Fluting

[Rich Coyle]

Twisted Barrel has done a few barrels for me. I fail to see a problem with fluting. It is to reduce weight. Usually reduces weight in the neighborhood of seven to eight ounces. Accuracy apparently has not suffered from fluting.

 

[mdmiller]

I do my own fluting with a router, and c-clamps. It's cost effective, and really, anyone can do it, so why spend the money?

Was anyone hurt?? Need to take the bore sighter out of barrel first, then shoot it.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I do my own fluting with a router, and c-clamps. It's cost effective, and really, anyone can do it, so why spend the money?

Did fluting affect the accuracy of the rifle in the picture?

 

[waveslayer]

OK guys, I give up!!!
Why does the barrel has to be timed for proper flute location ???
I've done many of my own barrels( I have fixtures ) .
Manly because of weight, cooling, and they look cool!!
I'm I missing something??

Fluting doesn't do anything for heat or cooling. It only makes it less stiff and will create more heat by decreasing barrel size.

Been thoroughly tested .

 

[Chas1]

Get your favorite barrel and find a gunsmith who can do everything else and do it well, Kirby Allen comes to mind. He did mine and it shoots flawlessly.

 

[mulie]

Timing of the flutes is in relation to the high point of barrel muzzle and the appearance in the stock. The math is published many times over. Simple if you have the correct equipment. IMHO only cooling is advantage or just it looks cool. If your looking to lighten the load carbon rapped barrel they maintain the stiff along with less weight. The dicussion of steel stresses effect from fluting again just the post before pic. reconrover's posted pic.

 

[L.Sherm]

I can tell you one thing for sure, l built a 20BRAI as a test rifle shooting the 55 Bergers, Boyds stock, Factory 700 Rem action zero truing a 20 cal 3G 9 twist fluted barrel with muzzle brake not suppose to stabilize 55 bergers.
I did install a 14oz trigger kit but that was it, will shoot literally 1- 20 cal hole when I do my part at 100 and very well out to 500.

 

[tobnpr]

I don't time flutes. I think they look just fine (typical 6 straight flutes) "random".
If the barrel is fluted from the mfg, you can time the flutes, or you can clock the muzzle "up" and not be concerned about the flutes.
Can't do both.

 

[Huntz]

I buy most of my barrels from Bugholes and they do the fluting after you order the barrel.Accuacy Unlimited builds my Rifles and has never complained about the fluting.Personally I do`nt think fluting has any advantage over a straight non fluted barrel.It just looks cool.I have never had a fluted barrel not shot as good as non fluted one.I never flute lighter weight barrels,only bull or Varmint profile.

 

[Litehiker]

Ihave a skinny, fluted barrel on my 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro. IT's for saving weight but it makes the barrel LESS stiff.

BUT, I want to have a new barrel for my Savage 99 C lever gun with octagonal flats on a tapered hunting barrel. Finding a smith to do that is not easy.
Eric B.

 

[L.Sherm]

Stiffness depends on how you look at it for what its worth, heres a read.

 

[ntsqd]

Modeling dynamic stiffness for this sort of input is well beyond the pay grade of most of us. GI-GO will very much rule. Static stiffness is far easier to comprehend and calculate, and when it is a complex contour Sporter barrel that isn't so easy either.

I contend fluting is a fad that will blessedly die off given enough time. In the future we'll look at fluted barrels in the future and ask "what WAS I thinking?!?!"

 

[GunHawk]

Unless you love the fluted look, might as well go with the next smallest contour or whatever contour meets your weight requirements.

My opinion is worth 10% more than what you paid ntsqd.

 

[Litehiker]

My 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro has a skinny, fluted barrel to save weight. Good for the 1st 3 shots then it heats up and opens up groups. But hey, it's a hunting rife and I should not need more than two shots.

But the "science project" of re-building my Savage 99 C lever gun from .308 to 6.5 CM with a new barrel with octagonal flats will require a gunsmith to make square cut threads, headspace the barrel and THEN cut the flats so they are perfectly timed. SO far I haven't found a 'smith do it but I think I can cajole someone at Bentwood here in 'Vegas to do it. I trust their work totally but they have some big gov't. contracts they are working on now.