OzFclass

I am updating the worksheet in the earlier post (you may need to refresh the page to see the latest). In the very early stages (with about a third of the F-Open info now there) cut and button are about 50-50. No responses yet from F-Std or F/TR? If you're reasonably sure about someone else's, let me know. The worst that can happen is you're mistaken and we'll fix it.

Alan- the barrel I used in 2012 was a Hart (rifle belonged to another shooter though). Brett Bunyan and Bill Hallam both use kriegers as far as I know. Unsure of what Terry Sheedy used- probably a krieger too.

My results with barrels have honestly been a little dissapointing with kriegers. A 308 was good but not what you would call a hummer. A 223 which was average. A 5R 7mm that was a waste of $750 and a 4 groove 6mm that shot very well to start with but has really gone south after about 500 rounds. Possibly a change in bullet lot has stuffed it around- I cant get the newer hybrids to shoot anywhere near as good as the older ones I started with. Will play with it over summer.

The other barrels I have owned were a lilja in 22BRX- that shot very well but didnt last long. Trueflight in 22BR- was average, then I got a maddco 6.5mm which was unreal. Have got a maddco for my latest 7mm and again it shoots unreal- every bit as good as my 260 I believe and only 150 rounds into it, possibly better in the future. Have purchased a second hand 308 at 26 inches which is also a maddco and that shoots very well too. They might not last as long as some of the other barrels around, but the maddco's take alot of beating in my books.

mike H wrote:So users of button rifled barrels are losers
Mike

So that's where I have been going wrong. I really have to try one of the cut rifle barrels one day. If Bartleins were available here, I wouldn't mind trying one.

RDavies wrote:

mike H wrote:So users of button rifled barrels are losers
Mike

So that's where I have been going wrong. I really have to try one of the cut rifle barrels one day. If Bartleins were available here, I wouldn't mind trying one.

I'm not saying they are losers but you will find with the twist rate uniformity especially they won't be as consistent. Then the stress in the steel is the next thing that has the biggest control issue with.

Talk to Craig McGowan. He has barrels on order with us thru Feb. 2015 now.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

Australia, being on the - err - bottom end of the World, sees more supply problems with delays and shortages and we are used to taking what we can get.

And our barrel makers have more problems sourcing the best steels.

Having said that, I have used Maddcos exclusively for years and never had a bad one - and two were exceptional. They are buttoned. I can ring him and usually have a barrel in a few weeks.

I think the main factor is the integrity of the maker and how he has mastered the mode of manufacture and method of finishing the barrel.

But I do look forward to trying a few cut barrels.

One final thought. People blame barrels almost as much as scopes. Trying to assess barrel quality is very difficult unless it is a real dog because the way they have been 'smithed' may not always be equal which makes comparison impossible !!!!!!

Peter Smith

Pete, I agree a 100% that the barrels get blamed for problems more than anything else.

Gunsmithing/quality of the work is one.

Bullets are another problem. They vary from lot to lot and can cause fouling problems and also even if no fouling problems can cause variances in accuracy as well. Also have seen bullets fail (come apart in flight) and I was able to trace it back to a particular lot of bullets.

Damage from cleaning. Some guys think the barrel quite shooting and sometimes just a minor retouch up on the crown brings the barrel back to life. Weather it be from cleaning damage or just wear from shooting/erosion at the crown.

Later, Frank

Alan , I can't find ur worksheet, so I'll post here.
F standard , I've been very happy with a 3 groove Lilya Button rifled!

Josh Reid uses a Maddco 3 groove and we all know how well he has been shooting ( except the second day at Northarm. This was my fault as Josh was gracious to let me beat him for once. What a top sport! Lol.) I think he has a 500 yd Aus. Record set at Warwick at 500 yds 90.10 with that barrel .

Cam and Julie have used Maddco and Kriegers . Don't know what they are currently using . Maybe Cam might tell us

Cheers.

I think the issue of rifling twist rate variance has been pretty well overcome by better button rifled barrel builders. The issue of stress relief of the barrel has been sorted as well. After all, a good button barrel just works.

I have no issue with cut rifled barrels though, my next barrel may be one of those pending availability.

Didn't the Russians develop some sort of edm type of barrel manufacturing that is extremely accurate? Or is that some myth?

Edm rifling has been tried here in the States for a while now. Don't know who did it first or not. Don't know of a manufacturer of any kind that has been able to get it to work successfully. Seems on long barrels (rifle vs. pistol) the barrel ends up missing grooves/lands. No consistency. I think cost is another huge problem that is trying to be overcome. Unless I'm wrong I know of nothing going on with it as of right now.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

I think Picatanny were having a crack at flow forming back in 2011, but I don't know how much success they had? In theory flow forming looks efficient, but I'm not sure about tolerances and it comes back to similar issues as hammer forging in terms of the tooling.