Mitigating Barrel Whip and Harmonics

[Timnterra]

As far as barrel harmonics go shorter = stiffer, heavier profile = stiffer. For fluting the fluted barrel will have the same rigidity as a a barrel of same diameter with slightly less weight. This means that you might be able to run a fluted #4 barrel with #4 rigidity at the weight of a #3 barrel, assuming the flutes removed the same amount of weight that the lighter profile has. Fluting will not, however, increase rigidity. So the #4 will still be a #4 if fluted it is not going to be as stiff as a #5. There was a post on here several months back about the difference carbon wrapping made on barrel stiffness. The gunsmith hung a weight from the muzzle of several barrels of different profiles and noted the deflection with a dial indicator. His findings were very interesting. He found that a carbon wrapped barrel deflected the same as a steel barrel of the same weight. My take a away is that carbon fiber is not as stiff as the mfgs. Want us to believe and it really doesn't improve barrel stiffness. I will try to find that thread and post it below.

This is sort of related but not going to help you in the search for a light weight rifle, but there is a company doing some amazing things to "structure" barrels to almost completely deaden the harmonic resonance. Very interesting stuff.

 

[Timnterra]

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/proof-carbon-vs-steel-deflection-test.219575/#post-1626622

 

[keithcandler]

No hard rubber bedding on the BAR's I had, 270,7 Mag, and 30/06....tuner/brake only or replace the break with CRS.

 

[Hatrick]

No hard rubber bedding on the BAR's I had, 270,7 Mag, and 30/06....tuner/brake only or replace the break with CRS.

Same as my stainless stalker. Barrel is free floated.

 

[J E Custom]

In the process of testing the effects of muzzle brakes we found a graphic example of how easy a barrel can flex. This VIDEO was made for a different purpose but It does show the difference the barrel contour makes. When the barrel is big enough the flex/whip is far less and can create different problems if not addressed.



J E CUSTOM

 

[Mikecr]

Per BOSS Patent US5279200A:
The bedding is installed to fill the floating space between the barrel and well. As so positioned, it functions as a shock absorber. "Bedding" refers to a shock absorbent or stabilizer material, which is usually a synthetic rubber or similarly resilient elastomeric material. In the case of the test rifles, a two part pourable liquid urethane rubber bedding compound supplied by Devcon Corporation of Danvers, Main under the tradename "FLEXANE 94" was used, as best illustrated by FIG. 7. The rubber bedding 80 between the barrel 82 and the stock 84 enhanced the accuracy of the BOS system in the rifles tested.

This, in addition to the muzzle device.
Two A-Bolts I had (in factory form) were rubber bedded only under and just in front of (~2") the actions. It was pretty hard, but definitely rubber.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I posted recently about a 2moa rifle I had. After installing an adjustable muzzle brake I fired 1" groups at 300, yes 300, yards.

I did the same with a .223 and the doughnut.

 

[HARPERC]

.....In the process of testing the effects of muzzle brakes we found a graphic example of how easy a barrel can flex. This VIDEO was made for a different purpose but It does show the difference the barrel contour makes. When the barrel is big enough the flex/whip is far less and can create different problems if not addressed.........J E CUSTOM

I've learned so much from your video's.

Has your philosophy on bedding changed as a result of your testing?

 

[J E Custom]

I've learned so much from your video's.

Has your philosophy on bedding changed as a result of your testing?

I would have to say yes, because Until I tried it and saw the benefit I though that 1 MOA was good, Then when i found out that each action and it's purpose/use required different methods of bedding.

Then when this site came along, I was not happy with 1/2 MOA and started experimenting with different methods to find the best accuracy. Some changes didn't work and others had a measurable improvement.

Now I only use what works for me and listen to others to see if they are on to something, but many times I have already tried it and decided that there was no real improvement.

I do everything My self so I know the consistency of the entire process, and that makes it much easier to evaluate changes. Accuracy Is not just one thing but many parts of the system, and bedding is just one part of the process to get optimum performance.

J E CUSTOM

 

[dfanonymous]

I'm deciding on a barrel contour for a hunting rifle build (300 PRC) and my research on barrels has brought to light the question of barrel whip.

We know that heavier barrels are supposed to be more accurate, but I wonder what can be done to mitigate the loss of accuracy as one goes with a lighter barrel.

I have a theory that fluting a barrel helps mitigate barrel whip. Any thoughts on this?

I also came across a strange contraption on Amazon: "LimbSaver Sharpshooter X-Ring Barrel Dampener." For $9.99, people are swearing that this thing is helping their groups considerably. Is this for real? Is it only helpful to light-weight barrels? Why would this be okay but having a floating barrel be so important?

Keep in mind a lot of what was already said in regards to harmonics still depends on other factors. Consider free floating your barrel before getting a dampener. Dampeners were good quick "fix" on old wood stocks or some cheap synthetics for those that didn't want to spend the time/coin on inletting the barrel channel or bedding the action/recoil lug ect.
Which brings me to the stock, if you are concerned about barrel whip, I think flex is as common of an issue, especially amongst factory rifles. It's the reason I use chassis more so then not, rigidity. That's not to say SOME whip or flex is bad for groups, that's not what determines precision...but rather if the gun does it consistently.

 

[HARPERC]

.....Consider free floating your barrel before getting a dampener.
........Which brings me to the stock, if you are concerned about barrel whip, I think flex is as common of an issue, especially amongst factory rifles. It's the reason I use chassis more so then not, rigidity.........

Watching some of JE's videos, and the amount of whip in some barrels, I think about if the rifle is free floated dynamically. The old pass a dollar bill under to check for contact may not be enough.

The stock absolutely needs to be stiff enough, especially in some of the big stuff we shoot. Some of the synthetics don't consistently measure up.

 

[59FLH]

"carbon wrapped barrel deflected the same as a steel barrel of the same weight."

How much longer does a CF barrel need to be to equal the same weight? I would think length would be a factor in whip.

 

[Rich Coyle]

.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I had two 26" barrels that weighed forty ounces. One was Christensen and almost an inch at the muzzle. The other was a Pac-Nor duplicating Weatherby's six lug ultralight contour which had also been fluted to take out seven ounces. The Pac-Nor muzzle was slightly over half inch diameter.