Re: Do spiral flutes really affect anything?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Brutas</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ER Shaw claims to have a patent on spiral fluting and has threatened lawsuits against many barrel manufacturers.
(I know, I know, how do you patent that..., It is the threat of the lawsuit and the cost of defending it. Lawyers!).
Done properly on a good barrel blank, should have no negative effects. Fluting is mostly for appearance anyways. </div></div>
Since a patent isn't as simple as "I invented spiral fluting", it's not as clear cut as some may think. Patent's require specific's, such as dimensions, rate of twist, shape of flute, so on and so fourth. If just one part of it is changed, the patent does not provide protection.
So, I doubt I'd worry to much on patent law being a factor.