Gunsmithing Opinions please on Barrel fluting and warping.

[csdilligaf]

I am new to gunsmithing but 30 yrs as a tool maker in my own bussiness. I have always had to be concerned with things warping or twisting when cut so it seems to me fluting a barrel should have the same issue's. I suppose if all the stress relieving things were done by the barrel maker it would help but how do I know if they did? I have 3 Shilen Select Match barrels I am doing and from what I have read Shilen and some other barrel mfg's dont endorse fluting. Obviously I want to keep the barrel as straight as possible. Has anyone ever found this to be an issue?

thanks,

 

[RADcustom]

Re: Opinions please on Barrel fluting and warping.

It has been argued before, but fluting doesn't offer any benefit besides minimal weight loss and cosmetics.

There is a risk of deforming the bore depending on the depth of the flute with respect to the bore. It would seem that a button rifled barrel would be more susceptible to deformation during the process.

There are a lot a great shooting fluted barrels out there. It is up to you to decide if it is worth the risk.

 

[csdilligaf]

Re: Opinions please on Barrel fluting and warping.

I spoke with Chad Dixon at longrifles and he was of the same thought. Button formed barrels should most likely be left alone unless the Manufacturer did it in the process prior to drill,ream and form land/groove's.

 

[Brutas]

Re: Opinions please on Barrel fluting and warping.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: csdilligaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I spoke with Chad Dixon at longrifles and he was of the same thought. Button formed barrels should most likely be left alone unless the Manufacturer did it in the process prior to drill,ream and form land/groove's. </div></div>

It is impossible to flute a button barrel prior to rifling. To button a barrel, the bar of steel must be uniform in diameter to absorb the stress placed upon the steel when the rifling is swaged by the button. If the blank is contour, fluted or otherwise altered the button will not swage the rifling consistently.