Fluted barrel

Bushnell Boy

June 21, 2003 09:51

Whats the advantage to a fluted barrel.




In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey

-Beck (1993)

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  nmyers

  June 21, 2003 11:22

  Lighter weight, plus it retains the stiffness of a bull barrel the same diameter. Barrels actually flex during firing, and this reduces accuracy; so, most accurate barrels have a large diameter to reduce the amount of flex.
  
  Neal

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  Kdub

  June 21, 2003 14:03

  Also, the more surface area, the faster the heat dissipation.
  
  Keep off the Ridgeline

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  shootnstar

  June 21, 2003 15:25

  Fluting is a characteristic of larger diameter or "heavy" barrels used commonly on very accurate rifles and some light belt-fed machine guns. Its manufactured purpose is to dissipate heat. Heat causes distortion which effects accuracy. Fluting adds more surface area to the barrel diameter which cools at a faster rate than a barrel with the same outer diameter. In most shooting applications fluting is not required. Only during sustained rapid fire does fluting play a major difference in barrel performance.
  An advantage to having a fluted barrel, as previously stated above, is the lighter weight factor, which really helps with a belt-feed or .50BMG bolt gun.

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  Tailgunner1954

  June 22, 2003 02:27

  On a sporting barrel, the reduction in weight, increase in stiffness (per weight), and better cooling are more theory than reality.
  The only reason for fluting a sporting barrel is "you like the look".
  

  ---

  Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.

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  jet

  June 22, 2003 19:40

  depending on the type of fluting you can also use it to atatch flashlights and lasers ect.

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  JustC

  June 23, 2003 05:46

  exactly what tailgunner said. The calculation which yields the cooling advantage for a fluted barrel in even a Sendero contour, vs a non-fluted barrel of the same diameter,...shows it is menial at best.
  
  why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
  Got Balistics?

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  He Dog

  June 23, 2003 06:34

  Tailgunner and JustC have got it. The advantages are so slight as to make the cost of having it done a waste of money.
  
  My heros have always killed cowboys.

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  fort_knox

  June 23, 2003 10:54

  So, what was the original intent with "fluting" barrels...anyone know?
  
  Perhaps someone saw all of these potential advantages before doing it. It would be interesting to know what inspired someone to do it in the first place, and who it was.
  
  I have one on a Rem. 700 but don't really care for it much...appearance wise. I got a really good deal on it during a "close-out" sale at a sporting goods place that went belly up several years ago.

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  JustC

  June 23, 2003 14:11

  Faster cooling, and more ridgidity. But, as stated, the advantage is small.
  
  I like the way it looks,..but can't tell a nickels difference in performance. If it cools faster,..the difference between 20 minutes and 22 minutes isn't enough to count as an asset.
  
  why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
  Got Balistics?

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  buckdeer

  June 23, 2003 14:12

  fluting is pure marketing hype. its just another gimmick to get people to buy another gun so they can have one no one else in the neighborhood has.

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