Flute or not?

[Oakpatch]

Gents
I'm building a 300wsm to go into a savage m10 on a mcree chassis. I would like to use a 24" pacnor barrel in as close to straight taper as I can. With regards to harmonics and accuracy do you see any difference with fluting?
Let me know what you all think
Chris

 

[d11r529]

I read an article years ago by the guys that build sniper rifles for the Marines. In a nut shell they said - don't flute. Last time I checked the bench rest boys for the most part don't flute either, if there was any advantage to fluting other then weight reduction,(OK, it looks cool) they would be doing it. It boils down to it's your gun - make yourself happy.

 

[milo-2]

I do believe there's a couple barrel makers out there that will void any warranty if their barrel gets an aftermarket flute job, might make sure Pacnor isn't one, unless you're having them do it.
4 of 5 of my LR rifles are fluted today, usually about 50% is the norm. I've never noticed that fluting affects anything, accuracy, weight?? My deciding factor is, how long will the barrel last, if over 1 1/2 years, I'll spend the money.

Go through this website and see if you can live without fluting

Twisted Barrel

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I have 3 Pac-Nor barrels. All 6 flute. One in 300WSM, Sendoeo profile, 28 inche, 3L.

All lasers.

IIWM, I'd do it exactly the same.

FWIW
Go long, it helps.
Go 3L, copper likes it, jacketed works.
Have Pac-Nor do the fluting.

A prefit as you describe and all you or your smith has to do is install and head space.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Some of my most accurate barrels had been fluted at the factory. I'm not saying fluting will increase accuracy, just that I don't think it hurts accuracy. I do it for weight reduction. All my stocks and barrels are in Sendero contour because a lot of ready to ship stocks and barrels are Sendero. With that, the Sendero is just a bit heavy for a pack rifle but the fluting makes it tolerable. One of my 308s is not fluted but I also want that one on the heavy side.

My advice is do it if it looks good and feels good to you. Accuracy wise I don't think it matters. I've had quite a few of each and all had exceptional accuracy.

 

[CB11WYO]

I read an article years ago by the guys that build sniper rifles for the Marines. In a nut shell they said - don't flute...

I read a similar article as a part of the last SOCOM PSR Competition in one of the Sniper publications.
I think they're consensus was that when firing many many rounds over a short period of time (like some sniper situations) the ribs of a fluted barrel don't all heat evenly and therefore the barrel pulls one way or the other. In their tests solid barrels didn't seem to have as big of a problem under the same usage conditions.

For the average Joe Shmoe's hunting rifle it probly doesn't matter. Depends on shooting style I guess.

Go through this website and see if you can live without fluting

Twisted Barrel

Oh the money I could spend on that site!

 

[Mark611]

if your building a hunting rifle its not that noticeable fluted or un fluted if your building a long range precision rifle? its of the opinion of many long range shooters that the more ridged your set up is the less flex in the system or harmonic vibration which leads to a tighter more accurate rig, the key is to keep things as ridged as possible gun)

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Let me see if I get the logic for a test case right.

3 barrels from the same maker, 1 plain, 1 fluted by the maker, 1 fluted by the smith.
Same action, reamer, etc...

Skipping the break in details.

Measure weight, cold bore groupings, warm bore and hot bore.

Bacially a scientific test.

 

[Mikecr]

If I were using a bull barrel I'd get it fluted. It won't hurt anything with that diameter, just drop the weight & regain balance.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I love fluted barrels, but I ain't paying $450-550 for a barrel blank...

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Rethought the protocol. 2 barrels. 1plain 1 flutter by maker. Shootem. Flute the plain one, thoot it. Compare.

 

[Mark611]

check this out!
[ame=http://youtu.be/cSMwCXO2gbU]SNIPER 101 Part 10 - Fluted Barrel Rigidity and Cooling Dynamics - Rex Reviews - YouTube[/ame]

 

[d11r529]

JFSEAMAN, your suggestion to shoot a rifle and then flute it is exactly what the guys that build the Marine sniper rifles did. They said that each gun is it's own story so they took 6 rifles and 5 snipers and tested them. Then they took them apart, fluted them, rebuilt them and retested with the same snipers. They also tested other rifles, tore them down and rebuilt them to make sure it wasn't the rebuild that was the problem. None of the fluted rifles improved by fluting, one stayed the same and the others were worse. For you and I shooting at a coyote or whatever it probably isn't that big of a deal but when it's your life on the line........ don't flute.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Ok, good enough for me.