Bartlein has always been one of my favorite barrels, but ive always shot 4 groove barrels. I bought a 6mm 7.5 twist last week thinking it was a 4 groove and when it got here its a 5 groove. For whatever reason i have in my head i dont think i want to chamber this blank. A lot of my customers love 5 groove barrels and ive never heard any complaints but i have to know if im not the only one who doesnt want a dam 5 groove. LOL Ill trade someone for a 4 groove 6mm 7.5 tw heavy varmint. LOL thanks Lee
Gunsmithing Gunsmiths thoughts on a Bartlein 5R
- Thread starter skeetlee
- Start date
Lets hope the verdict is favorable, having a 5r bartlein 6.5 barrel chambered this week.
Skeet,
The barrel is Great. They will do you proud.
Just chamber it and shoot it.
Thud
The barrel is Great. They will do you proud.
Just chamber it and shoot it.
Thud
The question that first comes to mind is why you have an issue with 5r rifling.
Regarding thoughts on 5r, an odd number of lands/grooves creates less stress on the bullet as it passes down the barrel and if memory serves correctly it also allows for better or more uniform gas seal with less stress on the bullet than even rifling count- add to that the longer tapper and radiused corners and you have an all around a better rifling than square cut typical rifling.
Regarding thoughts on 5r, an odd number of lands/grooves creates less stress on the bullet as it passes down the barrel and if memory serves correctly it also allows for better or more uniform gas seal with less stress on the bullet than even rifling count- add to that the longer tapper and radiused corners and you have an all around a better rifling than square cut typical rifling.
Skeet,
I've chambered over 5000 Bartleins since 2009. All have been 5R. 6MM-338. No problems that I'm aware of.
I've chambered over 5000 Bartleins since 2009. All have been 5R. 6MM-338. No problems that I'm aware of.
I have a friend who believes that 5r's have magical powers, and it's all he'll use for customer guns. I'm a firm believer that companies make 5r's because people ask for them, and their claimed merits are largly speculation. I've owned basically all of the common land/groove profiles and I dont think there is much of a difference on paper. Having said that, it's a Bartlein, and it's gonna shoot, no need to get rid of it.
Frank Green from Bartlein has said here many times that he really sees no gain from a 5R barrel but that they make them because people want them. I guess I'm not so different than a lot of other guys. We get an idea in our minds and some can be hard to overcome. I love bartlein barrels but the 4 Groove has always been my go to. I don't get to shoot much anymore with my new shop and with business as good as it has been. I guess I'm just worried I will second guess the heck out of this barrel if it doesn't show me some magic from the start?? What can I say, I'm a 4 groove kind of guy. I don't believe in better gas seals or easier to clean nonsense. perhaps that's true but I haven't ever had any issue cleaning or getting velocity with a 4 groove so I just don't believe in all that. I was just curious if I was alone in my thoughts. that's all really. Lee
I had a 5R mil-spec, damn thing shot like nobodys business and cleaned easily.
I've seen plenty of conventional barrels shoot just as well or better.
It MAY, however, lend itself to hammer forged barrels.
I have a 5 groove polygonal that shoots so-so.
Don't know the answer.
I've seen plenty of conventional barrels shoot just as well or better.
It MAY, however, lend itself to hammer forged barrels.
I have a 5 groove polygonal that shoots so-so.
Don't know the answer.
The whole 5r vs what ever doesn't matter, you have a barrel from a good barrel maker. 5R may not better than a 4 or 6 land barrel but it's not worse either.
Montrose
Montrose
I've done a bunch of Bartlein & Krieger barrels for my own rifles, as well as customers, in both conventional 4-groove & 5-groove, and have yet to been able to tell any measurable differences between the two types of rifling. If I were getting ready to barrel another rifle for myself right now, and had both types of blanks on hand, it'd be a coin flip decision on which one to use. I think it's a useless waste of time to agonize over whether to use the bbl you have or not. Just chamber & fit the thing, and forget it.
I guess the one main thing that I don't care for about a 5R is that when I go to insert my long stem indicator into the throat it can be a real bitch trying to dial the dam thing in that last little bit. I can get them close with a gordy type rod but I always like to use my indicator for the last little adjustment.. Lee
Once held a barrel in my hand that had a bulge from a squib load.
That barrel jumps from 22 to 25 cal bout right in the middle...
Tammie Forster, 1993 US Olympic Team, Silver Medalist, and all around sweetest bad ass one could ever hope to meet. Very, very nice lady.
Barrels made well tend to shoot well. The wrinkles on the inside need to be the following:
Of consistent diameter
Of consistent surface finish
Of consistent rate of twist.
Until you do a "Tooley" and chamber a semi truck load and also truckloads of every other type there's no course for a reasonable conclusion. I've enjoyed equal success over the years from barrels with conventional 70/30 land and groove profiles.
Bottom line is this: Known manufacturers offer products with a predictable outcome. That'll get one a lot further than anything. Bartlein is well established, buy with confidence.
That barrel jumps from 22 to 25 cal bout right in the middle...
Tammie Forster, 1993 US Olympic Team, Silver Medalist, and all around sweetest bad ass one could ever hope to meet. Very, very nice lady.
Barrels made well tend to shoot well. The wrinkles on the inside need to be the following:
Of consistent diameter
Of consistent surface finish
Of consistent rate of twist.
Until you do a "Tooley" and chamber a semi truck load and also truckloads of every other type there's no course for a reasonable conclusion. I've enjoyed equal success over the years from barrels with conventional 70/30 land and groove profiles.
Bottom line is this: Known manufacturers offer products with a predictable outcome. That'll get one a lot further than anything. Bartlein is well established, buy with confidence.
5R (R for Russian) a Boots Obermeyer clone of commie AK74 rifling (4 grooves of same shape as 5R)
Havent ran into a bad 5R bartlein barrel yet. If I was going to guess anything it would be that the 4 groove may be a tad faster but...that's just a guess.
I've had very good luck chambering bartlien barrels in many calibers they all shoot good. I also have used three brux 7mm 4 groove barrels on the last theee 28noslers I've built. They all shoot great even with factory ammo. I think that it's more in the manufacture than the actual number of lands.
But on a side note I built my 6mm-06 with a lilja 6groove barrel 1-8" twist. I was told to use a 6groove because the lands were smaller in width that a 4-5groove barrel and would lower the pressure on the bullet jacket and keep the Berger bullets together at the high speeds of the 6-06. Is that true I have no idea but it sounds good right haha
But on a side note I built my 6mm-06 with a lilja 6groove barrel 1-8" twist. I was told to use a 6groove because the lands were smaller in width that a 4-5groove barrel and would lower the pressure on the bullet jacket and keep the Berger bullets together at the high speeds of the 6-06. Is that true I have no idea but it sounds good right haha
When I get to pick the barrel for a custom build I always specify Bartlein 5R barrels. I will only use 4 or 6 groove if that's all that is available. 3 groove and someone else is doing it. I won't touch one.
Care to expound on your dislike for 3 groove?
After a couple hundred rounds they tear up high velocity thin jacket bullets. I don't need the comebacks they generate.
A few years back Hart had a good run of 6mm 14tw 3 groove barrels. The guys that had them really tore up the competition in short range BR. 6 ppc with a custom hand made 66 or 68 grain bullet. At 3350 to 3500 FPS i never had a bullet fail. I dont have any other real experience other than that with 3 groove. 4 Groove has always been my preferred flavor. Cut rifled. Lee
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