely accurate.
I shot 10 shots into 1/4" and 15 into a bit less than 1/2'" after only 25 shots of load development and break in.
It is a shooter.

Unfortunately it was a rifle I put together for a buddy of mine so I didn't get to keep it!

He called to tell me it was the most accurate hunting rifle he or his buddies have ever shot!

 

[shortgrass]

YES!!! the kind of replies I was hoping for. I'm not looking for more velocity per se, but MORE accuracy and , maybe, a little more barrel life? The Shilen conventionally rifled barrels I've had experience with have always 'liked it hot' - shot best at the upper end of velocities and pressures. In my mind I can see the bullet leaving the case neck, and in the the case of a fast twist barrel (1 in 7,8,or9) 'ripping' the jacket slightly as it engages the conventional rifling (because of the fast twist) lightbulband disrupting bullet 'integrity' and , as a result, accuracy. With the Ratchet rifling or Canted rifling of the Broughton, as the bullet starts to engage the rifling the jacket isn't 'ripped' or distorted and more accuracy is the result (as if custom barrels aren't accurate to begin with!!!). Heck, maybe I'm just "jerkin the wings off of flys", but it's a thought.

 

[bluedot]

I recently put a shilen 1/14" twist ratchet rifled barrel on in .223 AI, shoots very well, 1/2" or less, shoots right at .25" when I do my job, cleans very very easy, little to no copper fouling, velocity is right where you would expect, mine is 26" and I'm pushing 40 gr ballistic tips out at 3940 fps. overall I'm very happy with the barrel

 

[TOM H]

Acouple years ago had 30-06's build one use a Bartlein 1/11twist 5r barrel next one a 1/11 twist Lilja next one used a Shlein 1/13 twist Ratchet barrel and that rifle I didn't plan on shooting anything heavier than 168gr bullets. Accuracy from The Shilen barrel was equal to the other rifles same gunsmith was used.

Lets just say all three barrels gave better than published velocity using published reloading data. Last year I used the Shilen barrel 30-06 on a late cow elk hunt with 150gr Nolser E-Tip.

Bluedot, I've been shooting the 223AI over 10yrs now and my 27.5" long 1/14 twist Hart barrel with 31gr/H-335 alittle over 3900fps and that's max in that rifle. I normally shoot 50/52gr been using surplus 8208 high 3600 to 3700fps range in both 223AI.

 

[bluedot]

Tom H, I started with H335, shot very well, good velocities, tried TAC just cuz, shoots just as well, gives me same velocities but it WAY cleaner, takes about half the effort to clean up after a day of wackin p dogs

I read that AA2015 was pretty decent in the 223 AI also, I haven't had a good calm day to shoot my test loads but I did work up some velocity ladders and 2015 gave velocity right up there with TAC. But Iwon't be switching unless they shoot much better.

I'm getting 3940-4030 fps with 40's and 3650-3700 fps with 50's.

This is my first 223 AI and I'm absolutely thrilled, gives velocity with 40's and 50's within 50 fps of my old 22-250, creates much less barrel heat and is easily 250 fps second faster than my 24" 223 cooper.

 

[elkaholic]

I have a 5R coming next week from Bartlein for my new 300 Sherman. I have heard some reports of higher velocities and a consensus that they clean much easier than std. rifling (as far as copper fouling goes) Good luck.......Rich

 

[winmag]

OK, so ratchet and 5c are simmilar, but different, and offered in different twists. What about ''button rifeling" what is it, and how does it compare or does it?

 

[shortgrass]

A pic is worth a thousand words, here's Shilens' web with a good pic. www.shilen.com/ratchetRifle.html Button rifling is a manufacturing method. the button is either pushed or pull thru a reamed and polished hole to form the lands and grooves. "Cut" rifling is another manufacturing method where each groove is cut, individually, with a cutter. Broached rifling is another manufacturing method that uses a cutter called a broach which is pushed or pull thu the reamed and polished bore and cuts all the grooves at the same time. Hammer forging is another method, mostly used in Europe (someone correct me if I'am wrong) and it involves the barrel being hot forged around a mandral that has reverse rifling on it. the mandral is removed from the inside of the barrel and it leaves the rifling 'imprint' in the bore. Conventional rifling and canted or ratchet rifling, I think, could be best described as engineering principals. Check the link as my explanation is, no doubt, clear as mud!

 

[elkaholic]

OK, so ratchet and 5c are simmilar, but different, and offered in different twists. What about ''button rifeling" what is it, and how does it compare or does it?

Shortgrass described it well. 5C, 5R, and polygonal are all basically the same design i.e. they are all trapezoidal shaped rather than rectangular like standard rifling...Rich

 

[royinidaho]

Rich,

I thought that the Schnieder polygonal rifing had no sharp edges, if you catch what I mean?

I hadn't heard of ratchet rifling until this thread.

Interesting.

(Still gazing at that 6.5 Sherman cartridge. There's something attractive about it.)