I have recently seen a few fluted barrels on larger calibers. Previously, I had only seen them on 22LRs. On larger calibers, I would think anyway, the fluting would weaken the barrels. Is there a reason for fluting? Are there any benefits other than looks?
Fluted Barrels
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4thHorseman
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I understand Wilson Combat makes one now. It lightens the gun, Wilson also claims it makes the gun less likely to get debris caught between the slide and barrel flutes making it more reliable. (Not word for word quote).
belercous
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Fluting a barrel, if done improperly, will strengthen it by work-hardening. This really is not desireable since it increases its brittleness.
Fluting a barrel will increase its surface area which will aid in cooling. Fluting also lightens a barrel, but duh.
And if one thinks it looks cooler, then it does that too.
Fluting a barrel will increase its surface area which will aid in cooling. Fluting also lightens a barrel, but duh.
And if one thinks it looks cooler, then it does that too.
Sunray
Member
"...It lightens the gun..." There's minimal weight difference between a fluted barrel and a non-fluted one. Any cooling advantage is unproven and it doesn't work harden. Fluting is decorative. There's still lots of steel left, so it doesn't weaken the barrel though.
"...makes the gun less likely to..." Silly marketing. It creates a place for dirt to accumulate.
"...makes the gun less likely to..." Silly marketing. It creates a place for dirt to accumulate.
I think we have a misunderstanding. Fluted barrels and fluted bolts are two different things. And neither one involves a slide.
Hypnogator
Member
Fluting enables you to have, say in an AR-15, a med-con barrel with little more weight than a lightweight barrel. You get the additional stiffness of the heavier barrel, with considerable weight savings and, as has been noted, additional cooling capacity.
Still, 99% of the time, it's done for cosmetic reasons.
Still, 99% of the time, it's done for cosmetic reasons.
Does fluting produce a significant change in suface area?
If by fluting, you merely take an arc section and invert the diameter, there is ZERO change in surface area. If, you make deeper flutes, then the surface area would start to increase slightly. Who has the numbers? I'm thinking "double" is misleading.
hey_poolboy
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scythefwd
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fluting allows for a ticker barrel to be slightly lighter weight. It will be stronger than a barrel of the same weight, but lighter than a barrel of the same thickness. I have one fluted barrel. It's only cosmetic. Black powder doesn't heat up between shots too quickly.
now look at the barrett M107a. Fluting there on that very long barrel probably does serve a real purpose with tangible benefits.
now look at the barrett M107a. Fluting there on that very long barrel probably does serve a real purpose with tangible benefits.
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Jim Watson
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Gale McMillan (frequently quoted to the effect that breaking in a barrel is unnecessary) said that the main effect of fluting was to transfer money from your pocket to the machinist's. If a fluted barrel delivered 20% smaller groups would you not expect to see them on benchrest rifles where group size is everything?
It gives you the advantages of a thicker, stiffer barrel, but with slightly less weight.
The Winchester Featherweight uses a very thin barrel to reduce weight. They are usually good for a few shots before they heat up and accuracy starts to fall off. The new Wincheter Extreme Weather rifle uses a standard diameter barrel with flutes. The finished weight is the same, but the thicker barrel with flutes tend to be more accurate. Especially if more than a few shots are fired.
Added,
Jim and I were typing at the same time. A fluted barrel and unfluted barrel of equal diameters should give comparable accuracy. The fluting does not increase accuracy. It just helps reduce weight, without sacraficing accuracy. Where weight is of no concern, like benchrest rifles, there is no reason to flute a barrel.
The Winchester Featherweight uses a very thin barrel to reduce weight. They are usually good for a few shots before they heat up and accuracy starts to fall off. The new Wincheter Extreme Weather rifle uses a standard diameter barrel with flutes. The finished weight is the same, but the thicker barrel with flutes tend to be more accurate. Especially if more than a few shots are fired.
Added,
Jim and I were typing at the same time. A fluted barrel and unfluted barrel of equal diameters should give comparable accuracy. The fluting does not increase accuracy. It just helps reduce weight, without sacraficing accuracy. Where weight is of no concern, like benchrest rifles, there is no reason to flute a barrel.
He is referring to an option on Wilson's 1911 pistols. The idea is that if debris gets in there, it can get mashed into the flutes instead of preventing reciprocation. I have no clue if it works or not.
(Picture lifted from 1911forum user shadowboxer)
Ever see an "I"-beam?
As long as the material removed is along the axis the barrel is lightened while retaining strength. Any of the other "fluting" design makes the barrel more "whippy".
Sorry, I should have been more specific - the "double" was merely to show the relationship in the equation. I don't have the math saavy to calculate barrel surface area after a theoretical fluting, as it's been years since I've had calculus, and my intuition tells me that's needed.
Just looking, flluting appears to me to significantly increase surface area, though I could be wrong.
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